Elite Metal Warriors - Sabrina York Page 0,66

Titanium whipped his head back around to her. Pinning her with a sharp gaze wasn’t exactly accurate, since he wore wraparounds hiding his eyes, but he was attuned to her. Hyper-focused though she suspected he was blind. “What’s so funny?”

“While I’m fresh?” She tipped her head to the side and grinned. He didn’t seem to appreciate it.

“I’m not following.”

“23651.”

Titanium’s eyebrows disappeared behind his shades when he scowled.

Ben’s brow wrinkled.

“That was my zip code when I was five years old.”

More blank stares. Apparently this was not illuminating enough.

“More numbers? Okay. 4,435. 620,000. Sixty million.”

Ben glanced at Titanium completely baffled and then back at her.

“The estimated number of dead in the Revolutionary War, Civil War and World War II, respectively.” She fiddled with her water glass, spinning it around on the condensation beneath it. “And then, there’s my favorite number. 6.941.”

“What’s that?”

“Surprised you don’t know that one.” She shot an evil smile at Ben. “It’s the atomic weight of Lithium. It has a melting point of 180.54° Celsius and a boiling point of 1347. It has 3 protons and 4 neutrons and a cubic structure. Its atomic number is…3.” She turned her attention Titanium. “I learned that in a boring chemistry class when I was in junior high. ‘Tis in my memory lock’d.’ That’s Hamlet. Act one, scene three. Line…572. I read that in the 4th grade.”

“How do you—”

“Photographic memory. Total recall. So you see, the prospect of fresh memories is amusing.” They were always fresh.

The men gaped at her.

She batted her lashes. “It’s a curse. And, if you don’t mind…I am getting tired. And hungry.” And she could use a bath.

Besides which, she was starting to ache for Ben again. Hell, just seeing him made a hunger rise up within her. It had been far too long since she’d held him. Kissed him. Felt him moving inside her.

“Fine. She can have a break. We’ll keep her here, in the command center.”

Ben stiffened. “Sir, I thought she could come stay at my place.”

Titanium’s head whipped around and he scowled again. “What?”

Ben cleared his throat. “She can…stay with me.” Was there a thread of steel in his tone? It sent shivers down her spine.

Silence rippled through the room. Titanium drummed his fingers on the metal table. “Will she…get any sleep?”

“Some.” A pause. Ben shifted. “Maybe.”

The boss man turned his attention to her. “And you, young lady? Where would you like to stay?”

She couldn’t hold his gaze though he probably wasn’t seeing her at all. “I, ah…”

Ben stiffened as she dithered.

“I would like to stay with him, sir.” She didn’t know why she called him sir. He wasn’t her boss. And it really annoyed Ben. He might have growled, so she shot him a grin. Or a smirk.

Whatever it was, it didn’t help. Ben’s features tightened. His nostrils flared. His eyes got that look in them. His fingers curled as though he needed to keep his hand from smacking her ass. Or something.

Oh, lovely.

She pushed to her feet and stretched. Yawned widely. “Can we finish this tomorrow?”

“I don’t know,” Titanium said. “Can we?”

She shot him a curious glance.

“You seem to have a wealth of information. I want to make sure we get it all before you leave.”

Oh. Oh dear. The way Ben bristled captured her attention. The lab, who’d been quiet and well-behaved up until now, whined. “Leave? She’s not leaving.” A roar.

“Of course she is, Lithium. We have to get her into Witness Relocation. Where she’ll be safe.”

“She’s safe here. With me.”

Something in his tone touched her, stroked her. Soothed her. “You…you want me to stay?”

“Hell-fucking-yes.” He grabbed her and yanked her into his arms and kissed her. Hard. Harsh. As though he’d waited long enough. As though his boss weren’t in the room. Or he didn’t give a flying shit if he was.

It was a savage melding of mouths. A breath-stealer. A heart-stealer. When he lifted his head, he frowned at her. “That is, if you want to stay?” A question. And not.

“Stay with you?” She cupped his cheek.

“Stay with me.” A plea.

“I would love to stay with you.”

He stared at her, his eyes red-rimmed, his lips working. And then he pulled her close and kissed her again.

Titanium snorted. “Come on, Annie,” he said, motioning to the lab. “This will probably go on for a while.”

Michelle was barely aware they left the room.

Ben pulled back and kissed her forehead, then braced his against hers, staring into her eyes. “I don’t know what this is between us,” he said in a ragged voice.