Dutch (K19 Security Solutions 5)

“Listen, Malin, Mantis got it wrong. Dutch saw that and gave him the push he needed to make it right. If Alegria had refused to even listen to him, there would be two more miserable people in the world instead of two happy ones.”

“I’m not sure what you’re trying to tell me. Dutch is a great guy. I get that. However, he wasn’t that great of a guy to me. I’m entitled not to think he’s the prince of a man everyone else thinks he is.”

“You are, but consider this. What if you listen to him when he tells you how sorry he is? How about if you consider that he didn’t have to do any of this? He’s acting on instinct alone, Malin. He believes you’re in danger, and he went to K19 and asked the team to help him. Not only that, he offered to fund all of this himself. He didn’t have to do that either.”

“I didn’t ask him to.”

“I know you didn’t.”

Malin could tell Onyx was getting frustrated with her, but what was the point in them talking if she couldn’t be honest about how she felt?

“Dutch did it all anyway. Despite the fact that you didn’t ask for help. Look at it that way for a minute. How many people insist that someone accept their help when the personal cost to themselves is so great?”

It was on the tip of her tongue to repeat that she hadn’t asked for Dutch’s help, but she got the point Onyx was trying to make.

“Only someone who really cares. That’s who,” he added when she didn’t say anything.

“He’s gone now, so I guess I’m on my own. I’ll contact Copeland tomorrow and make arrangements to get back to headquarters.”

“The hell you will.”

Both Malin and Onyx startled when they heard Dutch from just inside the kitchen door.

“I may not be the person you want to help you with this, and you may not want to admit even to yourself how deep the shit is you’re in, but I’m not going to let you walk in front of a firing squad. You tell me who you want to talk to, who you want here, and I’ll make it happen.”

“Perfect timing,” said Onyx, dropping his dishes in the sink and wiping his hands on a paper towel. “I was just telling Malin I need to get back for a flight, so if I’m done here, I’ll head down to the boat.”

Onyx didn’t bother looking at her, but walked out the door when Dutch nodded.

“Are you hungry?” she asked instead of acknowledging a word he said.

“Always,” he grunted.

Malin waved her hand over the food Sofia had made for them. “This okay?”

“It’ll do.”

She looked up at him.

“I’m more in the mood for spaghetti and meatballs.”

She smiled when he winked.

“Listen, Dutch—”

“Let’s not jump right in yet, okay?”

“Of course.” Malin turned around to put his plate in the microwave and took a deep breath. There was so much left unsaid between them. She had to make a vow to herself not to keep dropping f-bombs and nasty passive-aggressive comments on him. When they were both ready, they needed to sit down and talk. If he wasn’t ready right now, she’d be happy to pretend things weren’t so messed up between them.

The truth was, she missed Dutch and not just the physical part of their relationship. Sure, the man was hot—scorchingly so—but he was also fun to be around, smart, and they always had something to talk about if they felt like talking. When neither of them did, he could do quiet too. She couldn’t remember a time when things were awkward between them before Alegriageddon, not from that first night.

“Tell me you want this as much as I do,” Dutch said, pushing her up against the passenger door of his car after escorting her off the patio where Malin and Dutch’s team had gathered for drinks.

“I do,” she told him, but God, it was so much more than that. She’d wanted him, like this, an hour after she’d met him. There were times when they would be in meetings and he’d ask her a question and then scrunch his eyes

as though he was wondering what she was thinking about.

Each time, she’d been thinking about what he’d look like if he took off those crisp, white button-down shirts he wore every day and the t-shirt he wore under them. She’d find herself imagining that they were the only two people in the room, and that when she walked over and loosened his tie, he moved her onto his lap so she straddled him—her fantasies only got hotter from there. Did she want this? More than she’d ever wanted anything in her life.