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She focused harder on the TV. Relationships were for after she was finished with school. How many times had she listened to her mom lament not getting her degree thanks to husband number one? How many times had her mom told her to do what she wanted to do in life before finding a man?
Nyx realized her gaze had traveled back to Case and sighed. He tempted her to throw aside all the caution she’d learned watching her mom deal with her exes. Watching her mom handle everything alone because Nyx’s dad was off on some top-secret Special Forces mission and gone for six, eight, ten months out of the year.
Besides, even if she wanted to hook up with Case, there were issues. Like the fact he was on an op. He was her brother’s best buddy. She was working for the Paladin League. And maybe the biggest nope of all, there could be cameras or mics in the room that Case hadn’t found.
It would just be her luck to have her first time filmed by a drug cartel and uploaded to some porn site. Try finding a job with that hanging over your head.
“You’re frowning,” Case said, dragging her out of her thoughts.
“Sorry. I’m thinking too hard.” And that was the truth. It was just that she was thinking about Case cashing in her V-card and not about their predicament. She changed the subject. “Do you think our clothes will be dry in the morning? Damp clothes might be worse than smelly ones.”
Case shrugged. “It’s too late now.”
“Thanks,” she said saccharinely. “I realize that.” Immediately, she shook her head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be bitchy. My nerves are getting frayed.”
He rose and crossed to her. Nyx found herself mesmerized, half hoping his towel stayed in place, half hoping it didn’t. Case might have a lean, runner’s build, but his shoulders were broad, and he had muscles. So many delicious muscles that she wanted to touch and stroke and kiss and— He sat next to her on the couch and rational thought left her brain. Instead, all she could think about was his tousled blond hair, serious blue eyes, and full, kissable lips.
“What has you on edge?”
“Right now? I can’t stop thinking about tomorrow. Someone will be sent to bring me back to the library and I’ll have to research historical documents again. What if I don’t find anything about the treasure? The odds are good that nothing is there. What does Señor Vargas do to us then?”
“I don’t know.” He put his arm around her, cuddling her into his side. “I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you safe, Fireball. Believe it.”
For a moment, words escaped her. All Nyx could think about was the warmth of his bare skin against her. She had to give her brain a hard kick. “I do believe it. But today we were separated. It’s likely he’ll do the same thing tomorrow. If I’m in trouble downstairs, you won’t know anything about it if you’re up here.”
He frowned. After a moment, he said, “Vargas will probably bring you in for an update before returning you to the library. Tell him you can work faster if I’m helping you.”
“Why would he believe that?”
“I can read Spanish.”
“So can his men.”
“Yeah.”
Nyx tried to think of an excuse to have Case in the library with her, but it took her full concentration to keep from reaching out and touching him. He had a light smattering of hair across his chest. She wondered how it would feel against her fingers. He also wore a silver chain that landed below his pecs with some kind of Norse-looking pendant at the end of it. No doubt he was so used to his dog tags that it felt strange to not have something on, but he couldn’t wear them on a covert op. She was tempted to reach out and touch the pendant. And the skin around it.
“Tell him,” Case said slowly, “that I’ve helped you before and I know what sort of thing you’re looking for. That I have experience with historical research.”
He also had a light line of hair that started below his navel and traveled underneath the towel tied at his waist. It fascinated her, and she curled her fingers into the palms of her hands before she did something stupid.
“Nyx?”
“Hmm?” She didn’t manage to raise her gaze.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to untie the towel and climb on top of me.” His voice was thick and her head jerked up. His eyes were hot. “I’m willing, but if I missed a camera, I’d rather we didn’t entertain Vargas’s men.”
She stared at him blankly and then the words registered. Nyx felt her cheeks become scalding hot. What did she say? She’d been caught gawking at him. Her own voice was thick when she choked out, “Right. No entertainment.”
Nyx tried to ease away unobtrusively, but Case squeezed her shoulder and she stayed where she was. She wasn’t sure if it was because he wanted her close or he was worried about some hypothetical camera, but she didn’t want distance between them either. Not yet. Even if she was completely mortified.
She better start reciting the reasons she always said no because it seemed she needed a reminder about her goals.
Chapter 14