Kara drew a deep breath and shoved aside the thought, all too aware that it was going to clutter her mind with emotion, and emotion wouldn’t achieve her mission. She shouldered the purse and shut the drawer to find Blake’s keen stare on her face.
Eager to escape his inspection, she snatched her long canvas jacket and put it on, then retrieved her briefcase. She didn’t look at him; afraid he’d see too much, afraid she’d feel that funny punch in the chest that one of his deep stares created.
Kara walked past him, toward the elevator. He fell into step beside her. Still she stared ahead and tried not to be aware of how big and tall, and deliciously, dangerously male he was beside her. Damn the man for getting to her and seeing beneath her carefully crafted alias. And he did. She knew he did. Damn herself for allowing there to be anything to see. She was trained better than this, but then, she wasn’t supposed to be the one handling a job this personal.
Together, too in unison for Kara’s comfort, they stepped into the elevator and Blake stayed by her side, only inches separating their arms. Kara punched the button for the garage level. Blake turned to face her, resting a shoulder on the wall, watching her.
Kara turned to face him, taking in his hooded gaze, his long, dark lashes concealing the thoughts she desperately wanted to read. “Are you just going to stand there watching me?”
“That’s the plan.”
His tone was lazy, but she caught a hint of amusement etched in its depths. She didn’t like it. Not at all. “Because you’re trying to make me nervous.”
“Because I’m trying to figure you out. If that makes you nervous, you must have something to hide.”
The doors opened and a man and a woman entered, saving her from a reply. Thankfully, Blake pushed off the wall and faced forward, giving her a small reprieve from his intent inspection. Another stop and a group of people shoved inside. Suddenly, Blake was pressed to her side, from hip to shoulder, and she could barely breathe. Memories of him touching her, of him naked and on top of her, inside her, beneath her, assailed her. The car moved ridiculously slow, leaving too much time for the vivid replaying of hot, erotic shared moments with an enemy she should never have slept with. Yet he still tempted her. She felt selfish and weak, shallow even for allowing lust and attraction to dictate her desires, when there was so much on the line.
Finally, the doors opened and several people exited. Blake had room to move, but he didn’t. Kara’s gaze lifted to his, challenging him to step away. His lips twitched, his hot stare filled with refusal. He wasn’t going anywhere and neither was she.
By the time they reached the garage level and the rest of the crowd had piled out before them, Kara was on fire, tingling from head to foot. She was also ready to face the facts. She’d made sure she kept her life simple, free of bonds that could be broken, bonds that were painful when ripped away. Therefore, she’d radiated toward men she knew felt the same way. In theory, Blake fit her profile perfectly, except for two very distinct reasons, most importantly that he stood for everything she despised. Which made the second difference all the more baffling. Unlike other men before him, she was completely, utterly affected by Blake, even fully dressed and trying not to be.
They exited the stairwell with several other people nearby and she motioned to the silver 4Runner sitting in the space by the door. “That will be you, and the keys are in the ignition. The bag you brought was transferred from the car that picked you up from the airport.” She dug her keys out of her purse.
His hand slid over hers, twining with her fingers, and around them. “You won’t be needing those.”
Heat darted up her arm and over her shoulder to her chest and her gaze rocketed to his. The instant awareness between them shook her to the core. “I have to be able to get home tonight.”
“No, actually, you don’t.” He dislodged the keys from her hand and motioned her forward. “Your ride awaits.”
Several staff members walked by and Kara could feel their eyes on the two of them. “I’m not staying the night with you.”
“Mendez said to do whatever I want and don’t you do whatever he wants?”
“I do my job.”
“Which included f**k—”
“Stop saying that over and over and assuming you have the answers. You know nothing about me or my motivations.”
“I have a good idea.”
Why did her gut tighten at the accusation in his voice? Why did she care what he thought? “No,” she ground out. “No you don’t.” She let the emotions she felt about her real situation bleed into her words, or maybe there was no “let” about it. She’d been operating in a zone for months, trying not to feel anything, to stay focused. Only two times had she failed, and both times were with this man.
His lips twisted sardonically. “I have to admit, you play the victim well, but you won’t play me again. We both know you’re weaving lies to everyone around you. No victim does that. I’m getting answers and I’m getting them tonight.”
Those dangerous emotions she was feeling jabbed her in the chest, made her vulnerable, made her need to get away. “I’m taking my car or I’m not leaving.” His hand was still over hers, holding her and her keys, making her hot and confused when everything had been so clear until he’d shown up in the picture. “Let go. Unless you think you can’t keep up with my ten-year-old Ford Focus.”
His eyes narrowed sharply, but the handsome planes and angles of his face remained unreadable. “Where are you parked?”