“Well, no. I didn’t think—”
“That’s the issue. You didn’t think. You’re nottrainedto think in terms of risk, which means having you here puts all of us in danger too. There’s a reason black ops units don’t harbor babies and hire nannies. Everything we do, every choice we make has consequences. Some of them severe.”
“I’m sorry, I—”
“Don’t apologize. None of this is your fault.”
“I wasn’t apologizing, Mr. Snow-it-all. I was disagreeing with you. I may be just a nanny in your eyes, but I’m pretty good at reading people. There’s no way Jay would have brought me here, and no way Adam would have let me stay, without having weighed the risks for all involved. I trust them with my safety, and with Halia’s too, and I certainly trust them to let me know if something I say, do, or ask for poses a risk to the team. Whether it’s getting a bed today or going to the doctor’s office next week, I’m confident—”
“Doctor’s office?” Jamie stiffened, his back straightening as he looked her over head to toe. “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”
“No. Halia’s due for her immunizations. Adam asked Jay to make an appointment for us.”
“Already?” He dropped his gaze back to the baby. “She’s so tiny.”
Summer grinned. “She won’t stay tiny for long. She’s gained four pounds in two months. If you’d like to hold her, I could—”
“No.” He stopped her from reaching into the crib with a hand on her arm. “I don’t want to disturb her. How do you plan to get to the doctor’s appointment?”
“Ah…” She cleared her throat as the heat of his palm sank into her skin. “One of the guys will drive us into town.”
“They’re busy. I’ll take you.” He let her go, and she felt the afterburn of his touch everywhere.
“You don’t have to,” she said, her voice sounding breathy to her own ears. “I can manage on my own.”
“I already warned you. If you stay, you’re my responsibility. Mine. Not Adam’s or Jay’s or one of the guys. And younevergo into town alone. We clear?”
“Are you trying to intimidate me again?”
“Are you intimidated?”
“No.”
“Then I guess I’m not trying hard enough.” He leaned into her space once more. Closer this time. “Tell me we’re clear about who’s in charge now, or do you need to hear me say it again?”
“You’re not the boss of me.” Despite her quaking insides, she bunched her fists, stepped closer, and threw a verbal swing. “So you can back off and stop flinging your testosterone around like you’re anointing the innocent babes.”
He frowned. “Flinging my testosterone around?”
“Yes. This”—she flapped her hand between them—“is unnecessary. When it comes to safety, I’ll follow your lead. When it comes to Halia, you’ll follow mine. If we disagree, we discuss. Those aremyterms, and if you don’t like them,youcan leave.”
“Your terms?”
“That’s right. Do we have an agreement?”
“You’re a stubborn little pixie, aren’t you?”
“I’ve never been called stubborn in my life.”
“Huh,” he huffed. “You must have been saving it for me then.”
“What can I say? You bring out the best in me. So?” She stuck out her hand. “Do we have an agreement?”
After a moment of hesitation in which he studied her face like it would give him a clue, he slid his palm into hers, his hand engulfing her much smaller one. “Together then?”
“Together,” she repeated.
They shook, and his fingers tightened the slightest hint before he pulled her closer. “But just so we’re clear, safety takes priority over discussion. Always. Understood?”
