“You know, chère, there’s going to be a lot of paperwork if you break his arm.”
She shrugged. It might be worth it. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be deployed.”
“I was,” he said. “I did my tour and now I’ve got a new one. I’ll be an E.D.G.E. operator starting tomorrow.”
Crap.
Liam squealed, and she realized she’d twisted too hard. She eased off a bit. “You’re assigned to E.D.G.E.? But you’re a SEAL. What about your team?”
A grin eased onto his lips and lit his eyes, as if he could barely control his laughter. “E.D.G.E. is my team now.”
This couldn’t be happening.
Cat saw two male waiters hovering nearby, whispering furiously and gesturing toward her. She yanked Liam’s head back by his hair and leaned in, speaking softly. “If I ever hear of you betting about sleeping with a woman again, I will find you and cut your balls off before you even see me coming. It’s not like they ever got any use before–you’ll hardly miss them.”
She flung him to the ground and watched for a moment to make sure he wouldn’t attack her when she walked away. Then she picked up her clutch and strode toward the front of the bar. People parted for her. Her heels clicked on the concrete floor in the silence. Everyone watched, but she refused to look around and kept her chin high, though her insides writhed in humiliation.
Outside, she breathed deep of the crisp late-August air, so different from the heat of the desert where she’d been yesterday. A cool wind from the river blew over her skin and she shivered.
She knew Rhys had followed her. He stood behind her right now, not speaking. She liked that. He somehow knew to give her space. She took another deep breath, watching the street traffic. “How much did you hear?” she asked.
“The guy was an ass, Cat.”
“So…all of it, then.” She closed her eyes. Crap. She did not need the rumor going around the unit that she couldn’t get a date. It was true, of course, but she hated people talking about her. She turned to him. “Look, I appreciate you not interfering in there.”
He shrugged. “Why would I interfere? You had everything under control.”
“Right. Just not my temper.”
He laughed. “I repeat, the guy was an ass and needed to be taken down. He’s lucky it was you. I wouldn’t have let him off so easy.”
A warmth spread through her at his words, but she ignored it and stifled the urge to smile back at him.
“Thanks.” Then her mind latched onto the last words he’d spoken in the bar.
E.D.G.E. Securities, the top-secret, international government unit where she loved working, now also employed Rhys. Her stomach fluttered with nerves. She wasn’t sure if they were from Rhys standing too close to her, or the fact that he could destroy her reputation and even her career with a few well-chosen remarks.
She lifted her chin. “I’d appreciate you not telling anyone about this.” She waved her hand at the bar and then waved it between them. “Or anything about…that night.”
His head tilted as he studied her. She wanted to squirm under that intense gaze, but she held still. A slow smile lit his face and his eyes. “I don’t kiss and tell, chère.”
She blew her bangs out of her eyes. She was too tired to deal with Rhys. “I’ll see you tomorrow at work.” She pretended that thought didn’t make her queasy and started walking home, leaving the temptation of his smile behind.
What the hell? Rhys stared after Cat as she walked away. He let her go for a moment and just appreciated the view. The top she wore exposed her back and narrow waist. The tight jeans showed off an excellent ass and long legs. The woman didn’t need heels, but he wasn’t complaining. They did something to the way she walked, giving more sway to her stride, focusing his attention there. It brought back memories of their night together.
He and his buddy Jake had just finished working an op