Glitter and Gunfire/Bulletproof (Shadow Agents 4)

This wasn’t about the mission that she’d made her life. This wasn’t about avenging a friend.

It was about a man. A woman. Desire.

It was—

His mouth lifted from hers. His fingers bit into her waist. “Did you think it would work?”

Things had seemed to be working just fine here. Her ragged breath indicated things were more than fine.

“You aren’t going to use your body to make me forget my mission.”

Oh, he had not just said that to her. Heat burned in her cheeks, and Cassidy knew she had to be flushing a dark red. “That wasn’t—”

But his jaw was locked. Desire blazed in his eyes, yet when he spoke, his voice was ice-cold. “I never forget my mission, and I won’t be distracted by someone like you.”

Someone like you.

The brittle words froze the heat in her cheeks. She’d kissed Cale because she wanted him, but he—he might physically want her, but he sure didn’t like that desire.

No. What he didn’t like was her.

To him, she was—what had he called her?—a party girl.

In that same emotionless voice, he told her, “Whatever help you thought you’d seduce me into giving you—”

“I didn’t!” Cassidy denied the charge, the urge to scream incredibly strong.

“It’s not going to happen.” There was a definite arctic chill in his voice.

She straightened her shoulders, grabbing for her pride. “I didn’t kiss you because I was trying to manipulate you.”

His one raised eyebrow called the words a lie.

“I kissed you because I stupidly wanted you. Don’t worry. I won’t be making that mistake again.”

The door opened behind them. No knock, it just shoved open. Cassidy spun around and saw two big, rather scary-looking men filling the doorway.

The man in front, the guy with the dark hair and the piercing eyes, inclined his head toward her. “Ms. Sherridan.”

Of course he knew her, and since Cale wasn’t grabbing for a weapon, she figured these two had to be the good guys.

Semi-good, anyway.

As good as EOD agents could be.

She realized, too late, that she’d instinctively backed up when her shoulders brushed against Cale. She jerked at the contact, and the man with the eyes that she swore could see right through her—he noted that move.

Wonderful.

The other fellow behind him—talk about intimidating. And she’d thought Cale was dangerous looking? This guy took dangerous to a whole new level. His face wasn’t handsome; it was just hard edges, rough lines. His skin was a dark gold, his hair black and his eyes a shining green. He kicked the door shut, secured the lock, then announced, “We’ve got a problem.”

She forced a mocking laugh. “If you call men shooting at us a problem...”

“What’s happening, Gunner?” Cale demanded.

Wait, there was a problem other than the shooting?

The man he’d called Gunner—Mr. Tall, Dark and Scary—let his bright gaze sweep back to Cassidy. “Your friend, the redhead from the party...”