Page 63 of The Saint

“We’re missing something.” He was armed and wouldn’t let anyone take Amelia, but he didn’t want to cause a scene in the middle of downtown Alexandria. Boss Man would have a huge problem with him if that happened. “They started tracking us at dinner. How? Why?”

“I thought I felt someone looking at me when we first walked on to the main drag.”

His mind replayed the day: breakfast, CIA meeting, kissing Amelia, heading to dinner—“You made a phone call before dinner.”

She nodded. “I called Veronica.” Her eyes went wide as she raised her hands. “I didn’t tell her where I was.”

“You didn’t have to.” He pulled out his phone. No one should have been able to track him. Camden dropped the phone onto the ground and lifted his foot—but he stopped himself from crushing the device.

“What are you doing?” Amelia demanded.

He grabbed the phone and her hand and ran to the corner where an officer directed traffic to cross through an intersection. He spotted an oversized pickup truck and, before they crossed the street, dropped the cell phone over the edge of its tailgate.

“Camden?”

“They traced you back to my phone.” For the first time, he wondered if protecting Amelia was the reason the CIA had detained her. It would have answered any questions from the public and kept Amelia where they could safeguard her. That would be a conversation for Beth.

“You’re sure?”

Not one hundred percent.“We’re going to find out.” He wanted eyes on the men combing through the crowd but needed to keep her out of view. Camden posted against the corner of a building and tucked her under him as though he were making a move. His body pressed against her. He raised an arm over her head and caged her against the wall. “Put an arm over my shoulder.” To anyone else, Amelia looked to have his full attention. “Good.” He feathered a kiss over her cheek. “I don’t want to be the guy that tells a girl to smile, babe, but if you look scared, someone might check on you.”

She smiled and tried to relax.

“Good.” He scanned the crowd and found the two men. Instead of working through the crowd, they stood together. One man had a phone pressed to his ear. The other scanned their immediate surroundings.

“Do you see them?” she asked.

“Yup.”

Amelia’s posture tightened.

He was certain the smile was gone. “Just another minute. Relax. We’re having a good time.”

“The best time,” she managed.

“I am,” he admitted.

Her tension relaxed against his chest, and he struggled to focus on the problem at hand. Camden narrowed his gaze on the man on the phone. He wasn’t a lip reader but was certain the man had just snapped, “Fuck.” The other man shook his head, then they both turned and retraced their way up the hill.

He inched back. “We’re good for now.”

Relief blossomed over her face. Amelia wrapped her other arm around his neck and hugged him. Camden let his eyes sink shut. He breathed her in and let warmth roll through him at the way she fit against him. He was becoming too entangled with this woman. Keeping her safe should feel more like a job responsibility than a requirement.

And what the hell had he been thinking, taking her out on a date? What kind of complication was that? That wasn’t taking things slowly. But since she was wrapped around him, he realized he couldn’t keep a reasonable space between them. He couldn’t stay away and should have realized that from the moment they first spoke. That was why he hadn’t let himself even look up her picture. Since he’d gone that far, since he had her in his arms again, he knew they would be in bed sooner rather than later. This sweet hug was to blame.

“What now?” she asked.

Camden moved her to his side and stayed to the edge of the crowd. “We need to find a convenience store and purchase a burner phone. Winters would be nearby soon.”

“Then what?”

“New place.”

She tipped her face toward him. “And dinner?”

“Dinner and whatever else you want.”

Slowly was overrated. They could work off the night’s stress in any way she chose.

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