can completely see how it’s my fault and I now own an entire wardrobe of your favorite color. It makes perfect sense.”
I try to keep the smile out of my tone. “It wasn’t always my favorite color.”
Her eyes open but she doesn’t move a muscle. “Don’t take me for an idiot.”
“You don’t get it and you never have.”
“Enlighten me.”
I lean forward and pick up the first thing I see. It’s soft and smooth, and when I let it slide through my fingers, I see it’s a silk robe. “The first assignment we had together. You were young and as green as George on the one-dollar bill.” I fist the red as tight as I want to hold on to her. As tight as I’ve tried in the past and it’s never worked. In fact, the tighter I’ve gripped, the more she’s slipped and melted away from me. “I had a job to do and you were my decoy.”
I see it in her eyes. She remembers the day as clearly as I do. She hated me—I could see it and feel it. I didn’t think much of her at the time, either.
But the moment we walked into that mansion, there was nothing green about her. She not only did her job, she fucking killed it. And it had nothing to do with the red dress she wore to make sure she was the center of attention.
But that red dress hugging every curve of her body as it was pressed against mine on the dance floor did have an effect on my dick, which at the time annoyed the fuck out of me. I never mixed business with pleasure.
Ever.
And I had no desire to shake things up for a fresh-out-of-college MI6 who probably landed the job because of her last name and beautiful face.
She knows where I’m going with this and says nothing so I keep on. “You annoyed the hell out of me that night.”
“Because I proved you wrong and not only did my job, but bloody aced it? You planted the bugs while I romanced our target with small talk. Your operation had been trying to infiltrate that mansion for weeks. But when I was added to the case, it was done in a matter of ninety-four minutes—if I remember correctly.”
“You were a natural, but that’s not what annoyed me. I’d worked for years to get where I was. I was the best—”
She interrupts me. “I see you still struggle with poor self-esteem.”
I ignore that. “—and always focused on my assignment completely. I never had to work at concentrating until that night. Until you waltzed your fine ass out of the shitty motel bathroom in a dress that annihilated the brain cells of every man within a one-mile radius.”
“How dare you insinuate my worth is based on my dress size—”
“And then you worked the room like a seasoned operative. You had the touch, the cool, the collected, the instincts. You know I’d never imply anything else at this point. You quickly won me over and you know it. So you, sweetness, in red, takes me back to a time I’ll never forget.”
Her eyes close. I’m sick of seeing her exhausted. Not when I’m used to her full of life, giving me a run for my money at every turn.
“Can we please not rehash the past?” Her head falls to the sofa cushion. “I’m not used to making new friends—I’m exhausted.”
“You’ll be fine.”
It looks like it takes all her energy to lift her lids and gaze at me. “I know. I now have both Keelie and Gracie’s numbers. They said they’re going to check in on me and to ring them if I need anything. And do you know what’s even more shocking?”
I toss the red robe on top of the mountain of clothes. “What?”
“I think they meant it. I’m not accustomed to nice women.”
I get up and head to the kitchen. “It’s amazing what can happen when they aren’t intimidated by you.”
“I’m not intimidating unless you piss me off,” she calls after me.
That’s the truth.
Chapter 7
Where Dreams and Fears Collide
Twenty-two years ago
London
Age five
Bella
“It’s fuckin’ not. And if they think it’s the way it’ll happen, they can kiss my arse.”
My hand flies to my mouth to muffle my giggle because Daddy said the bad words Mummy would chew him for if she heard. I take a chance and open the door a bit so I can see. He’s where he always is, in his leather chair that’s wrinkled from him shifting