Hot as Hell by Unknown Page A

missed a crumb.”
    “You’re deflecting.” She jabbed him in the chest with a surprisingly strong finger. “Fight. Vanko.
    Really?”“It’s a guy thing.” He shrugged, a slight twist to his lips. “We’ll both feel as if honor has been
    served after it’s over. Plus, if I give my notice to the CIA, I’d like to work for SSI. Clearing the air with
    Petriv would become essential for a good working relationship with the other operatives. If Petriv and
    Maddox accept me, so will the others.”
    Her throat tightened at the thought that he’d even consider continuing to work for the black
    ops portion of the CIA. She knew more than most about the dangers covert operatives were exposed
    to. If this attraction between her and Sam proceeded the way she suspected, she didn’t want him
    risking his life in third-world hell holes without her there to back him up.
    So, task one after MacLean and Benrabi were taken down, she’d work on convincing Sam to
    quit the Agency and join SSI. Her second task would then be to speak with Keely and Vanko’s wife Elana
    about what the SSI women could do to stop any future fights between Sam and other SSI operatives
    over a long-dead mission he’d undertaken in good faith and discharged honorably.
    “Dawn, you will stay out of this.” Sam tweaked her chin. “I mean it. Let me and Petriv handle
    it our way.” He took her mouth in a deep kiss, then released her just as she’d opened to engage his
    tongue. “And I’ll give my notice to the CIA once MacLean is either dead or in the DIA’s custody.”
    “Do you read minds?” She sniffed, suddenly wary at how easily he read her. It was scary to
    think she might not be able to keep her thoughts from him. A girl had a right to keep some things
    secret. Not that she’d purposely hide anything important, but still—
    “Just yours,” he husked in a loving tone that gave her goosebumps. “Just as you easily read
    mine. You want anything else to eat?”
    “No. I didn’t even eat all that.” She looked ruefully at the half sandwich of which she normally
    would’ve made into three meals.
    “Good.” He scooped her off the stool and carried her to the suite’s master bedroom.
    She twined her arms around his neck and enjoyed being held against his warm, bare chest.
    The bed was turned down invitingly, a couple of wrapped pieces of candy lying on the pristine
    white pillows—which was odd. It hadn’t been that way when she’d left the suite.
    “Did you turn the bed down?” She rested her head on Sam’s tanned, bare shoulder. He smelled
    so good.“Nope.” He looked at the bed, his brow creased. “It wasn’t like that before?”
    “No.” She bit her lower lip. “I put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. No maid should’ve
    entered.”
    Sam set her down. Placing a hand on her back, he nudged her toward the main room. “Go next
    door to Conn’s suite. Use the connecting door, it’s unlocked. He might be napping. Call to him from the
    doorway.” He tipped up her face so their gazes met. “Don’t, under any circumstances, get too close.
    He’s deadly when he’s coming awake from a battle nap. Understand?”
    “Yes.” She nodded and wondered if she’d have to worry about him.
    In tune with her as always, he kissed her lightly. “It’ll be different with us, sweetheart. I know
    your scent, feel you under my skin. You’ll never be in any danger from me. Understood?”
    “Yes.” She understood—he was her mate. They belonged to one another. Why had it happened?
    She didn’t bleeding know. But one thing she did know—he was sending her away from perceived
    danger.Like hell. She dug her heels into the carpet and refused to budge when he gave her another
    light push toward the main room.
    Her lips firmed. “I’m not leaving you.”
    While most people would find simple reasons for the turned-down bed, neither one of them
    thought it was innocuous. Their shared conclusion said something about their shared