Page 4 of Protecting You

“You gotta claim the good ones before they get away.” Callan added a wink, like he and Charles were old and dear friends, then leaned in and lowered his voice. “We haven’t told our families yet. We’ve been savoring it, you know?”

“Certainly.” Something about his countenance told her he was unsettled by Callan’s presence.

Join the club, buddy.

“What takes you away from your lovely fiancée for such long periods?”

“I sell computer hardware to small and midsize municipalities—cities, towns, and counties—all up and down the East Coast.”

The lie slipped off Callan’s tongue as if he spoke it regularly. Maybe he did.

“Sounds fascinating.” By his smirk, Charles thought Callan’s job—fake job—was anything but fascinating.

“Did you two get your business completed?” Callan/Caleb asked.

“We did.” Charles pushed his chair back and stood, focusing on Alyssa. “It was a pleasure.”

She would have stood as well, except Callan and the wall boxed her in. “I’ll be in touch as soon as I know something.”

“I look forward to hearing from you.” He walked toward the door.

Callan called too loudly to his back, “Nice to meet you!”

* * *

As soon asCharles was out of sight, Alyssa shifted to face the intruder. “What in the actual?—?”

His lips met hers, soft but insistent. It was a shut-up kiss, she knew that.

But...oh boy.

She needed to push him away. She should definitelynotenjoy the kiss she’d dreamed about for four years, when Callan had been both her biggest rival and her biggest crush. He’d reveled in the first role and remained, thank heavens, ignorant of the second.

Too soon, he ended the kiss and shifted just far enough away to meet her eyes. “Listen to me, Alyssa.” His voice was low but insistent. “Are you listening?”

She managed a nod.

“I guarantee he has people here surveilling you—us, right now. And Iknowwe have people here. Unless you want to land on the terrorist watch list, you’ll play along.”

What was he talking about?

“Don’t look.” His tone implied she was the biggest idiot in the world.

Had she? Well, how did younotlook when somebody claimed you were being watched? “What is happening?”

“The man you just shared a meal with…”

Appetizers. Not that she’d eaten any.

“…is a terrorist.” Callan smiled like he was discussing a Red Sox game with his favorite person in the world, though his voice remained low. “He’s wanted for kidnapping and arms smuggling—not to mention murder.”

Callan’s words and facial expression were so incongruous that she almost laughed, which would only add to the story he was trying to sell.

Wait.Murder?

She stifled the urge to look around again, as if an ax-wielding crazy might be sneaking up behind her at that very moment.

It didn’t make sense, though. “He knows my cousin.” She backed up and looked at—really looked at—Callan’s face for the first time since he’d barged in.

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