Chapter Ten
All things come to an end, including my perfect night with my mysterious man.
I woke with the sun streaming through the window and an empty spot beside me in my bed. I glanced around the room and saw that my clothes were still where I'd tossed them in the heat of passion last night, but his were not. The engagement ring I'd taken off and left on the nightstand before falling asleep last night was also gone.
The scent of fresh brewed coffee wafted through my closed bedroom door. That was enough to have me jumping out of bed and scavenging for something to pull on so I could get out to the kitchen and see him.
A T-shirt was going to have to do. I yanked it out of my drawer and over my head, tugging it down my body as I moved toward the door and pulled it open.
I held on to my hope of finding Tristan until I saw Trina in the kitchen, brow cocked high and a coffee mug poised half-way to her mouth.
"Well, well, well. Good morning. I'm surprised to see you up so early, considering."
Okay, so she'd heard me. Not a surprise, I guess. This place was too small and the walls were a joke they were so thin. I had no hope of her not hearing.
But it didn't matter because the fact remained, Tristan had left.
I glanced toward the bathroom, my last ditch hope of where he might be, but the door was open and the room empty.
Reconciling myself to the fact he'd slipped out while I slept, I moved to the kitchen counter.
"What time did you get home?" I asked, taking the mug of coffee right out of her hand.
I swallowed a sip. I actually preferred tea, but I was too tired, and now depressed, to make myself some. Coffee would do in a pinch.
"I got home sometime after you tossed your good suit jacket on the floor outside your bedroom door and before the orgasm where you were shouting Oh God Oh God Oh God over and over again."
I remembered that time. Tristan had a very talented mouth. My cheeks heated and I mumbled an apology before taking another swallow of coffee.
"Don't apologize. Just tell me all about it." Trina's eyes widened as she leaned her elbows on the counter, cradling the new mug she'd just poured for herself.
I couldn't help myself. I spilled it all. Well, all the good parts, like how gorgeous he was. The spy stuff I left out, simply saying he needed a date to an event, but Trina didn't know or care about my omissions. She was too happy to eat up the more personal details about my one-night stand.
One-night stand. God, how I hated that term, but that's what this was. It saddened me to think I'd never see Tristan again.
Or maybe I would . . .
My gaze flew to the time on the microwave. "I’ve got to get to work."
"No rest for the wicked." Trina's lips twitched.
"Ha, ha." I shot her a scowl as my mind spun.
Would Tristan be at the office visiting Zane? There was a chance he might be. Either way, I really did have to get to work. It was already after eight.
I spun toward the bathroom, taking the coffee with me. "I'm jumping in the shower."
"Go ahead. I'm sure you need it." Trina had mumbled that last part but I'd heard it just fine.
I flipped her the middle finger as I walked, fully intending to do my best to use up all the hot water.
A little over an hour later, and a little bit late for work, I flew through the front door of GAPS. It had been unlocked when I arrived, which meant Zane was there.
In my haste to see if he was alone I didn't even take off my coat. I strode right to his office. He sat behind the desk I'd chosen, drinking from the coffee mug I'd purchased, all before I'd gone from office manager to field operative or whatever I'd been last night.
"Good morning." He smiled. "I like what you've done with the place."
Torn between disappointment over Tristan's absence and glowing pride over Zane's compliment, pride won out. Along with a good dose of insecurity. "Do you really like it?"
"Yeah. It's amazing. Seriously, Chelsea, I couldn't have done nearly as well on my own. I probably would have ordered everything new online from the same store. But what you’ve put together, the old stuff mixed with the new, is really amazing."
"Thank you. I'm glad you like it."
He nodded. "I do. More than like it. Although now you've put me in a tough situation."
Uh, oh. Here it comes. The fallout. "I know. I'm sorry."
Zane smiled. "I mean, here I hire this kick ass office manager with decorating talent to boot and now it turns out she's also good in the field. So tell me, does this mean you don't want to be office manager any longer? Because I'd really hate to lose you."
I shook my head and stepped forward. "You're not going to lose me."
He pressed his lips together. "You sure? After the excitement of going out on assignment, are you sure you won't be bored here in the office?"
"No. I love working here. As office manager," I added, just to clarify. "But I wouldn't mind being in the field once in a while. If you needed me, that is."
The excitement would be fun once in a while, but I was looking forward to a nice boring day of ordering office supplies today.
"Good to hear. So I spoke with Tristan this morning. . ."
My heart thundered at the mention of the man whose razor stubble I still felt scraping against my skin.
Meanwhile, I realized Zane had left his sentence hanging in the air. Did he know something or was he fishing? No way in hell was I going to offer up any information about my night with Tristan. Not to my new boss. Nuh, uh. No way.
"Did you?" I said, playing coy.
"I did. He had nothing but nice things to say about you."
"Did he?" I had to work hard to control my smile at that information.
Zane's lips twitched. "You're gonna do well here, Chelsea."
"Thank you. I hope so."
He shook his head. "Week one and you're out on an assignment with MI6. Amazing."
"MI6?" My eyes popped wide. That's who Tristan worked for?
"Yeah. He didn't tell you?" Zane asked.
"No."
"He just walked in here, asked you to come with him and you went? Without knowing who he was?"
"No. Not exactly. I called you first and left a message. Then I called the other office looking for Jon but he wasn’t there." I sighed. "Yeah, I guess I did just go with him."
Zane laughed. "Okay, maybe you're not quite ready to be out in the field yet."
"I know. You're right." I lowered my head. I had been stupid and lucky.
He stood and walked around the desk. "Come on. Let’s take a little trip."
"Where are we going?" I asked, whipping my gaze up from the carpet.
"To the gun range. I'm going to see how you can handle a weapon. I’ll loan you a gun to practice with until you get your own. You up for that?"
I nodded. "Yes."
"If you're serious about being out in the field, even occasionally, it's going to take work, you know. Training."
"I realize that and I’m willing to put in the time."
"Good." He turned toward the bookcase against the wall by the door. When he spun back, I saw he'd plucked out one book. He held it out to me. "Read this. It's outdated but it'll give you some basics."
I glanced down at the cover.
The CIA Guide to Fieldwork. My eyes widened. It wasn't Spying for Dummies but it was close enough.
I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed the title when I’d transferred the books from the cardboard boxes to the shelves last week.
"I will. Thank you."
He smiled. "Don't thank me yet. That read is so dry it might catch fire."
I laughed, giddy. "That's okay."
"Ready to go to the range?"
"Sure." I followed him toward the door, but stumbled to a stop when I saw a folded paper on my desk with my name written on it.
I reached down and picked it up. My hands were shaking. It had to be from Tristan. I just knew it.
While Zane paused with his hand on the doorknob, waiting for me, I unfolded the paper.
My gaze flew to the bottom and my heart pounded at the large scrawling signature.
Tristan.
When Zane had said he'd talked to Tristan this morning, I'd assumed it had been on the phone, but it wasn't. He'd been here.
My gaze moved back to the top of the oh-so-short note.
Chelsea. Until we meet again, and have no doubt we will meet again. Tristan
"Everything okay?" Zane asked.
I glanced up, refolding the paper and smiling. "Yeah. Actually, everything's great."
To be continued . . .