“What do you want, Ana?”
Her lips press together. “Not to be protected. And too much, apparently. We’ve been in one place too long. We need to go. Do you understand?”
I want to know what “too much” means, but damn it, she’s not wrong. We can’t hang out on the street, not if we want to live through the night. “We’re not done with this conversation.”
“You might not be, but I am.” She tries to step out of my grip.
I hold her to me, cup her face, and kiss her hard and fast. “I’m not. I’m not done with anything to do with you. Not now and not ever.”
“Okay, that statement contradicts the past two years and makes me angry.” She tries to knee me, and I catch her leg. Undeterred, she adds, “And I’m not done with this conversation either.”
My lips curving with how easily I drew her into battle, how easily I’ve always drawn her into battle. It feels like us and I do fucking love us. I want to push her harder. I want to kiss her harder. Instead, I release her and for just a beat we stare at each other, the air ignited with conflict. She turns on her heels and starts walking. I let her go, but not too far. I fall into step beside her. Not behind her. Not in front of her. Beside her, where I forgot to stand.
I won’t forget again.
As for her version of too much, there’s no such thing, not where Ana is concerned.
If she wants to test me on that, I’m along for the ride.
If she wants to test me on that while naked, even better.
Chapter Two
Luke
At the top ramp, I scan for trouble and find nothing but empty streets before I say, “We have a bullseye on our backs here. We need the shelter of a crowd. Union Station is a few blocks away and gives us that coverage.”
“Agreed,” she says, “but should we call your team first?”
“Blake tracks the location of our phones. Right now, we need to get off the streets.”
She nods her agreement and we waste no more time on conversation or kisses. We clear the wall, instantly in the open, and I have to hope like hell this asshole we’re dealing with knows his package won’t matter if he hurts Ana. I’ll kill him as fast and nasty as possible and wish I could do it again. Thankfully, for now, no bullets ring out in the night, and no enemies step into our paths.
In a short walk, we arrive at the area I think of as the heartbeat of downtown, which is an entire neighborhood that surrounds the train station. In this area, restaurants, bars, and shopping are easy to find, but we need a place to shelter and connect with our team, which is why I’ve intentionally brought us up a side street next to a boutique-style hotel. We near it now, and I catch Ana’s hand before we round the corner to bring the front entrance into view, the connection blasting a memory through my mind. The first time I’d held her hand just to hold it when I’d never just wanted to hold anyone’s hand.
It was that first dinner date. She’d been wearing a pink dress, with glossy lips to match, the FBI agent turned all sweet frilly girl on me and I’d loved the fuck out of the contact. I’d opened her car door and offered her my hand. She’d rotated, and I’d been treated to a view of her long, gorgeous legs. It had taken me all of thirty seconds to fantasize about having them wrapped around my waist. Truth be told, I’d been fantasizing about having her naked since she told me to get on my knees and I wanted her on her knees. In the end, I’m the one who was on a knee for Ana from the moment I met her.
I scan the front valet area to find several cars lined up to unload. Two doormen and two preppy college kids are talking by the bell stand.
No trouble, at least, not as of yet.
Ana and I keep pushing forward, the two of us entering the hotel lobby, only a margin of comfort sliding through me when we are officially off the downtown Denver streets. I drape my arm around her shoulder, as if this is a casual stroll, two lovers returning from an outing, and wish like hell that was the God’s honest truth. Ana lifts her chin toward the stairs, and I give an imperceivable nod. Great minds, I think, as that’s exactly where I was headed. Away from the common areas, out of the easy view of anyone who enters the hotel hunting for us.
A few long strides and we’re climbing to the next level, toward what I believe to be the convention level, which proves an accurate assumption. Once we’re on the top level, I scan the carpeted area with chairs in a seating area and hallways left and right.