Page 20 of Renegade (The Santini Assassins #2)

HELLO, GREY

CAROLINE

C aroline stood there for several seconds, the phone still cradled against her ear. She was seconds from inviting Grey over. Doing it with Rambo, Rambo-style, felt like the perfect way to work out her frustration.

Her sister walked into the kitchen and laughed. “You look like a statue.”

“I just got off the phone with Grey,” she said. “He’s making me insane.”

“The best ones do.” Sydney pulled the pint of chocolate ice cream from the freezer, shoved a spoon in, and lifted out a mouthful. After swallowing it down, she smiled. “I just needed one bite. Now, I’m good.”

After putting the ice cream back, she rinsed the spoon, and headed back down the hall toward her bedroom.

“Wait,” Caroline blurted. “I need you to do something for me.”

Sydney waved her on. “I’m getting into bed. Tell me before I fall asleep. ”

She sat on her sister’s bed and waited for Sydney to get situated. “What is it with you and pillows?” Caroline asked.

“I like everything to be a certain way or else I can’t sleep.” Sydney leaned against the propped pillows, pulled up the linens and sighed. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Can you arrange another hookup at the club tomorrow night for me and Grey?”

Sydney shot up. “Really? But you’re working with him. You never, ever have sex with anyone you work with.”

“I’m making an exception. He’s sexy. He’s talented. I’m frustrated.”

“Go for a run like the rest of humanity.”

Caroline laughed. “I worked out tonight and it didn’t do a damn thing. I just video chatted with him. It doesn’t matter how late it is, he always looks good. Too good. Sexy, handsome?—”

Sydney laughed. “Okay, I get it. I’ll ask him. But what will you do if he says no?”

“I’d hate him, but I’ll respect his decision. Let me see if I can get a room tomorrow.” Caroline jumped on the app. “There’s one room at eleven.” She reserved it.

Sydney typed out a text, showed Caroline.

Caroline laughed. “Send it.”

The birthday girl liked the popsicle you served her. She wants a second serving. Interested?

When he didn’t reply, Sydney said, “I don’t want you to get hurt. You like him. You’ve liked him for a while.”

“Yeah, so? All the more reason to act on it. Plus, I might have to stay at that secret location. And if he’s there?—”

Sydney laughed. “So you go from never hooking up with anyone from work to screwing him at work?”

“If I go into this with eyes wide open, I don’t see what the prob is,” Caroline said .

“The prob is that you’ll get your heart broken.”

“Maybe I’ll break his heart.”

“He’s an assassin,” Sydney whispered. “Does he even have one?”

Her phone binged and they eyed the incoming text from Grey.

Text me the time and I’ll be there

“Should I ask him why he’s going?” Sydney asked. “I mean, does he like you or is he horny?”

“Ohmygod, you’re killing me.” Caroline shoved off the bed. “At least I keep my overthinking to myself. Why do you always have to share it with me?”

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

At the door, Caroline turned back. “I’ve lusted after him for years.

We’ve got a super-stressful assignment. He’s here.

I’m here. When this assignment ends, he’ll probably get shipped somewhere far away, and I’ll never see him again.

” Pain shot through her chest and she placed her hand over her heart.

“I’m not looking for a commitment or a relationship.

I’m just looking for a little fun with a man who can deliver. What’s the harm in that?”

“You’re right,” Sydney said. “I’m sorry.”

Caroline shot her a smile, then left. As she walked into her bedroom, she wondered if Sydney was right. This wasn’t like Stan, a stranger at a sex club. This was Grey—Greystone Santini.

He’s the best, and I deserve the best.

On a harrumph, she stripped out of her oversized T-shirt and stretchy pants and crawled into bed. Unlike Sydney who needed everything just-so, she pulled the other pillow close, hugged it, and closed her eyes .

Grey’s piercing blues loomed into view, along with his massive body.

She might be making a mistake, but it was a risk she was willing to take. Being with him was that important to her.

The following morning, she woke at four forty-five. After a full-tilt treadmill run in the gym in her building, she did a light workout with hand weights, then hurried back upstairs to shower. Then, it was a flurry of crazy-ass activity in the kitchen.

Once a month, on Fridays, she made a big breakfast for her and Sydney. Sydney cooked dinners for them a lot, so this was her chance to do something special for her sister.

At six-fifteen, her phone buzzed with a text from Grey.

I’m early. Want help?

She buzzed him in, hurried into the bathroom to check herself. She hadn’t gotten around to putting on makeup, so she ran her blush brush over her cheeks, fluffed her long, wavy hair with her fingers, and rinsed with mouthwash.

With a swarm of butterflies whizzing in her tummy, she covered her lips with her favorite pink stick and hurried out.

