I wanted to tell him about Project Compass. I wanted him to know before the debrief began with Agent Canson. I was in. I would join the special elite team. I’d help the FBI track down Jack and the other monsters on the black web, but I had a list of demands.
I wanted to control the search for my stalker. I was going to run the operation from this side of my computer screen. I realized last night how much confidence it gave me when I traced the serial number for the burner phone. I was no longer the target. I could reclaim a part of myself that the bastard had tried to steal.
I knew AJ would support my negotiation, but I only wanted five minutes to tell him before we were locked in interviews all day.
I tried to lie down and close my eyes. I had a massive headache. I could hear AJ talking to another agent in the kitchen. I pushed off the bed and wandered into the bathroom to look for ibuprofen or something else to take.
The house was surprisingly stocked with every necessity. It was in much better shape than the farmhouse. I found an unopened bottle in the medicine cabinet and filled a glass full of water. I dropped the two tablets on my tongue.
“Syd?”
I spun around. AJ was in the doorway. I wanted to fall into his lips and kiss him. For a moment I wanted it to be just us. I wanted to pretend we were on a romantic getaway in a romantic city. The safe house was a surprise AirBNB AJ had secretly planned. That scenario was far more appealing than the reality.
“Hi.” I smiled. “I can’t get rid of this headache.”
“Well, this isn’t going to help. Agent Canson is here.”
“Already? But I wanted to talk to you about something.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “He got in a little early.”
“Do I have to talk to him now?” I pleaded. I replaced the cap on the ibuprofen bottle.
“I’m afraid so. He’s acting under the director’s orders.”
My eyes dropped to the marble floor. “All right. Can you give me a minute?”
“Sure. I’ll let him know you’re almost ready.”
“AJ, wait.”
His hand rested on the doorknob. “What is it?” I heard the fatigue in his voice.
“We were in the middle of something before we were evacuated.”
He shook his head. “Not now. We’ll have to have that conversation later.”
“But what was it?” Maybe there was time to listen to him. I was worried about the amount of stress and pressure he was unde
r.
“We can’t start this conversation now. You said you have something you want to tell me too.”
“Yes. I want you to hear it first.”
He crossed the floor, wrapping his arms to the small of my back. “How about this? We get all your debriefs taken care of today. Everything. Answer all Canson’s questions so we can kick the man out on the street. Tonight, we’ll order something from one of these French restaurants. Your choice. New Orleans has the best food. We’ll turn this place into a French bistro. I’ll light some candles. We’ll open a bottle of wine.” I was practically purring in his arms. “Then we’ll talk, Syd. We’ll tell each other everything. Absolutely every last detail. We’ll talk until the vampires in this city have to go to bed. How does that sound?”
I smiled. “It sounds kind of amazing right now. Just the two of us? You promise?” I had the same kind of butterflies I did when he asked me out for the first time.
“Just the two of us.”
I slid my hands along his neck. I knew if I had that to look forward to, I could tackle anything in front of me today.
My fingers interlaced against his skin. I looked in his black gaze. His lips brushed against mine. I knew we were about to unleash everything consuming us. The kiss was sinful. It was desperate. I clung to him as if it was the last breaths we’d take. Our tongues lashed wickedly. I couldn’t stop the moan that came out as strangled cry. I didn’t want it to end. I tried to grab a fistful of his hair as he lifted me to the bathroom counter.
My ass wiggled backward, as I dug my heels against his waist.
“I want you,” I whispered.