Page 16 of Ace of Spades

Taylor nodded. “Absolutely.”

“No doubt in my mind,” Nate said.

She chewed on her bottom lip, nervous about telling them her idea. Nate’s gaze lowered to her mouth, and she swallowed a grin. Chewing on her lip was a habit, one she unconsciously did when thinking, but she’d noticed lately how his eyes would darken when she did it. Since becoming aware of his attention, she would sometimes do it on purpose just to mess with him. This time, though, she wasn’t trying to tease him.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said.

Nate grunted. “Then stop it. I can already tell by the look on your face that I’m not going to like whatever’s about to come out of your mouth.”

She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Children, behave,” Rothmire said.

“Sorry. Anyway, our victims are blonde and blue-eyed. I’m blonde and—”

“No.” Nate shook his head. “No. No. No.”

She bristled. “You think I can’t take care of myself? I can put you on the floor before you can say ‘jumping jacks.’”

“Let me think about it,” Rothmire said. He eyed Nate. “She’s exactly the look our man seems to be going for.”

Nate didn’t respond, just stared hard at her before standing. “We done here?”

“I think my ride just left,” Taylor said after Nate walked out.

Her boss turned a curious eye on her. “Anything you need to tell me?”

Rothmire was too perceptive by far; one of the things that made him a good agent in charge. She considered her response, not sure how he personally felt about employee fraternization. Better to stay mum about her fascination with Nate Gentry.

She gave him her best innocent look. “Such as?”

A grin split his face. “Such as, should I warn my bestmaleagent that he’s lost the game before it even started?”

“Haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.” Taylor stood, busying herself with collecting her folder and Nate’s, all the while hiding her own grin. So her boss knew she had the hots for Nate and had just let her know he didn’t have a problem with it. He’d also qualified Nate as his best male agent, a subtle emphasis onmale, telling her he thought of her as his best female one. Although, as she was the only female agent in the Miami field office, maybe she shouldn’t feel all that honored.

Since she knew Nate hadn’t had his last word on the subject of her going undercover as a prostitute, she went to her cubicle to get some work done until he came stomping back. She made a bet with herself that it would take him about two hours at the gym with the heavy bag before he was calm enough to talk.