faded. “Particularly since no one appeared inclined to let me know about bomb threats and you dodging murderers and flying through glass windows. It made me realize that I couldn’t afford to wait until hell froze over or you forgot about being pissed off at me. I figured my chances might be the same for either one.”
“You had that right.” She went still. “How did you know I had a few…problems? I know it wasn’t Jessie.”
“No, she was completely silent where you were concerned. Which was suspicious in itself. I thought I was going to have to dig deeper, but it turned out not to be necessary.” He took a sip of his beer. “As a matter of fact, you helped me along with it yourself.”
“I did not,” she said flatly.
“Not intentionally. Heaven forbid.” His lips twisted. “But you did it just the same. I had no idea you had so much influence on Metcalf, but it seems he was worried about you after that last incident. He contacted me and told me that it might not be a completely bad idea if I came back on the scene since I’d pitched you into this case.”
“He didn’t!” She couldn’t believe it. “Metcalf is a professional. He wouldn’t do that, particularly against Griffin’s orders.”
“What can I say? I’ve always told you he has a crush on you. He was very surly about it, but he obviously wanted you to have all the help you could get. Even if it came from me. As you said, he’s a professional and he knew he had to be on the job and wouldn’t be able to devote the same attention I would.” He tilted his head. “I actually respect him for it. I’m sure he would rather have been the hero than the whistle-blower. It wasn’t easy for him to do it.”
“I don’t give a damn. He shouldn’t have done it. I don’t need your help,” she said through set teeth. “It’s humiliating that you’d think I’d take it.”
“You may not need it. But I need to give it,” he said quietly. “Metcalf was right, I was the one who pitched you into this, and now I have to be there with you until we find who killed your friends. You know what a good team we are, Kendra. I’ll be there beside you, working just as hard as you. Give me a chance to help find the bastard who did this.” He added coaxingly, “Don’t throw me into outer darkness until later. Let me do this one case with you.”
“Don’t you understand? I don’t want you to—” She stopped and tried to smother her anger and indignation. He meant what he said. They had been together long enough for her to know the difference between sincerity and manipulation in Lynch. He might be superbly talented at the skill that had given him the nickname he hated, but he’d always been careful not to use manipulation on Kendra. Until that time he’d had her jerked out of Kabul and then tried to run her life, she thought bitterly. That was why it had hurt so badly and made her feel betrayed. “And I’m supposed to believe we can still work together? Every time I look at you, I remember what you did to me. If you had a problem, you should have talked to me, not sicced that pompous general on me.”
“I actually felt very sorry for General Kotcheff. Though I’m still determined to find out about those bright red shorts.” He grinned. “But I decided I couldn’t afford to wait.” He put his beer down on the coffee table and the next moment he was standing in front of her, gazing directly into his eyes. He said softly, “And you know we can still work together. You’re the smartest woman I’ve ever known and you’re not going to let the fact that you think I acted like an asshole interfere with what you consider important. I’m good and you know it. For God’s sake, use me.”
He was too close and she didn’t feel at all smart at the moment. Heat. That smoky male scent mixed with the spice of his aftershave. Her breasts were growing taut, her body readying as it always did when he was near. She wanted to take a step back, but that would be too revealing. Lynch had always been able to read her. She took a moment to steady her voice. “You mean like all those multinational business