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David

"I'd rather stay The work isn't going too well and I needed a break to clear ht now I really need you out of harm's way Even if thoseweapons It's not a good coh her coat "And you forgot to wear your vest" He said that last part with a paternal frown better suited to a naughty child than a full-grooht off the need to get defensive with hi her Kevlar vest She'd have to get used to it if she wanted to live "I was in a hurry," she said, rein with "The phone was ringing" She dug under her coat and pulled it frorim "Did they just call once?"

Noelle nodded "I think so I , but it did distract me"

"Hell of a phone," heto call and get a ?"

"No" He didn't elaborate

"What if soent?"

"Look," he said in a frighteningly even tone "Someone at that safe house leaked your location That's what caused the attack I'm not about to trust anyone until I knoho that leak was"

Noelle couldn't suppress a little shiver of fear as it raced up her spine "You don't have any backup?"

He looked away, but not before she could see the frustration lining his face "I'll do fine without it You should go"

Suddenly, it no longeras he let her stay, he could think whatever he wanted "Do you mind if I stay a while? I could, you know, be your backup"

His features softened and he looked like he was about to smile over her offer "Just exactly how much do you know about covert surveillance?"

"I know that I can't do it fro back to the dingy little rooht of her situation was bearing down upon her, wearing her thin She wasn't ress with the code She needed a break--to be out in the open for a little while breathing fresh air

He looked like he was about to refuse, but after searching her face, he gave in

"Just stay low and quiet"

Noelle grinned, feeling momentarily free of her burdens She scooted a little closer to David in an effort to stay war her to be staring off into space, working on so only she could see Instead, he found that she'd fallen asleep She hadn't even been out here ten ht with an indulgent grin

She'd curled up on her side in an effort to stay warm and David covered her with a thin survival blanket he pulled from his pack

As it alhenever he looked at her while she slept, David felt so shift in his chest--becohter at the saed at every one of his protective instincts whenever he glanced her way He was the only thing standing between her and death, and yet she trusted hih that she just dozed off with ar time since anyone had trusted hi to prove he orthy of her trust He couldn't fail her

Noelle's red hair blended in perfectly a like the clusters of snowflakes still clinging to branches here and there Her cheeks were flushed pink and her lips were parted, breathing silvery pluive to be here with her for the sheer enjoyment of it

He'd never h sleeping on frozen ground during his career for hiht now, David couldn't think of a better place to get naked with a woht here

He'd keep her ith his body and heat froood she'd forget all about the cold air and scattered leaves

He'd et she was a hunted wolasses frorazed along her cheek and he closed his eyes against the sainst his knuckles Shelow and incoherent and shifted toward his touch

He pulled away and forced hier lie on his storew in response to the feel of her skin Not even the frozen ground was enough to keep his lust at bay

Forcing his thoughts back to the h the binoculars It appeared as though they were packing their gear to leave, now that the beer had run out

David watched them leave the way they'd come He'd scouted earlier and seen a couple beat-up trucks parked along the side of the only road leading up this side of theout for the night \ David didn't think he would be able to stand being out : here in the cold all night while Noelle stayed alone in the cabin, unprotected And he certainly couldn't let her stay with him without the benefit of a fire to keep her war

Unless he kept her warm another way

David spat a caustic curse into the frigid air He could not keep thinking of her as a wonh of content his body

Noelle shifted and David had to pull the blanket back up over her shoulders again He hated waking her now that she'd finally gone to sleep

David wasn't sure howto be able to keep this pace before soive

She was relentless with herself in pursuit of the solution to the code Monroe had presented David had seen h Special Forces training