Sometimes my brain and my heart are at complete odds. Which is neither here nor there for the purposes of this type of journal. So. To get back to it. We’ve found a credible threat against the nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, and it’s my job to secure Hugh’s cooperation. If I don’t shoot him first.
—Dr. Eleanor Mae Smithers, Brigade Notes
Ellie nodded at the two armed guards outside Hugh’s quarters and then pushed inside without knocking. Each private quarter had been set up like a studio apartment with living area, bed, kitchenette, and attached bath. “Hi.”
Hugh sat on the floral sofa with his feet perched on a metal coffee table that housed one pathetic-looking cactus in a chipped red pot. “You here to spring me?”
“No.” She moved toward the one available chair, trying like heck to look casual.
“They let you in here by yourself?” he asked mildly.
She blinked and then sat. “I assured them you’d never hurt me.” Plus, she knew a few moves. Yeah, it had taken an hour of arguing with Deke, but Hugh didn’t need to know about that. “Right?”
Hugh shrugged. “I don’t know, Ellie Mae. I could grab you and force my way out of here.” If anything, he sounded bored by the entire idea. “Or just take you hostage.” His grin was wolfish.
Her face heated. How he could make her blush so easily she’d figure out later. “We need your help.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Is that a fact? Your gang thinks I’m a terrorist.”
“Nobody really thinks you’re a terrorist,” she countered, trying hard to sound reasonable and not irritated as hell. “We just need to clear up that undercover op you were on and you’ll be fine. But as my code is worming its way into your section of Homeland’s computers, before they go down, we need your help.”
His bare feet dropped to the floor, and he leaned toward her. “If Gregor is dead, I have no clue who he was working with.” Hugh scratched his elbow, somehow looking tough even against the flowered material. “All I got from him those two months was the name of a group called the Haven, or something like that. That’s it.”
“That’s something,” Ellie murmured. “I can start there—after I return from Pennsylvania.”
He tilted his head to the side. “You’re not going to that power plant without me.” His tone lost all semblance of lazy playfulness.
Her breath quickened for some inexplicable reason. “I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here.”
“No.” Without seeming to move, he somehow broadened. “That plant is in jeopardy, and I identify threats better than anybody else out there. Even you.”
She nodded, wanting to soothe the beast a little. It sucked to be locked up. “I understand, but I’m the computer expert. I can get into their internal servers and maybe find what’s going on. At least I need to review the security feeds.” She moved to stand.
Quicker than she could blink, she found herself on his lap. He extended his legs again, easily adjusting her into place, his grip firm. “Well, now, here it is,” he said, his Southern drawl deepening.
She pushed against his chest, her mind spinning even as desire wound through her. Hard and smooth.
He just tightened his hold, waiting patiently until she stopped wiggling. “Something happened between us last night, Ellie Mae. More than I planned or possibly even wanted. But it’s here, and it’s fact.”
She gaped at him. For years, she’d watched him date girl after girl, woman after woman, and then cheerfully let them go on their way without a problem. Not once, not once, had he exhibited one titch of possessiveness. Protectiveness, sure. Kindness and humor, definitely. But not this iron-hard jaw of determination he was facing her with right now. “Have you lost your mind?” she squeaked.
“Quite possibly,” he murmured.
What in the world was she supposed to do? This was Hugh, for goodness’ sakes. Where was the mellow Southern boy she’d fallen for? “You’re freaking me out.”
His eyebrows rose. “That’s the last thing I want to do.” But he didn’t release her. “Here’s the deal. We went to Arizona—just looking for a threat we actually did not find—and got attacked by a nut job. Your folks, these Brigade experts, say there’s a credible threat in Pennsylvania. So you’re not going there without me.”
Her mouth gaped open.
He gently used two knuckles to tip her chin up.
Her lips met together, and temper stirred at the base of her neck. “Hugh.”
“Ellie Mae.” He leaned in, his blue eyes suddenly not so mellow. “Scorpius is bad and it’s only gonna get worse. I’m not losing you to it. Period.”
Well, if that wasn’t so sweet, she’d punch him in the nose for being a jackass. But it was a little sweet. Her heart warmed to mingle with her temper.
“Ellie?” Deke’s booming voice filled the hallway outside.
She sighed. “Now everyone is calling me ‘Ellie.’ If one person calls me ‘Ellie Mae,’ I’m going to kick you.” Eleanor was a much more sophisticated and grown-up name, damn it.
He grinned. “Nobody calls you that but me.”
The door opened, and Deacan McDougall strode inside. He frowned. “Get off his lap. We need to fly to Pennsylvania. Now.”
Ellie unobtrusively pushed against Hugh’s thigh…and didn’t move. She cut Deke a look.
The massive Scotsman put his hands to his trim hips. “Hugh? Let her the fuck go.”
Hugh stood in one smooth motion and turned to face Deke, keeping Ellie tight against his chest. Her hair swung against his face. “I’m the foremost expert in nuclear plant threats right now, and if she’s going into danger, I’m going with her,” he said.
Deke looked from Hugh to Ellie and back. “Jesus.” He shook his head. “What the fuck is this all about? Is this because you knocked boots?”
Knocked boots? Seriously? “That is none of your damn business,” Ellie snapped, trying to sound somewhat in control of the situation, which was incredibly difficult considering she was three feet off the ground and cradled against a hard-bodied idiot. “Hugh. Put me down. Now.”
With a long, laborious sigh, Hugh set her on her feet. But one broad hand remained on her hip. Solid and secure.
She drew air into her chest and then released it, trying to keep from completely losing her temper. “Hugh comes with us. Period.”
Deke’s eyes widened slightly. “What did you say?”
“There you go,” Hugh said, his voice warm.
She rolled her eyes. “Deke, I understand you don’t know or trust Hugh, and that’s fine. I’ll find those records that clear him. But I do trust him, and we need him on this op. There’s a threat against the nuclear power plant, and we don’t have time for you guys to dick around. This is serious.”
Deke crossed his muscled arms. “I’m in charge.”
“Then make the right damn decision,” Ellie snapped. “We sought him out for a reason, and that hasn’t changed.”
Deke smiled then. Slow and threatening. “I guess it’ll be just as easy to shoot him in Pennsylvania as here.” With that, the Brigade leader turned on his heel and prowled out of the room.
“I think he’s really starting to like me,” Hugh said, releasing her hip.
She turned and poked him in the chest. Hard. “That was your one chance to act like a bozo. No more, or I’ll shoot you myself.” Yeah, she might’ve liked him getting a little possessive over her—nerdy Ellie Mae—but she couldn’t let him get away with it long term. “Got it?”
He stepped into her then, his entire long and lean body warm against hers. He gripped her chin, tilting her head back so he could meet her gaze. “I don’t remember you being so bossy.”
She swallowed, finding breathing a mite difficult. Her body flared wide awake. She tried to speak, and only a croak came out, so she cleared her throat. “Just behave.”
His smile was a little lopsided and a lot charming. “Not a chance.” Then he kissed her.