The King (Gentlemen Rogues 2)

SAFFRON

I could feelLock’s gaze on me. The hot lick of every caress of his eyes.

I tried to ignore it. After all, what choice did I have? I'd made it perfectly clear that what we had done was a one-time thing. It couldn't happen again.

You're kidding yourself.

I was kidding myself, because I was weak and any moment now, I was going to cave and give in and turn up at his cottage and just beg him to take me.

No. Stay strong. Stay strong.

I had to. What was I going to do? Lose it and start climbing him like a tree?

That's always an option, my libido offered.

Tabs nudged me. "Earth to Saff. Are you ready?"

I blinked at the question. "What?"

"R-e-a-d-y?" She pointed toward the group of trainees. "Training mission? Basic evasion? Remember, we're supposed to be tracking these people."

"Right. Ready, a hundred percent."

She stared at me. “You've been so out of it ever since you got back. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Uh-huh."

She eyed me warily. I knew she didn't believe me. And honestly, she shouldn't. I tried to keep my lies as close to the truth as I could, but Jesus, it was getting impossible. I could barely hold anything back from Tabs. But secrets couldn't be kept by more than one person, so I kept my mouth shut.

“Yup, let's do this."

“Okay,” she said sarcastically. "Run me through the plan so I can make sure you remembered."

"Basic deal. Me in the woods. I run and they, uh, hunt me."

She grinned at that. “You know, there are women who are into that sort of thing. I'm not, but there is something about when they catch you," she said with a wink.

I rolled my eyes. "Tabs, I think you've been reading too many of my romance novels."

"Hey, a girl can dream. You ready?"

“Yeah."

I headed to my starting line, and she called me back. "Hey, you forgot your bag. You'll need supplies to bag and tag 'em, remember?"

“Yup. I remember."

She shook her head. "Maybe Gabe is right and you should sit out some of the training stuff."

"Have you heard anything from him?"

She shook her head. "No. He's with Oversight now. So he'll be in Berlin until tomorrow."

She knew what I knew, but because she was a field agent, she had more access to operations' movements. All Gabe would tell me was that he was going out of town, not exactly where he was going or when he was expected back.

“Oh the joy of having a brother who still treats me like a child."

“Yeah, that's all I’ve got,” she said. “When I know more, I’ll let you know."