The air around Bella heated and crackled, and she knew without glancing at Matteo that the big, bad SEAL was about to pounce on the three men she was deliberately trying to entice so they could get the hell out of dodge.

Reaching for his hand, she found it curled into a tight fist that shook. Not good. Normally, any man who had issues with other men looking at her, or talking to her, received a one-way boot to the curb. But this wasn’t just any man. It was Matteo. The only man she ever wanted to be with, to give everything to and take everything in return. He was once her world. The exception to everything and exceptional above all others.

So, of course this possessiveness was an unexpected turn on.

Some strange, warm, crazy emotion fluttered through her chest. For Matteo to be riled enough to blow their covers, and chance failing his mission, it meant one of two things. He was either stupid, or motivated by his deep feelings for her.

Matteo Santarelli was far from stupid.

Both terrified and thrilled by that knowledge, Bella stroked his hand to loosen his fist and entwined their fingers. “We were just looking for somewhere private,” she told the guards. “Isn’t that right, honey?” She left off the “buns” part.

Barely.

When he didn’t respond, and his attention remained on the guards, she squeezed his hand and swayed closer to brush against his arm. He blinked and glanced at her, his gaze softening with a smile. “That’s right, babe. I can never seem to get enough of you.” He released her hand to slip his arm around her shoulders and draw her into his side as his attention returned to the guards again. “Sorry, fellas. We just wanted a little bit of alone time and this was the only door unlocked.”

The men immediately frowned.

“Every door in this hall was locked,” one said.

Bella shook her head. “Not this one. How else did we get in?”

“How indeed?” Another narrowed his gaze. The one in charge. “If you’re telling the truth, you won’t mind if I check your purse.” He grabbed it from the desk where she’d tossed it earlier.

Matteo stiffened. “Wait just a minute.”

She played along, patting his arm—at least, she assumed he was acting. “It’s okay. They have a right to be concerned.”

The guy dumped the contents of her purse out on the desk, but of course he found nothing. The idiot didn’t even bother to look at her ID before shoving her stuff back inside and handing her the purse. While he did all that, the other two guards checked drawers and the computers, and they each met the gaze of the man in charge and shook their heads.

He removed the radio from his belt and spoke into it, “Slight situation in the office.”

“Seriously?” Brooke muttered in her earpiece. “The men just motioned there was nothing wrong.”

True. She held her breath to see if they were going to get Simpson involved. Hopefully, not. The last thing they wanted was a face-to-face with the man abetting a terrorist…before the terrorist made an appearance.

“Check the feed,” the guard in charge ordered.

Bella silently echoed Brooke’s sigh of relief.

“Negatory. Feeds been jacked up all night,” came the reply. “Trouble with the locks, too. Reports of guests in some of the rooms.”

“See?” She lifted a shoulder and smiled. “Sounds like we weren’t the only ones making merry.”

His gaze narrowed again. “Maybe, but we’re still going to have to search you before we let you leave.” He clipped the radio back on his belt and moved closer.

Matteo immediately stepped in front of her. “Like hell,” he ground out, hands curling into fists again. “If you have a problem with us being in this room call the police. But you are not touching her.”

“Damn,” Brooke muttered in her earpiece.

Bella agreed. The outrage and warning in his tone matched his stony profile and fit with their covers, but she knew not one word of that was acting. Matteo had switched from SEAL on a mission to SEAL protecting his woman.

His woman…

She wasn’t sure when that had happened. Hell, for years Bella had tried to get him to see her in that light. Get him to let her in. Instead, he’d cut her out of his life. Now, he was back in it a couple days, kissed her once, and all of a sudden, she was his woman?

A thrill like none she’d ever known raced through her, warming her up from the inside out. She squashed it down. Hard.

Not how it worked.

At least, not with her. No matter how damn amazing that kiss was, knocking her on her ass—even though she’d already been in that position. His touch, his taste, it tipped her world on its axis. The kiss was much better than she’d ever imagined. Better than her fantasies. Mind altering, but it didn’t make up for the fact she’d opened up to him and he’d turned her down cold, then left. For over a decade. The only time they’d crossed paths was at his mother’s funeral—five years ago tomorrow.

“No need to call the police,” one of the other guards said, jerking her back to the present. “You two can go back and enjoy the party.”

Some of the stiffness eased from Matteo’s shoulders. He nodded, then grabbed her hand. “Come on, baby. Let’s get out of here.”

