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"You’re thoughtful, but the security guards are always a shout away"

"And I ae

Samir--Sam--was different from otherher exile here While she hadn’t slept with hi far more intimate than any of those other men Friendship

"I alk you hos away" She pretended not to notice the curious stares Everyone knew Sa for her, but they also knew she’d kept her distance "Your help isn’t necessary"

Still, she waved for him to walk beside her

"I do understand it is not necessary But I ith you anyway" His slasses "My ot the ht me"

She pretended not to notice the curious stares of other teachers and students as she passed the dining hall "You’re a pushy man"

"Not really"

And that was true He had a reputation for being a mild-mannered acade her He was always quietly there, waiting with those intense sexy eyes of his

"So then, Sa herself flirt a little as a relief against the horrible day "If I told you to go on ahead, you would?"

He walked silently beside her, staying in step along the dirt path leading to the teachers’ dor, she hooked her thu "Like I said Pushy"

"Ungrateful"

"Excuse ht extra inches of height on her "Since we are tossing around adjectives, I will volley one back your way Ungrateful"

Now that struck a nerve, reuments with her husband Her dead husband "I’ift of your presence? Well then how about this adjective? Egotistical"

He tapped his chest "Protective"

That sat a little better on her prickly pride "Oh, you’re worried abouton me"

His smile flattened to a deep scowl "I would never hit a wo a move on a woman" Still he looked confused so she continued, "A ro ayou around? You make me sound like a puppy I am merely a devotedmoves for quite soh to capture your attention It could be a difference in cultural courtship rituals You ent and persistent to the adjective list Good night"

She watched him walk silently away, tall and broad shouldered And persistent

Her husband had been upset by her choices, angry with her He’d even asked her to come back But he’d never once been persistent

Yes, Saued her He made her want to learn more, made her want more

Except how persistent would he stay if he knew she was a trained killer?

Jose planted himself in a chair outside the break room door so he wouldn’ton fuive himself Sleep could come later, once he saw her and knew she was taken care of

The CV-22 was parked behind hiathered around the back hatch On the other side of the aircraft, the CIA coar hummed with pockets of activity

But he could only think of Stella

She had been in there with the boy and the head CIA dude for over three hours She needed to rest, eat, recharge Even knowing he wasn’t stopping either didn’t take away the driving urge to rip the door off with his bare hands and haul her out of there

It was as if the past four weeks apart never happened He was right back in those first hours after she’d du what he could do to change it for her

Damn stupid

Focus on the now Do his job What he did best

The light sound of footsteps gave hiside hi were more than just a few fellas he worked with They were fellow PJs They put their lives on the line together, would die for each other

No one knew hi by the way they were grinning, ready to razz hiainst a pallet of stacked crates while the others advanced

His buddy Brick propped a foot up on the chair beside him, a stubborn rock-headed dude with a ot ory? Brad Pitt’s woelina Jolie, and Gwyneth Paltrow"

His friend would re to join in the word gaht and in love

Ironic how life cycled around "I’ll pass"