desperate for a successful night that she saw something where there was nothing? She replayed the episode in her mind.
No, she was right. She saw something. She didn’t quite understand it, but her gut instinct said it was a piece of a bigger puzzle. Something illegal, possibly nefarious. Oooh, wouldn’t that be great?
She trusted her gut. That should be enough for her. She’d dig for the truth alone. She didn’t need backup. Let the others think she’s on a wild-goose chase. She’ll prove them wrong.
Julie sensed Eric’s gaze on her. She looked up and saw him watching her intently. Like he knew exactly what she was thinking.
“You don’t believe me, either, do you?” she asked with a wry smile.
“Oh, I believe you.”
“Really?” She sat up straight in her chair. “You think I saw something that was espionage or piracy?”
“Yeah, it’s possible,” he said wearily.
“Thank you.” Eric believed in her instincts, her observation skills. He didn’t think it was her imagination or wishful thinking.
“Promise me something.” His tone was low and urgent.
“Okay, what?” she whispered.
“Don’t pursue it.”
Her lips parted in surprise. He couldn’t possibly ask for that kind of favor. “I—but I…”
“I know that look in your eye. I can practically hear your mind buzzing. You want to investigate.”
“Well…” Duh. Of course she did. It was her case. Her chance to show what she could do. But she couldn’t share her thoughts with Eric.
His expression was forbidding. “I’m not going to let you.”
Let her? As if he had a say in the matter. Let her, as if he was in charge. Her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
Eric’s eyes glittered as he returned her glare. “In fact, I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you away from trouble.”
8
E RIC DIDN’T SAY ANY MORE about the subject until the team had called it a night. Most of them were tired but still giddy from working an assignment. Julie, however, was unusually quiet.
At first he thought she was subdued because her debut as a decoy hadn’t met her expectations. But he’d slowly become aware of the signs. The twinkle in her eye. The secret smile. She was constantly moving even though she was sitting down.
She wasn’t listening to what was going on around her. Her mind was buzzing as she planned her next move.
That was as far as he would allow.
He rode the elevator with Julie and the team. As they walked into the parking structure, he waved goodbye to his coworkers and followed Julie to the parking lot elevators. It was only when they were in the elevator riding up to another floor that Julie noticed something was odd.
“Aren’t you staying at this hotel?” she asked as the elevator chimed and the doors opened.
“I’m walking you to your car.”
“Thank you, but there’s no need,” Julie said as she exited the elevator, her stride powerful, her ponytail swishing from side to side. “It’s Bellevue. Not Beirut.”
“Don’t knock Beirut. It’s one of my favorite cities.” He walked at her side, automatically scanning the area. The lot was full but quiet.
“I can take care of myself.”
“Kick-Ass Julie is an alias, not a bullet-proof shield.” She acted tough in her boots and military jacket, but he’d seen her self-defense maneuver. He didn’t like the idea of her here alone. No one would hear her if she needed help. “Anyway, we need to talk. You are not investigating what you saw tonight.”
She made a face. “Of course I am.”
Why wasn’t he surprised? “This is what you do—those guys work with Lloyd. You contact them or security at Z-Ray, tell them what you saw and you drop the matter.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“You may think these women are no match for you—” He heard a tire squeal and looked around, but it was from the floor below.
“Red was kind of ditzy. Blondie looked like she would fight dirty, but I could take her.”
“Don’t underestimate
No, she was right. She saw something. She didn’t quite understand it, but her gut instinct said it was a piece of a bigger puzzle. Something illegal, possibly nefarious. Oooh, wouldn’t that be great?
She trusted her gut. That should be enough for her. She’d dig for the truth alone. She didn’t need backup. Let the others think she’s on a wild-goose chase. She’ll prove them wrong.
Julie sensed Eric’s gaze on her. She looked up and saw him watching her intently. Like he knew exactly what she was thinking.
“You don’t believe me, either, do you?” she asked with a wry smile.
“Oh, I believe you.”
“Really?” She sat up straight in her chair. “You think I saw something that was espionage or piracy?”
“Yeah, it’s possible,” he said wearily.
“Thank you.” Eric believed in her instincts, her observation skills. He didn’t think it was her imagination or wishful thinking.
“Promise me something.” His tone was low and urgent.
“Okay, what?” she whispered.
“Don’t pursue it.”
Her lips parted in surprise. He couldn’t possibly ask for that kind of favor. “I—but I…”
“I know that look in your eye. I can practically hear your mind buzzing. You want to investigate.”
“Well…” Duh. Of course she did. It was her case. Her chance to show what she could do. But she couldn’t share her thoughts with Eric.
His expression was forbidding. “I’m not going to let you.”
Let her? As if he had a say in the matter. Let her, as if he was in charge. Her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
Eric’s eyes glittered as he returned her glare. “In fact, I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you away from trouble.”
8
E RIC DIDN’T SAY ANY MORE about the subject until the team had called it a night. Most of them were tired but still giddy from working an assignment. Julie, however, was unusually quiet.
At first he thought she was subdued because her debut as a decoy hadn’t met her expectations. But he’d slowly become aware of the signs. The twinkle in her eye. The secret smile. She was constantly moving even though she was sitting down.
She wasn’t listening to what was going on around her. Her mind was buzzing as she planned her next move.
That was as far as he would allow.
He rode the elevator with Julie and the team. As they walked into the parking structure, he waved goodbye to his coworkers and followed Julie to the parking lot elevators. It was only when they were in the elevator riding up to another floor that Julie noticed something was odd.
“Aren’t you staying at this hotel?” she asked as the elevator chimed and the doors opened.
“I’m walking you to your car.”
“Thank you, but there’s no need,” Julie said as she exited the elevator, her stride powerful, her ponytail swishing from side to side. “It’s Bellevue. Not Beirut.”
“Don’t knock Beirut. It’s one of my favorite cities.” He walked at her side, automatically scanning the area. The lot was full but quiet.
“I can take care of myself.”
“Kick-Ass Julie is an alias, not a bullet-proof shield.” She acted tough in her boots and military jacket, but he’d seen her self-defense maneuver. He didn’t like the idea of her here alone. No one would hear her if she needed help. “Anyway, we need to talk. You are not investigating what you saw tonight.”
She made a face. “Of course I am.”
Why wasn’t he surprised? “This is what you do—those guys work with Lloyd. You contact them or security at Z-Ray, tell them what you saw and you drop the matter.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“You may think these women are no match for you—” He heard a tire squeal and looked around, but it was from the floor below.
“Red was kind of ditzy. Blondie looked like she would fight dirty, but I could take her.”
“Don’t underestimate
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