Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(57)
Author: Gena Showalter

He pinned me with a hard stare. "She’s an employee of Big Rocky. I hacked into their HR files earlier and recognized her from her photo. I flirted with her a little, hinted about needing a job, but couldn’t get her to give me any details of what goes on at Big Rocky HQ or what Desert Gal’s role might be."

"Maybe she couldn’t talk with your tongue down her throat," I suggested helpfully.

"Nothing happened." He turned away from me, jaw tightening. "You have my word."

"Yeah. Right. Look at you! You’re like the poster child of Men Who Have Just Been Making Out."

"She had her hands on me, I can’t deny that. But I didn’t let it go anywhere."

"Yeah. Right," I repeated.

"Look, if you must know, you’re the only woman I get hard for anymore. And it’s driving me insane!

Why else do you think I left you behind to talk to her? My attraction to you would have been obvious."

"Whatever," I said, but thought, Thank God. He’s mine, he’s mine, he’s mine.

"Damn it, this entire night was a waste."

"No, it wasn’t. While you were striking out with Blondie, I found out Cody is supposedly dating Desert Gal. But using his real name. Why would he do that? Anyway, she noticed him at work and decided she liked what she saw. Oh, and Candace Bright claims Desert Gall is her sister." Rome’s attention whipped back to me. "How do you know all that? From the men you were talking to?

The men you should have sent packing?"

I almost smiled. He wore jealousy so beautifully. "That’s right. Those men. You’re not the only one who can flirt for information."

His eyes narrowed but he ignored the gibe. "When an agent goes undercover as himself, he wants his targets to know who he is so he can pretend to switch sides." Ah. Excellent strategy. As commander, I’d take full credit.

"Learn anything else?" he asked.

"Just that I’m better at extracting information than you are." Gradually, his hard features softened. "Funny."

"And yet true. Those guys want to meet with me. Alone. They say they can help me."

"You’re not meeting them alone."

"Duh."

A sigh. "What am I going to do with you?"

Maybe it was the alcohol, but I heard myself say, "I can think of one thing." Rome’s nostrils flared, his pupils dilated. But rather than lean over and kiss me, he pushed to his feet, dragging me with him. "Trying to seduce me? Well, your timing sucks, you know that? I’m going to have you. I’ve warned you already. But once I’ve got you, neither of us will be getting out of bed for a long, long time. Which means we have to wait until this case is closed. So let’s mingle like we came here to do and see if we can learn anything else."

Chapter Eighteen

"Something’s wrong ," Rome said a few hours later as he parked at the convenience store across the street from our hotel. He stared over at the bustling parking lot, expression absorbed, body tense.

My gaze roved the cars, the people walking about, but I saw nothing out of the ordinary. "What?"

"Don’t know. Stay here and guard the car. I’ve got equipment in here that I don’t want in the wrong hands."

I wasn’t given a chance to reply. He was out of the car and a shadow of the night before I could get out a single word. Damn it! I could help him. I could (possibly) save him – if necessary. Instead, he’d left me here. Alone. Again.

Damn him, actually. I was the only one who’d learned anything at the club. Mingling after the Bible brothers left had done us no good. We hadn’t been ignored, but we hadn’t met anyone who’d told us anything relevant, either.

So badly I wanted to get out of the car and stomp after him. But I didn’t know what was going on, what I’d walk into or if I’d just place myself in the line of fire and hinder Rome. Besides, the car apparently needed guarding. I couldn’t see any of the equipment Rome had mentioned, but I stayed put. If he ever pulled this shit again, though…I banged a fist into the dash, watching the night, waiting.

Half an hour later, I was on edge, pissed and looking to destroy someone. How many times in one night did Rome think he could abandon me without repercussion? I had a feeling the tequila still flowing through my blood was the only thing that kept me from shooting actual flames.

Finally, Rome reentered the car. He had a new cut on his cheek, the blood already drying. My anger instantly died, concern taking its place.

"Are you okay?"

As usual, he ignored my question. "There were armed men all over the hotel, but I took care of them.

They belonged to Desert Gal. She knows we’re here, and that we’re on her trail. Let’s go. We don’t have much time before reinforcements arrive." He got out of the car without another word.

My bones creaked as I emerged. The night air was cool against my exposed skin, and I breathed deeply. "Don’t we need to take your precious equipment with us? And are. You. Okay?" His gaze met mine for the briefest of seconds. "I’m fine. When we reach the room, stay out of the bathroom."

He’d already gone to the room? Of course he had, I thought a moment later. Mr. Protective wouldn’t want me even to peek inside without knowing it was safe. Apparently some things never changed. "Lexis and Sherridan are all right, yes?" They would have seen the bad guys coming and hidden.

Silent, Rome leaped into motion and I raced behind him, staying close.

"Well?" I insisted, my heart drumming loudly. "Don’t make me ask again. Already I feel like I’m using tweezers to pull information from you that you should be offering freely." Rome’s movements didn’t falter. "I didn’t want to tell you until we were inside, so you wouldn’t break down and draw attention to us."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Hopefully the sarcastically growled statement hid my growing fear and anger.

"Fine. You want information? I’ll give you information. They’ve been taken." Ominous words said in a flat tone.

I stumbled as the knowledge seeped into my brain, righted myself and grabbed on to Rome’s belt buckle to keep him within reach. His pace never slowed, and I had to run to keep up. "Are they…are they – " I couldn’t force myself to say it.

"They’re valuable." He ushered me out of the night and over to a side door of the building. Hinges creaked as he opened it. "Too valuable to dispose of. They’ll be fine. Cody wouldn’t have let it happen otherwise."

"Cody? Cody! I’m starting to lose faith in him, Rome." The words lashed from me, blending with my pounding steps as we raced down a narrow, empty hallway.

"He had to prove himself, Belle. How else was he going to gain Desert Gal’s trust? But the thing is, Lexis and Sherridan didn’t know the angle he was working. They wouldn’t have willingly gone with him.