“Really? Since when? I didn’t get that memo,” she states.
“Audra, I like you, you like me. We’re together. Easy.”
She blinks.
“I don’t know whether to be flattered or annoyed right now. I’ll go with annoyed.”
“I prefer flattered. I’m sorry, Audra, but I can’t leave without you knowing how much I care about you and how much I want to be with you.”
She’s momentarily confused.
“You’re leaving?” she questions.
“Yeah, just got orders from base. Our team is to return as soon as possible. A jet is on its way.”
The expression on her face breaks my heart a little.
“I’ll book a flight now so we can go back together,” she immediately says.
“No, stay. You deserve your trip here in Mexico. You need to have fun and enjoy. I’ll be waiting for you back home.”
She sighs sadly.
“So you’re leaving. Now?”
“Yeah, sorry, baby.”
She frowns at that but then smiles.
“I’ll see you back home,” she says, getting on her toes to kiss my lips.
We continue like that for a few minutes, lost in each other. My tongue slips inside her mouth with familiar ease while my hand goes to her hair. I pull her close, devouring her in a way that makes my departure much harder. I manage to lift her, and she wraps her legs around my waist. Her hands tangle in my hair, and we both say a thousand words with this one singular kiss.
“Book a hotel far away from here. No hanging out with Greg,” I tell her when we finally separate.
“While I like this jealous side of you, you can’t tell me not to hang out with my friend.”
I chuckle at her feistiness.
“I know, but I still don’t like seeing it,” I groan, making Audra laugh again.
“I’d better not catch you with any women when I return either,” she threatens.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I need to head over to the hotel and pay the owner. We’ll leave immediately after. You need to get a new phone. Sam is already working on a new identity for you. It’s only for use here. You can get a new hotel room and a new phone with it. Then I’ll contact Greg so he can give me your new number.”
“All right then. It seems like you’ve got it all figured out. Now all you’ve got to do is go,” she sniffs.
It’s then I notice the unshed tears in her eyes.
“You’re crying?” I ask softly.
“I swear I was this strong, alpha female before I met you. When it comes to you, I’m a weak damsel in distress.”
”You’re more of a princess in my eyes.”
“That sounds horrible, Ethan. I’m 35 years old, not a teenager,” she says as I thumb away her tears.
