gives Erik time to come up with a plan.”
“So you’re going back as soon as we’re done here?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Us.”
I blinked. “Us?”
“Whether we find your stalker.” He trailed his knuckles along my cheek. “Whether you’re still in danger.” He dragged them down along my throat, letting them linger there lightly. “And whether or not we decide there’s more to us than just a few innocent kisses.”
It was time to bite the bullet, no matter how far out of my comfort zone it was. “We both know there’s more to us than that.”
“Yes, but is it enough?”
“For what?”
“To upend both of our lives? To make short-term plans that are going to have long-term ramifications.”
“You think the possibility of us being together, as a couple, is going to have something you would label ‘long-term ramifications?’” I arched my brows at him. “That sounds more like a business deal than a relationship.”
“I just meant there are a lot of things to consider. My job, your job, the fact that we live in different countries, whether or not we want the same things… This could get hella complicated.”
“I disagree.” I took his hand in both of mine and gently splayed his fingers. His hands were big and a little rough, as though he used them for his work. I assumed he had fighting and weapons skills, but I didn’t want to think about that. Instead, I thought about how it felt when he used his hands to touch me. How it would feel when his touches became more intimate than hand-holding and stroking my cheek.
“Shannon?”
I’d been quiet too long and I brought his hand back to my cheek. “I love the way it feels when you touch me,” I said after a moment. “I love your hands. I know it’s dumb, but just looking at them makes me feel safe.” I was dying inside, unsure how to talk like this to a man, especially one as exciting and powerful as this one. But I couldn’t stop. “I didn’t know you ten years ago, but my father did. For him to invite you to be my date that night, there had to be something special about you. Obviously, he was right, because the chemistry between us ignited immediately and has remained a gently simmering fire despite the fact that we’ve had no contact in many years. And both of us have had the same memories, the same longings, the same—albeit I’m sure very different in detail—fantasies. That isn’t a coincidence or something we should take lightly. I can’t let you go again without at least trying.”
“I’m thinking the same thing,” he whispered, leaning in to kiss me. Just as his lips found mine, we heard the sound of the sliding glass doors and suddenly there was noise and a rush of people. The other cruisers were back from their excursion into Cologne and we were no longer alone.
“Shit,” I muttered against his mouth.
He chuckled. “Don’t worry. We can go back to—”
“Ace? That you, mate?”
Chapter Fifteen
Ace
Who the fuck knew me on a fucking cruise on the Rhine fucking River in fucking Germany? As a spy, I was prepared for almost anything, but not for being recognized here on this damn boat. I got to my feet, instinctively blocking Shannon from view. The face in front of me was one I hadn’t seen in a while, and probably the last one I expected to see here.
“Chance?” I probably looked like a deer in the headlights staring at him, but he didn’t have any such qualms and reached out a hand.
“Good to see you! Been a long time.” His blue eyes twinkled with unspoken humor at running into each other considering our history, but the attractive woman beside him didn’t seem at all suspicious.
“It has been.” I nodded as I shook his hand.
“This is my wife, Aubrey.” He slid an arm around the auburn-haired woman’s waist. “Our first vacation since the baby.”
“Nice to meet you.” I shook Aubrey’s hand and then reached for Shannon’s, hoping she would fall into the role of girlfriend. And of course she did, because she was Shannon and we knew each other far too well for two people who’d only been together a week. “This is my girlfriend, Shannon. Shannon, this is Chance Bateman and his wife, Aubrey.”
“Hi.” Shannon was smiling, shaking their hands.
“Fancy winding up on a cruise like this together.” Chance seemed highly amused and I wondered if his wife knew what he’d done to stay safe during the two years