Page 97 of Tactically Acquired

Shit. “You’re—are you fucking kidding me? You’re the team leader. You can’t leave everything up to me!”

“You already have a thing with her.”

“Which I majorly fucked up. Do you really think I’m the best person to tell her right now?”

“He might have a point,” Rae said. “Maybe we should talk to Spencer and let him be the one to break the news to her.”

That wasn’t a bad idea. “Yeah, I can do that.”

“Good. Then we’ll put a plan together in the morning if she wants to leave.” Rae looked at Thumper and me. “Get some shuteye. It’s gonna be a long fucking day.”

I headed back to the bedrooms, but instead of turning left, I turned right. I wasn’t sure what made me open the door or step inside. But I did. I watched her for hours, wondering what the hell would happen when we told Spencer in the morning. How would she react when he conveyed the bad news?

I rubbed my chest, wondering why I felt an ache forming when I hardly knew the woman. I didn’t have feelings for her, yet I couldn’t help but want to spare her from what was about to happen. I shook off the need to comfort her and headed out, closing the door softly behind me.

Thumper stood on the other side of the hall, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at me.

“How long have you been there?”

“About as long as you’ve been in there.”

There was no way for me to explain it. I didn’t have the words to tell him what was running through my head right now. None of it made sense. “I don’t even know her.”

“Sometimes that’s just the way things go,” he said as if he already knew what I was talking about.

Maybe he did. After all, wasn’t that kind of the way it was with him and Bree?

“You want some advice?” he asked, pushing off the wall. “Stop trying to push her away and actually fucking talk to her. Then you might get an answer to your questions a hell of a lot faster.”

Surprisingly, that was really good advice. I just wasn’t sure now was the time to follow through on that. Not when she was about to get some devastating news.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t think for too long. Time is running out.”

25

AUDREY

In the light of day, regret swirled inside me. How could I have been stupid enough to let him touch me like that? No, that wasn’t right. How could I have been stupid enough to go to him when he was upset and think that he would let me help him?

I wasn’t naive enough to think we had some magical connection. I knew it would just be sex, and I was fine with that. But then he shut me down. I didn’t get it. He clearly wanted me. I felt his attraction to me, yet he pulled back and took away the pleasure we both wanted.

And now I had to stay with him for the remainder of the time, knowing that he wouldn’t want me. There would be awkward moments and weird looks…God, I hated that crap.

I rolled over and looked at the clock, but it was one of those mornings. I sat up and squinted, moving my eyes around as I tried to see the numbers on the clock. Crap, I’d slept late. I tossed off the covers and stood, immediately jamming my toe into the nightstand.

“Son of a bitch!” I shouted.

The door flew open and Spencer walked in, his usual worried eyes roaming over me until his eyes took in my foot. “Let me guess. Toes met nightstand?”

“It’s one of those mornings,” I grumbled. “I need coffee.”

“How about a smoothie?”

“How about I shove that smoothie?—”

“Geez, alright,” he chuckled. “Coffee it is.”

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