Page 22
Story: Conceal (Eagle Tactical 3)
Skylar glared at me.
What had I done to piss her off? Was she ever planning on moving out of her brother’s house?
“Any word from Mason?” I asked, trying desperately to change the subject.
Jaxson reached for his coffee and took a sip. “He’s got a doctor’s appointment this afternoon. He is hoping he gets the all clear from the doc and can come back into the office tomorrow.”
I brushed past him for the cabinet that held the mugs and retrieved one for myself. “How likely is that?” I asked, pouring myself a steaming cup of coffee.
He’d been hit by two bullets. It took time to heal, but how much time did he need? “He seemed like he was doing well last night.”
“It could go either way,” Jaxson said. “I’ll be glad to have him back, but yeah, he did seem like he was having a good time last night, which reminds me, I need to swing by Lincoln’s place this morning before work.”
“Oh?” I had no idea what he needed to discuss with him before work, but it wasn’t any of my business. “Do you want me to get Izzie ready this morning and take her to daycare?” I asked. I’d picked her up a few times recently for him, so I’d become familiar with their routine.
“That would be really helpful,” Jaxson said. He dropped a quick, chaste kiss to my cheek.
I froze, surprised by his gesture.
What if Izzie came running into the kitchen?
While we both knew that Skylar was aware of our relationship, we’d tried to be discreet around Isabella. Jaxson hadn’t wanted to confuse his daughter and the fact I was already living under his roof. Well, it wasn’t helping matters either.
“Can you secure her car seat in my vehicle?” I asked.
“I’ll do you one better, take my truck today,” Jaxson said.
“Are you sure?” He’d never offered me to drive his truck before.
Didn’t he worry about the Eagle Tactical guys saying something? Although they all knew I was living with Jaxson, that was because my house next door had burned down.
How long could that excuse last?
“I trust you with my daughter, Freckles. You can guarantee that she rates above my truck.”
I took a long sip of my coffee. My cheeks felt hot under his stare.
“I need you to join me in the field today. Our newest client requires the entire team for their assignment,” he said, sipping his coffee as he glanced at Skylar. It was clear he wasn’t comfortable discussing specifics in front of her. “With Mason unavailable, I need you in the field instead of the office today.”
I had so many questions, but he shook his head, silently telling me not to ask them right now. “Okay.”
My stomach bubbled with nervousness.
What would I be required to do in the field? I wasn’t a field agent, even with my time at the C.I.A. I always stayed behind a desk or buried behind a computer in a hotel room.
“I’ll be texting the team the meetup point. Just come by as soon as you’re done dropping off Izzie at daycare.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Sure.”
Jaxson stepped closer.
Had he sensed my hesitation?
He rested a strong, warm hand on my upper arm. “You’ve got this, Freckles. I promise I wouldn’t include you in the field assignment if I didn’t believe you weren’t ready for it.”
I offered him a weak smile. “I appreciate it.” Which was true, even though I felt sick at the thought of what I had to do, and I wasn’t even sure what would be involved.
“You look like you’re going to be sick,” Jaxson muttered. With a heavy sigh, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the bathroom, shutting the door.
What had I done to piss her off? Was she ever planning on moving out of her brother’s house?
“Any word from Mason?” I asked, trying desperately to change the subject.
Jaxson reached for his coffee and took a sip. “He’s got a doctor’s appointment this afternoon. He is hoping he gets the all clear from the doc and can come back into the office tomorrow.”
I brushed past him for the cabinet that held the mugs and retrieved one for myself. “How likely is that?” I asked, pouring myself a steaming cup of coffee.
He’d been hit by two bullets. It took time to heal, but how much time did he need? “He seemed like he was doing well last night.”
“It could go either way,” Jaxson said. “I’ll be glad to have him back, but yeah, he did seem like he was having a good time last night, which reminds me, I need to swing by Lincoln’s place this morning before work.”
“Oh?” I had no idea what he needed to discuss with him before work, but it wasn’t any of my business. “Do you want me to get Izzie ready this morning and take her to daycare?” I asked. I’d picked her up a few times recently for him, so I’d become familiar with their routine.
“That would be really helpful,” Jaxson said. He dropped a quick, chaste kiss to my cheek.
I froze, surprised by his gesture.
What if Izzie came running into the kitchen?
While we both knew that Skylar was aware of our relationship, we’d tried to be discreet around Isabella. Jaxson hadn’t wanted to confuse his daughter and the fact I was already living under his roof. Well, it wasn’t helping matters either.
“Can you secure her car seat in my vehicle?” I asked.
“I’ll do you one better, take my truck today,” Jaxson said.
“Are you sure?” He’d never offered me to drive his truck before.
Didn’t he worry about the Eagle Tactical guys saying something? Although they all knew I was living with Jaxson, that was because my house next door had burned down.
How long could that excuse last?
“I trust you with my daughter, Freckles. You can guarantee that she rates above my truck.”
I took a long sip of my coffee. My cheeks felt hot under his stare.
“I need you to join me in the field today. Our newest client requires the entire team for their assignment,” he said, sipping his coffee as he glanced at Skylar. It was clear he wasn’t comfortable discussing specifics in front of her. “With Mason unavailable, I need you in the field instead of the office today.”
I had so many questions, but he shook his head, silently telling me not to ask them right now. “Okay.”
My stomach bubbled with nervousness.
What would I be required to do in the field? I wasn’t a field agent, even with my time at the C.I.A. I always stayed behind a desk or buried behind a computer in a hotel room.
“I’ll be texting the team the meetup point. Just come by as soon as you’re done dropping off Izzie at daycare.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Sure.”
Jaxson stepped closer.
Had he sensed my hesitation?
He rested a strong, warm hand on my upper arm. “You’ve got this, Freckles. I promise I wouldn’t include you in the field assignment if I didn’t believe you weren’t ready for it.”
I offered him a weak smile. “I appreciate it.” Which was true, even though I felt sick at the thought of what I had to do, and I wasn’t even sure what would be involved.
“You look like you’re going to be sick,” Jaxson muttered. With a heavy sigh, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the bathroom, shutting the door.
Table of Contents
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