Not wanting her sister to show up for breakfast half dressed, she poked her head into her room. Sydney was dressing in a pant suit.

“I invited Grey for breakfast. He’s on his way up.”

“And you’re having him tonight for dessert. Woo-hoo, you go girlie!”

Laughing, Caroline made her way toward the front door. She opened it, stepped into the hall, and her heart slammed against her chest.

Grey stalked toward her with a colorful bouquet of flowers in hand. With his hair in a tidy man-bun, she had a clean line of sight to his face. And it was stunning. Amazingly handsome. Perfect .

Blood rushed through her veins at a frenetic pace. She dropped her gaze to his dark suit, which clung to his muscular body like a glove. The white dress shirt made his beautiful, olive skin tone pop, but it was the hunger blazing in his eyes that stole her breath.

Mygod he cleans up well.

“Good morning,” she said.

“Hey.” He stopped inches away. “You look beautiful.”

“Oh, go on.” She winked.

“I can do that.”

Eager to see what he’d do next, she stood there, her heart pounding so hard and fast, she feared he could hear it thundering away in the quiet hallway.

He dipped down, dropped a kiss on her lips. “I can’t resist you.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “You’re friendly,” she murmured.

“Yup.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Very.” The rasp in his voice sent a shock of need racing through her.

She stood there gazing up at him, soaking him up, breathing him in. It was a delicious overdose to her senses that she could not get enough of.

“You ready?” he asked.

So ready.

“Definitely.”

Sydney appeared in the doorway. “Hey, Grey, c’mon in.” She tugged Caroline inside. After he entered, Sydney shut the door.

“Those flowers sure are purty,” Sydney said. “Are they fer me?”

He offered Caroline the bouquet. “Thanks for havin’ me.”

She accepted the flowers, paused to inhale their lovely aroma. “Thank you. They’re beautiful. ”

She was talking about his face, his eyes, his smile, those lips… his everything.

“How ‘bout I put these in water while you two stand there gawking at each other?” Chuckling, Sydney took the bouquet and started for the kitchen.

“I can cook us breakfast,” Grey said.

“You can help me.” Caroline blinked away whatever cray-cray spell he’d put her under and moved into the kitchen.

While he washed up, she pulled out eggs, pancake mix, and the breakfast meats, then she grabbed the English muffins from the pantry.

“How many people are you havin’ over?” Grey asked as he removed his suit jacket.

“All this extra food is for you,” Sydney said, shaking her head. “I get a stack of pancakes and a cuppa coffee.”

Another rush of adrenaline charged through her. She was buzzing with excitement simply because he was standing in her home.

I’ve got it so bad for him.

When he rolled up his sleeves, she bit back a moan. All she needed was him naked and she would take it from there.

“Caroline,” Sydney said snapping her back to reality. “What’s the plan?”

“I’m going to make pancakes,” Caroline said. “Would you eat any of those meats?” She had turkey sausages, thick-cut bacon, and Canadian Bacon.

“Turkey sausages,” he replied.

“I’ll eat anything,” Sydney said. “How ‘bout I make the eggs?”

“You never help with breakfast,” Caroline said. “This is for you, so you can chill.”

“Good answer.” Sydney moseyed out, leaving her alone with Grey.

Another rush of excitement powered through her. Fully charged, she didn’t need coffee. He was the perfect hit of adrenaline to start her day.

She got out the bowl, the pan, and the griddle. She didn’t want to make small talk, and she wasn’t about to discuss work with Sydney down the hall.

Despite what she told her, Sydney didn’t know everything.

After making the pancake batter, she gently folded in the blueberries. He leaned over to see what she was doing. “That looks good.”

He was so close, so tempting. She peered over her shoulder at him. The desire to run her fingers over his dark beard, to kiss him, barreled into her so hard, a moan shot out of her.

He flashed her a smile before stepping away.

Reality crashed in on her fantasy and she steeled her spine. Was he playing her? He’d never once acted like this when she was his handler, never during one of their rare in-person meetings at Langley. Why was he messing with her now? Especially now, with so much at stake.

Forcing out the desire, she collected the cinnamon off the spice rack. “Do you like this?”

“Sure.”

“I add a little,” she whispered. “It’s my secret ingredient.”

He shot her a smile, and heat infused her chest. “It’ll be our secret.”

“That and a million others.” While the pancakes cooked, she turned her attention to the eggs.

“How do you like them?” she asked him.

“However you make ‘em,” he replied.

“I’ll fry them on the griddle.”

After she stacked the pancakes on a platter, he covered them with foil, while she cracked eggs over the hot iron.

“There’s a lot about you I don’t know,” she said.