I had to acknowledge the man’s innate charm. Had to acknowledge the tiny sparks in my brain lighting up at Humphrey’s access to Bernard Allerton as a person, not only an idea, a thought, a shadow in the night I was endlessly searching for. Perhaps he would offer a usable clue about Bernard’s location.
Perhaps after this drink I would… go to Sloane’s room and give that information to her. A gift, albeit a small one, but one that would help her see I wasn’t just a useless bastard who refused to help her.
“I like expensive whiskey,” I told Humphrey. “I expect you to be buying, sir.”
“And I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to my finances,” he bellowed back. “A perfect pairing!”
I hung up and hailed a cab, shoving my hands in my pockets. Why did I feel so light-hearted thinking about sharing a drink with Bernard’s best friend? The man was the definition of frivolity, and my last serious girlfriend, Caroline, would have never believed I’d do something so spontaneous. She’d seen me at my unfortunate worst, at the height of my burn-out and frustration with the FBI, when I wasn’t sure yet what the answer was to my angry questions—why do we keep losing priceless artifacts? Why are these thieves still out-smarting us? Why does everything take so fucking long? The answer, ultimately, was founding Codex. Until then, I only knew that I was frustrated, closed off, distracted. So much of that had disappeared in the last four years, and my mother loved reminding me this would be a fine time to begin dating seriously again. Don’t you want a girlfriend who can celebrate the good changes in your life? Don’t you want to finally make me and Jeanette grandmothers?
The cab dropped me off at Mycroft’s Pub, and it was a challenge to repress the memories of Sloane and me at that bar before things had turned dangerous. Her body, her smile, her flirtatious teasing and smoky laughter. Inside, the bar was cozy and filled with people on this rainy night. I spotted Humphrey and a smaller man chatting at the bar. He waved to me with an intense excitement. I merely nodded, removed my coat, and turned toward the roaring fireplace. Over the mantle hung a sign with cursive writing. I must have missed it the other night—because this sign flashed at me like a warning and a clue, all at once.
Didn’t we once meet at Reichenbach Falls?
My blood chilled, goosebumps springing across my skin.
“How… interesting,” I murmured.
An ember-tinged voice to my right said, “How so?”
I turned, saw my goddess for the first time in two days and felt the strongest urge to sink to my knees in front of her, press my face to her skin in adoration.
“Ms… Atwood,” I said, remembering our cover. “What a surprise.”
Her raven hair was in a high bun, leaving the curve of her throat exposed, her high cheekbones bare. She was dressed in all-black, as usual—ripped black jeans, stiletto boots, a sweater that hung off her smooth shoulder. Blood-red lips.
I took a step into her orbit and placed my jacket across a bar stool. “What on earth is going on here?”
Sloane waved to Humphrey with a big smile. “Humphrey believes you and I are having a lovers’ quarrel. His words.” Her midnight eyes were sparkling with intrigue and intelligence. A truly dangerous combination on a woman so beautiful. “He invited me here for drinks tonight, and he must have called you when he was outside.”
“The man has a certain charm,” I said. “What are we arguing about?”
“Apparently the way I ran out of the talk here and left you looking lonely,” she said.
“Yes, it was quite rude of you to leave me and run to an alley to fight a man twice your size,” I said, mouth tipping up. Every nerve ending in my body roared with a primal joy at seeing her again. I had no idea if I wanted a romantic partner right now. I did, however, want this woman in my bed, preferably underneath me.
Aware of Humphrey watching us, and using it to my selfish advantage, I dipped my head and pressed my lips softly to Sloane’s cheek. Her hair brushed my forehead, and my lips dipped down to her ear. Her body, this close, overwhelmed my senses.
“You’ve stayed safe?” I said quietly.
“I have.” I saw her swallow, saw the goosebumps along the side of her neck.
“Good,” I said. Stepped back but stayed close. “Shall