Glitter and Gunfire by Cynthia Eden Page B

division because he’d refused to follow orders.
    Being a team player didn’t always work so well for him.
    “It’s okay,” Cassidy said to Cale. “I’ll make Mercer understand what happened.”
    Hard to do. Cale realized that Cassidy didn’t fully understand what had happened herself. She thought that she’d duped him, that she’d escaped.
    She still didn’t get that he’d used her as bait.
    What the hell was I thinking?
    “Mercer wants you to call him, Ms. Sherridan,” Drew said as his attention swept between her and Cale. “You need to check in with him before we leave for the flight.”
    “Right.” She pushed back her shoulders, as if bracing herself. “Better get this over with.” Then she was heading for the door.
    Cale didn’t move. He just watched her walk away—his focus on the slight sway of her hips.
    He was drawn to everything about her.
    He was in so much trouble.
    The door shut behind her with a soft click. As soon as Cassidy was gone, Drew gave a low whistle. “Don’t get me wrong, man. I can understand the temptation.”
    Since when did Agent Ice understand any kind of temptation?
    “But you don’t seem to get who you are messing around with,” Drew continued. “Mercer will crucify you for this.”
    “I kept Cass—I kept the asset safe,” Cale corrected himself deliberately. Mercer might not like his methods, but he’d done his job. “And I brought down an internationally wanted killer. I think Mercer can stand to cut me some slack.”
    Drew rocked back on his heels. “You need to pay more attention to what’s right in front of you.”
    What the hell was that supposed to mean?
    “You need to watch yourself with Cassidy Sherridan.” Now it sounded like Drew was giving him a warning. “She’s not at all what she appears to be.”
    He’d already figured that out on his own.
    “A woman like her will burn you, and if you aren’t careful, there won’t be anything left but ash.”
    Drew turned away.
    Cale lunged after him. He grabbed the guy’s arm. “How do you know so much about Cassidy?”
    “Because I’ve been on guard duty with her a few times before.”
    At those words, a stab of jealousy shot through Cale. Jealousy? Why would he be jealous of another agent doing his job?
    But...that job was Cassidy, and he sure didn’t like the idea of Drew Lancaster being so close to her.
    “On my last stint with Cassidy, I was on protection detail with her for three months. You can learn a lot about a person when you watch her 24/7.”
    Cale’s back teeth clenched.
    “You just met her, didn’t you? Known her only a few days...” Drew pulled away from him. “Take the advice that I’m giving, man. Don’t get close to her. Kissing her was probably the worst mistake you could’ve made.”
    Cale forced a mocking smile. “Nah, I don’t think it even ranks in my top ten.”
    A furrow appeared between Drew’s eyes. “I heard the rumors about you. That you’re not even supposed to be in the EOD. That you have—”
    “Overly aggressive tendencies?” Cale quoted from what he knew was in an old case file—courtesy of a shrink who’d been out to punish him. “That I’m prone to extreme violence?” He’d sure gotten violent with those jerks in that basement.
    Because they’d tried to come between him and Cassidy.
    Drew studied him. “At first, I thought the rumors were B.S. Hell, show me a soldier who isn’t aggressive.”
    Aggression was part of who they were.
    “But I saw what you left behind in that basement, Hoss.” Drew’s Mississippi drawl roughened the words. “And now I know exactly how you like to play.”
    Cale stared back at him. “I wasn’t playing.”
    “Cassidy isn’t for you. She’s not supposed to wind up with a soldier who likes to kill.”
    He didn’t flinch. Barely.
    “There are other plans in place for her. You need to remember that before it’s too late.”
    Then Drew turned his back on Cale and opened the door.
    Cale didn’t follow