Page 116 of Hunted to Be Mine

“They’re fine.” He poured more coffee. “SENTINEL has them close and covered.”

Something in me unclenched. “Thank God. I was worried Dresner might go after them.”

“Mattie’s as safe as she can be with Damon hovering like a vulture.” The corner of his mouth tugged. “I stepped within twenty feet and the man practically snarled.”

I coughed on a laugh. “Are you serious?”

“He practically radiates touch-her-and-die. When I asked her to check my shoulder wound, I thought he’d do the exam himself to keep her hands off me.”

I pictured it and grinned. “I suspected there was something. The way he watches her when he thinks no one’s looking.” I leaned forward and winced. “Did you see anything else? Any actual moves?”

“Nothing explicit.” He topped off my cup without asking. “He positions himself between her and anything he doesn’t like. Including me.”

“So, a slow burn that never ends.” I curled my fingers around the warm mug. “When this is over, I’m going to pester Mattie for details. I need to watch this soap opera unfold.”

“Soap opera?”

“Two highly competent professionals dancing around obvious attraction while sharing danger?” I grinned. “That’s a romance novel waiting to happen.”

He gathered our empty plates and carried them to the sink.

“It’s the best kind of distraction,” I said, watching him rinse. “And Mattie has excellent taste. Damon’s quite the specimen—broody and built.”

The plate clattered against the sink. His shoulders went rigid. He scrubbed a little too hard.

“Something wrong with the dishes?” I asked.

“No.” The word came clipped.

“Then why are you trying to scrub a hole through that plate?”

He shut off the water harder than necessary. “I’m not.”

“You look like you want to murder that poor piece of stoneware.” I tilted my head. “Wait. Are you… jealous?”

“Of Damon?” He scoffed without looking at me. “Why would I be jealous of him?”

“Maybe because I just called him a specimen?”

“You can admire whoever you want.” He dried his hands. “None of my business.”

A smile tugged at my mouth, completely out of place and impossible to stop. “Green doesn’t suit you.”

“I’m not jealous.” He finally turned to face me. “I just think your medical judgment might be compromised if you’re distracted by Seok’s… physique.”

I laughed outright. “My medical judgment? That’s your concern?”

“Your professionalism,” he said, though his eyes told a different story.

“Right.” I got to my feet carefully and made my way around the table. “Just so we’re clear, while Damon is objectively attractive, my type these days is painfully specific.”

“And what’s that?” His voice dropped.

“Complicated men with gaps in their memory and a protective streak a mile wide.” I stopped in front of him. “Sound familiar?”

His shoulders loosened a fraction. “Possibly.”

“And I’ve seen you without a shirt.” I kept my tone solemn. “There’s no contest.”