I pulled my earpiece out and walked over to put it inside the charging case.Istood there a minute, needing to calm myself down.
I was a strong woman, for crying out loud.Icould take care of myself and make my own decisions.
“Archer, you didn’t need to hold my hand the entire time.I’mnot a child who needs to be coddled,”Iinformed him, hands on my hips. “Ididn’t need you to do that.”
“I held your hand becauseIneeded it,” he all but growled back at me. “Thatturned quickly,Ace.Thatcould have gone way worse if that man had caught up with us.Thethought of you…”
His words trailed off as he ran his fingers roughly through his short hair in frustration.Hetook a few steps in my direction but still left about a foot between us.
“The thought of something happening to you, especially whenIam right there…”Archersaid, closing the small gap left between us.
His hand came up to the side of my neck, his thumb stroking my cheek. “Ilost you once.I’mnot losing you again.”
DearLord.
He was serious.Thelook in his eyes told me this bothered him to his core.God, maybe he truly was still in love with me.
BeforeIthought better of it,Iwas leaning into him.Inan instant, his mouth was on mine, our lips fused.Thehand that was at my neck now worked to tilt my head to the side and give him a better angle to all but devour my mouth.
All these years, and this man could still kiss.Heran his tongue along my lips, begging me to open.JustasIwas about to, a knock came at the door, breaking the seal between us.
We both stood there frozen for a second before the knock came again.Myphone buzzed beside me asArcherwalked to the door.Hishand was close to his hip, where his gun was tucked away, as he looked through the peephole.
“It’sSara,” he announced.
My phone buzzed again, andIrealized it was probablySarademandingIlet her in.
After looking through the peephole,Archeropened the door, and she walked right in, her gaze moving back and forth betweenArcherand me.Thena small smile appeared on her face as if she knew what we had been doing.
“I came to collect your comms pieces and give you a new set for tomorrow,” she said with a sly grin, “but maybeIshould have waited five more minutes.”
Her smirk was annoying, but beforeIcould comment, my phone buzzed again.Iglanced down, realizing it couldn’t still beSarasince she was now in the room.Ipicked the phone up to see several texts from my sisterIris.
Iris:
SoIwas bored at work and thoughtI’dcheck on my favorite sister.
Iris:
Imagine my shocked face whenIpulled your name up…
Iris:
Care to tell me why you’re inVegasand didn’t tell me?
“Oh crap,”Isaid quietly.
“What’s wrong?”Archerasked, his voice on full alert, letting me knowIhad said that louder thanIthought.
I looked up to see him andSarastaring at me.
“I forgotIgave all my sisters access to my phone location,”Itold them, pausing slightly, realizing the chaosIwas about to add. “IrisknowsI’minVegas…and wants to know why.”
19
IRIS
My sister was being super weird.First, she hadn’t told me she was coming toVegasat all.Then, she responded to my text all cryptically by telling me she had a surprise and to meet her at a hotel the next morning.Shehad said her colleague would meet me in the lobby, soIfigured this must be a work-related trip, but she didn’t give much more.
