Page 24 of A SEAL's Protection
“Yes. He was right about that. I can fund it myself.” She shrinks a little. “Yes and no. Without the backing of a university, it doesn’t hold much sway. What are the papers going to say? The field is based on evidence, which must come from robust analysis. I’m one person collecting samples. I’ve got no institution behind me.”
My mind wanders. “Why do it then? Why do it alone? Couldn’t you bring a team? At least then you’d have people to show.”
Her brows pull together. “I don’t need a team. My entire career I’ve gotten where I am by working alone, by working hard. What’s the point of having a team here?”
I bite my tongue. She’s determined and tough. But everyone needs a team.
“That’s why I’m recording everything. My intention was to upload at every stop. But I got distracted when the package wasn’t there. My samples may not prove beyond a doubt that mining runoff is seeping into the water supply, but they’ll open a conversation.
They won’t be able to ignore me. I’m hoping it’ll get me the grant to come back, to prove it beyond doubt.”
Her voice grows stronger, her determination shining. She’s more resolute than half the men I’ve worked with. And suddenly I realize how close we are. In the firelight, her face is open, vulnerable. Behind the determination is a woman who just wants to prove herself.
“You’re brave.”
She glances up at me, and her expression softens. The firelight softens her features even more, making her appear vulnerable. A wisp of hair trails across her cheek, and I brush it away with my thumb, giving in to my desire to touch her, to feel her smooth skin, if only for an instant.
My gaze flicks to her lips, and they part slightly, an invitation. My pulse quickens, and I glance up at her to make sure. Her gaze lingers on mine, and her breathing comes hard. Without a word, I lean in and brush my lips against hers. It’s the softest kiss, and her breath on my lips carries the scent of warm bread.
Her eyes widen, then she kisses me back—slow, soft, and sure. My hand slides up over her neck, tangling in her hair. She tastes as good as I imagined, and I lose myself in her warmth. I tug her closer, deepening the kiss as my hand caresses the back of her neck.
Then reality slams back in and we both pull away, breathless.
I stand up quickly, needing to put distance between us before I do something I shouldn’t. A flicker of disappointment crosses Allegra’s face.
“We’d better pack this up for the night.”
She schools her expression and nods. We both know this isn’t a good idea.
An hour later, I lie on my back, pressed against Allegra in the shared sleeping bag. Every brush of her skin sparks longing, and the air between us feels charged.
We don’t speak of the kiss. It’s a mutual understanding that nothing can happen. Not while we’re out here. Not while I’m working for her father.
This is a mission, I remind myself. The mission is to keep her safe, not to give in to my needs.
Beside me, she shifts restlessly. I wonder if her heart is thumping like mine. My shoulder aches, but it’s nothing compared to the ache I feel for her.
I lie awake, listening to the night. The sound that fills my head is Allegra’s breathing—gentle, steady. I notice when it deepens into sleep.
I risk rolling over. In the dim light of the moon, I can just make out her features, soft and calm.
This was supposed to be a mission. So why does it feel like the start of something I won’t be able to walk away from?
11
ALLEGRA
The other half of the sleeping bag is empty when I wake the next morning. I stretch lazily, wondering why I sleep so damn well crammed into a sleeping bag with Marcus. On second thought, that’s best left unexamined.
I press my finger to my lips, remembering the kiss last night. His lips on mine felt firm and insistent and so damn right.
I pull the sleeping bag around me and breathe in the scent that Marcus left behind. My eyes drop close, and I indulge myself for a moment. It’s been a long time since a man kissed me. Most men are too scared when they find out who my father is or too intimidated. But Marcus is neither. He kissed me like a man claiming what’s his.
He kissed me like we were just two hikers sharing a moment on the trail, which is exactly what we’re doing. He’s a soldier and I’m a scientist. In the real world, those two things don’t go together. In the real world, I’m Allegra Simpson, tech princess and heir.
I let out a long sigh and open my eyes.
It was one kiss, but it can’t happen again. Marcus knows it, and I know it. Whatever attraction we have for each other is the result of the circumstances throwing us together. My pheromones are attracted to his pheromones, and they’re heightened by sharing a sleeping bag.
