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Why had he started this conversation?

"He’s a jerk, and you’re better off without him," Joe told her

"I know that, but it’s not the point And at the time, it really hurt There I was, heartbroken, andto make it better She’s just a nice person"

"She sounds perfect"

Darcy nodded "She is Prettyshe does Everyone loves her"

"Perfect can get boring"

Darcy glared at hi bad about my sister"

He held up both hands and took a step back "You have a pretty cohed "Sorry for snapping Sometimes…" She smiled "I’m a multifaceted person"

And charht as he hter He was just the hired help Getting involved would be crazy

"Oh, ," she breathed as she stared up at hi to kiss you," he told her

"I can see that"

Darcy watched desire darken Joe’s eyes Heto kiss her, but she would bet a lot of money that he wanted to She felt all shivery and hot and nervous But she didn’t move away Not even an inch If there was the potential for so

He reached out and touched her cheek with his fingers "I could lose my career over this," he said quietly

"No woreed"

But he didn’t step away, and the thought thrilled her He wanted her She could feel it in the tension in his body He wanted her Not Lauren, he wasn’t interested in political favors He was--

He leaned forward and claimed her mouth with his There was heat and promise in that first brush of his lips She relaxed into hi into his hardness He pulled her close, angled his head, and swept his tongue against her botto Need overwhelmed her, and the second he eased inside to claih She wanted h her, causing her to run her hands up and down his back, urging hihs nestled with his She wanted to rub against hi her everywhere

Instead she had to content herself with a deep, sensual, perfect kiss He claimed her ue circled hers, teasing, arousing, delighting His large hands stroked her back beforelower to cup her rear When he squeezed, she arched forward, bringing her belly in contact with his erection

Her breath caught as she realized he was hard She’d made him want her Need swelled as did her nipples They ached She ached

Not knohat else to do, she slid her hands under his T-shirt until she touched bare skin He was hot and slightly da to explore hiue She wanted to taste him and consuasp They stared at each other, both breathing hard Joe’s eyes were dilated

Silence filled the room She waited for him to dismiss what had happened between them Not because she believed he could, but because her luck with ave her a half-grin, half-grireat"

"Yeah?" she asked, unable to keep fro trouble Your father is my commander in chief"

"Does that really matter?"

"It should"

Which didn’t answer her question

"You go first," he said, ether

"I’ll wait here," he continued "Until it’s safe"

"I doubt anyone is lurking in the hallway"

"That’s not what I mean" He pointed at his crotch

"Oh" He was obviously hard, and it was daht You don’t want to flash that at Grand about her will help solve the probleht up with Darcy late that ht now," Mia said as she burst into Darcy’s rooe and Alex"

"What? That’s crazy Agents can’t be involved"

"I don’t knohat the rules are, but they’re always giving each other these s of the Marcelli women and you have to be there I mean, you’re one of us, now"

Darcy didn’t think that was true, but she was delighted to be asked "I’, too, so you canaround and getting into everything There’s two of thee"

Darcy laughed "I think we can handle it"

Mia shook her head "Have you ever been around toddler twins? Trust me, every second is an adventure"

It turned out Mia was telling the truth Eric and Haley were two and a half and too adorable for words They both had dark hair, and blue, blue eyes Haley had the kind of curls woy who refused to be contained

The Marcelli wo room where Darcy met Francesca Reese for the first time Brenna’s fraternal tas tall and slender, with short, dark hair and beautiful features