“Who says I was avoiding you?”
I let out a small breath. “You didn’t start eating every meal in your office until I showed up, and this place isn’t exactly big—we haven’t run into each other once since…” I flush, clearing my throat. “Anyway. I don’t want you feeling uncomfortable. Thatjust makes everything worse. It’s not exactly a great look, you always eating alone with Amanda. People will talk.”
A slow, knowing smile spreads across his face. “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were jealous.”
Heat—anger combined with something far more dangerous—fuses inside me. Denial sits on my tongue, but I can’t quite force it out.
I don’t know how to untangle what I’m feeling.
All I know is that I want to kiss him until nothing else exists.
“It’s a good thing you know better then,” I whisper. His gaze drops to my lips again, tracing their shape.
The air between us tightens, thick with tension. His breath brushes mine, close enough to blur the space between us.
We hover there—right on the edge of something we swore we wouldn’t cross again.
A throat clears.
We jerk apart and turn toward the doorway in unison. Luke stands there. Heat floods my face as reality slams back into place.
Every excuse I might have made dies in my throat.
God. This is humiliating.
“Sorry to interrupt.” He sounds only mildly annoyed, looks mostly amused. “Just thought you’d want to know the cops are gone. We might need to double security. They were asking a lot of uncomfortable questions.”
Reid nods, clearing his throat. “I’ll contact the agency, see if they can send us any more men.”
“Did they ask about Reid?” I ask. “Personally?”
Reid freezes, mid-reach for his phone. Luke’s eyebrow lifts. “Why? What do you mean?”
I glance between them and realize—Reid never told him.
Of course he didn’t.
The only reason I know is because he was drunk and I was there. Otherwise, I never would have guessed.
I inhale, forcing my voice to be steady. “Nothing. I just thought they might start targeting him or something.”
“They asked general questions,” Luke says. “In fact, they asked a lot of questions. About the place. Layout. Rooms. Too many. Almost like they were mapping it.”
“That’s exactly what they were doing,” Reid replies. “We need to be careful.”
“Yeah.” I nod, already moving toward the door. “I should go.”
“Wait,” Reid calls. “Where are you going?”
“Out.” I don’t even know where. I just need space. From him. From both of them.
Luke doesn’t move as I reach the door. He waits, like he expects me to meet his eyes.
I can’t.
He’ll ask questions I can’t answer.
Hell, I don’t even understand it myself.