Page 19 of Spy With Me
“Oh, I wasn’t warning anyone because I was worried she wouldupset Carys.” Zach’s hand moved over her waist as though he didn’t want to stoptouching her. “I’ve worked with them both for years. Nothing there but work.However, she doesn’t have clearance to know about the twins, so we need to becareful and make sure she’s not waiting at the airport to give us a briefing.She said she’s already met with CSIS, and they’re going to have an operativeliaising while we’re in Canada.”
She did not understand the alphabet soup of intelligenceagencies. When Zach, Coop, and Kala started in on shop talk, she usually lether mind drift or ended up sketching. At first it seemed to worry Zach and hetried to pull her back into the conversation, but the truth was she liked it.It had been a long time since she’d felt so inspired. She was working on acorset with wings. Like a fairy. Who was going to get hard railed by a hot Dom.
“It better not be Ben.” Kenzie stood and sighed. “Someonetell me when I have to hide. I hope she’s not there because I’ll have to hidein the stupid plane and get an Uber. A Canadian Uber.”
Kala started for the door to the terminal. “Hey, if you getan Uber, you can stop at Tim Horton’s. Dad won’t let us. There’s an upside.”
Her cousins were a hoot.
“It’s only because they didn’t have lemon donuts the lasttime, and now Dad won’t forgive an entire country,” Kenzie pointed out. “Butyou’re right. I’ll totally grab some donuts. And maybe stop and get somecrêpes. You know, now I see the advantages.”
Tasha huffed. “Now she’s going to try to sight-see, and I’llbe the one who has to point out all the CCTV cameras and that otherintelligence agencies also know how to use logic and technology. Mom, maybe Ishould stay and make sure Uncle Alex and Uncle Li don’t burn down the company.”
“I won’t burn anything down. You know I’ve been running thiscompany for a long time while your parents gallivant around the world,” UncleLiam replied in his lyrical Irish accent.
“She’s trying to stay with Dare.” Aunt Charlotte followedher daughters toward the door. “He can’t go with us this time because he’sactually working and not using his job as a cover. It’s refreshing. Come along.TJ, wake up. Your sister’s being manhandled.”
“Am not.” Though she totally felt Zach’s hand dangerouslyclose to her ass. He might want to get one more squeeze in. “I mean not in away I’m not happy about.”
Her brother yawned as he straightened up. “Is it time togo?” His gaze shifted her way. “Hey, sis. What are you doing here?”
She was going to throw her brother right into the fire.Everyone was moving into the terminal, but her brother stayed back. “Droppingmy boyfriend off.”
Lou elbowed TJ as she stretched and grabbed her bag. “I toldyou I thought something was going on between them.”
“Dude, you know she’s my sister, right?” TJ put the questionto Zach. “What is happening? I’m very confused. Dude takes one little nap…”
Devi broke away from Zach and moved in to hug her brother.“I’m sure he’ll fill you in. And we’re going to have family dinner when you getback. All of us. The parents are excited about both of their kids being instable relationships.”
Her brother hugged her back, but when he released her, hiseyes were on Zach and there was all kinds of suspicions there. “It can’t be toostable since I happen to know he wasn’t with you a couple of weeks ago whenhe…”
Nope. They were not going there. The terminal was empty withthe exception of the four of them, and she shushed her brother. “I don’t careabout what he did before we got together. Go and take out the bad guys. I’llsee you when you get back.”
TJ leaned in, his voice going serious and low. “Dev, weshould talk about this. He’s… Do you know what he actually does? I’m not surehe’s telling us everything. I think he might be working for someone else.”
Who else would he be working for? Her cousins liked him. Hermom liked him. TJ was being overprotective. “I’m good. I know everything I needto know. If you don’t like the fact that I’m dating one of your teammates, thenyou’ll have to get over it because I’m not going to leave him to make you morecomfortable.”
TJ frowned and looked over to Lou, who was shaking her headlike he was on his own here. “I’m only trying to look out for you.”
Zach was quiet during the conversation, but she couldpractically feel his discomfort. Like he was on the outside and worried thedoor to that warm, nice place with all the food and love and fun was about tobe slammed in his face and locked. She moved back to him, putting her hand inhis and showing her support.
She loved her brother, but she wasn’t about to let himdictate who she saw and who she didn’t. He never had before, so this was a bitof a surprise.
Lou took her brother’s hand. “How about we let them saygood-bye and I’ll see if I can find you a snack. You know Aunt Charlotte alwayshas the best snacks.”
TJ frowned Zach’s way. “Yeah, I think I’ll need it since itlooks like I’ll be having a conversation on this flight.”
They turned and walked away but only after Lou had thrownher a sympathetic look.
Zach winced. “Well, it seemed to be going way too smoothly.”
She shook her head and went on her toes to kiss her gorgeouscaptain. “My brother will get over it. Share a beer with him and tell him howmuch you like me and everything will be fine.”
She kissed him again and then watched him walk off.
It would be okay. A week or two and he would be back andthey would move him into Coop’s and get him a car and start their lives.
She stood there until the plane took off, a weird feeling ofanxiety in her gut.
