earlier tonight, it was time for him to repay the favor. Ben looked from Matt to Jenna and waited.
“If it is okay with Mr. Hawthorn, I’d like to put Matt in change of doing just that.”
Jenna now turned to face him fully.
Ben felt the muscles in his neck relax a notch, pleased to be officially invited into the process. “Let us know what you need and we’ll get it in place.”
“Thank you.”
He could actually feel the gratitude radiating from her, spreading from her slow smile across the room to hit him in the chest. She looked tired. Ben stood, but Jenna turned back to the others before he could make a move to join her.
“Listen up, everyone, for your assignment,” she said with clear authority.
All he could do was stand there and wait. People would file up to talk to Jenna, and he could watch their confusion change to clarity after only a minute or two of talking to her. Each would leave with their purpose clear in every step they took. After ten minutes the only ones who remained were themselves and Matt.
“Matt, I appreciate you taking charge of security. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of the people who tried to move the device.”
Jenna handed him the schematics of the base area. Matt looked between her and Ben, before he reached into his jacket and pulled out a thermos.
“The two of you look like hell. I think you need this more than I do.”
Heat from the coffee inside warmed Ben’s hand. Knowing Matt, it would be strong enough to keep them up until dawn.
“Thanks. I think Miss Robins needs a short break before we put her to work,” he said, casting a quick look down at her face.
She tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.
“And maybe a nap,” Ben said as he rubbed her back.
“I’ll leave you two alone then. I’m on the wireless if you need anything.”
Matt gave Jenna one of his killer winks and headed out to check the perimeter.
The second the door closed behind him, Ben turned and scooped Jenna into his arms.
Her eyes popped wide open. “What are you doing?”
“I was serious. You need a nap.”
He almost dropped her when she tried to squirm out of his arms. “Ben, please. Put me down.”
“I intend to. In this cot right here.”
He sat down on the cot, but kept Jenna wrapped up in his arms. She wriggled for another few seconds before giving up the fight. When she placed her head on his shoulder, a warm sensation of peace filled him.
62
“Tired?” he spoke against the top of her head.
“Yes,” her breath warmed his shirt. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. You’ve earned it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that many people jump to action that quickly.”
Her body shook with laughter. “I’m sure you see that every day at CalCorp.”
When she tilted her head back Ben’s breath became shallow. Even half asleep she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead before he captured her mouth in a kiss.
Jenna sighed as she teased the back of his neck with her long fingers. She opened her mouth, allowing Ben to deepen his kiss. He massaged her back with his hand, tugging up her shirt as he went so he could feel her soft skin.
There wasn’t anything sexual about his touch. He simply needed to be closer to her, needed to feel her warmth and know that she was real. That everything that had happened tonight was real.
Jenna nipped his bottom lip, and then kissed a trail down his jaw to his neck.
“I hope you didn’t have any plans. Because the only way you’re going to get me to stay here is if you don’t move.”
For the first time in his life Ben didn’t mind the idea of a woman holding him down. He closed his eyes and breathed deep.
“I wouldn’t dream of moving.”
Ben couldn’t open his eyes again. It wasn’t worth the fight, so he let his mind drift into oblivion. He probably would have stayed like that for hours if Jenna hadn’t sat bolt upright in his arms.
“What the
“If it is okay with Mr. Hawthorn, I’d like to put Matt in change of doing just that.”
Jenna now turned to face him fully.
Ben felt the muscles in his neck relax a notch, pleased to be officially invited into the process. “Let us know what you need and we’ll get it in place.”
“Thank you.”
He could actually feel the gratitude radiating from her, spreading from her slow smile across the room to hit him in the chest. She looked tired. Ben stood, but Jenna turned back to the others before he could make a move to join her.
“Listen up, everyone, for your assignment,” she said with clear authority.
All he could do was stand there and wait. People would file up to talk to Jenna, and he could watch their confusion change to clarity after only a minute or two of talking to her. Each would leave with their purpose clear in every step they took. After ten minutes the only ones who remained were themselves and Matt.
“Matt, I appreciate you taking charge of security. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of the people who tried to move the device.”
Jenna handed him the schematics of the base area. Matt looked between her and Ben, before he reached into his jacket and pulled out a thermos.
“The two of you look like hell. I think you need this more than I do.”
Heat from the coffee inside warmed Ben’s hand. Knowing Matt, it would be strong enough to keep them up until dawn.
“Thanks. I think Miss Robins needs a short break before we put her to work,” he said, casting a quick look down at her face.
She tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.
“And maybe a nap,” Ben said as he rubbed her back.
“I’ll leave you two alone then. I’m on the wireless if you need anything.”
Matt gave Jenna one of his killer winks and headed out to check the perimeter.
The second the door closed behind him, Ben turned and scooped Jenna into his arms.
Her eyes popped wide open. “What are you doing?”
“I was serious. You need a nap.”
He almost dropped her when she tried to squirm out of his arms. “Ben, please. Put me down.”
“I intend to. In this cot right here.”
He sat down on the cot, but kept Jenna wrapped up in his arms. She wriggled for another few seconds before giving up the fight. When she placed her head on his shoulder, a warm sensation of peace filled him.
62
“Tired?” he spoke against the top of her head.
“Yes,” her breath warmed his shirt. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. You’ve earned it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that many people jump to action that quickly.”
Her body shook with laughter. “I’m sure you see that every day at CalCorp.”
When she tilted her head back Ben’s breath became shallow. Even half asleep she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead before he captured her mouth in a kiss.
Jenna sighed as she teased the back of his neck with her long fingers. She opened her mouth, allowing Ben to deepen his kiss. He massaged her back with his hand, tugging up her shirt as he went so he could feel her soft skin.
There wasn’t anything sexual about his touch. He simply needed to be closer to her, needed to feel her warmth and know that she was real. That everything that had happened tonight was real.
Jenna nipped his bottom lip, and then kissed a trail down his jaw to his neck.
“I hope you didn’t have any plans. Because the only way you’re going to get me to stay here is if you don’t move.”
For the first time in his life Ben didn’t mind the idea of a woman holding him down. He closed his eyes and breathed deep.
“I wouldn’t dream of moving.”
Ben couldn’t open his eyes again. It wasn’t worth the fight, so he let his mind drift into oblivion. He probably would have stayed like that for hours if Jenna hadn’t sat bolt upright in his arms.
“What the
Similar Books