She smiled as they walked to the door one of the guards opened. “Yeah. I think there’s some mistletoe out there with your name on it. I know how much you love Christmas.”

His lips twitched as they walked into the hall. “That part for sure, if you’re involved.”

“They’re still watching you,” Brooke told them. “You’d better kiss again, so they don’t suspect.”

No one was visible from where Bella stood, but her friend did have a better view.

“Gladly,” Matteo said, stopping to press her against the wall, his gaze dialed to smoldering as his mouth took hers in a hot, demanding kiss she happily returned…for the mission.

Not because she wanted it more than air. Or because he kissed with a deep hunger and absolute thoroughness unmatched by any other. No. It was for the mission. To keep up appearances. To taste his hunger and bask in the knowledge that she was the one he wanted. The one he was kissing like he couldn’t get enough.

The feeling was mutual. And just like before, a warm fuzziness invaded her brain, manifesting to swallow all thoughts, the mission, her surroundings, until her focus narrowed to only them.

His beard tantalized and teased, while his mouth plundered and possessed, giving her all that she demanded and more. Running her palms up his chest, she moaned at the feel of hot, hard flesh bared beneath his open shirt—because the buttons lay scattered all over the office floor.

“Okay, guys. I think they got the idea.” Brooke’s voice startled them to a stop. “I’m surprised you didn’t set off the sprinklers. Damn. I need a cold shower.”

Matteo released her mouth and set his forehead to hers, muttering something about the ocean. She couldn’t be sure, though. Damn man stole her breath and fogged her brain.

Panting, she worked to clear her mind and regain control of her body that annoyingly lacked strength. Mainly in her legs.

What the hell? No man had ever physically drained her before.

This wasn’t good. She needed her strength. Her job wasn’t doable without it. And her job was her life. Once upon a time, Matteo had filled that role. She would’ve given anything to be in his arms like this, clutching his shirt, sharing a breath, awareness trembling through her heated body. But she wasn’t the same girl she’d been back then.

Oh, she still wanted him with her last breath, that would never change. Not in a million years. But if he knew how she lived her life, the things she’d done in the name of justice, it was doubtful he’d still want her. Or even like her.

The last part she feared the most.

It was the reason she couldn’t pursue their attraction.

With that fear prevalent in her mind, she patted his chest and forced a smile to her lips. “We should go before they change their minds.”

Or before she changed hers, about pursuing.

***

For the following eight hours, Matteo tried to concentrate on figuring out how Simpson planned to smuggle Rasheed into the country, but his mind kept returning to Bella and her hot kisses, amazing taste, and the way she responded to him with an eagerness he’d never experienced, or would ever forget.

Now that he’d had a sample of her sweetness and heat, he wanted all of it…all the time. Wanted to finally make her his in every way. Make up for hurting her, and all the lost years. But he’d never push her. He’d wait until she came around. And she would. She still had feelings for him. He saw them in her eyes, felt them in her touch. As long as they were around each other, spent time together, it was only a matter of time before she stopped fighting their attraction and opened up to him again.

This time, he wouldn’t turn her down.

“You’re sure Bella didn’t see these?” Knight asked for the third time, motioning toward the monitor displaying the photographs he snapped of the IDs last night.

He nodded. “She was busy with the computers, and I kept my back to her while I took the photos.” A slight smile tugged his lips. “Besides, do you really think she’d stay away if she knew?”

Bella was currently at her house, where he’d dropped her off last night. Hopefully, still sleeping. He’d caught a few hours of shut-eye after staying up most of the night, shifting through the evidence with Knight, hoping to figure out how and when Rasheed was arriving.

On his way to the apartment last night, after dropping Bella at home, he’d called Commander Lambert to fill him in about the IDs, and promised to send him a copy of the photos so Lambert could circulate them to all the agency heads.

This way, even if Matteo failed—which, hell fucking no, was not going to happen—there was no way Rasheed could go far without recognition software picking up his ugly mug.

He just wished the bastard would show up so he could get on with his mission already.

Matteo scrubbed a hand over his face before reaching for his fourth cup of coffee. It was almost time for his shift at the shop. Christ, he was tired. And today wasn’t a good day to begin with. He just wanted to get through it without thinking too much. Experience had taught him the past few years that the key to getting through the anniversary of his mother’s death was to keep busy.

This would be the first time he was actually home on the anniversary.

And in the actual house.

“Hell, no.” Knight’s chuckle snapped him out of his misery. “Bella wouldn’t stay away. She’d be all over this evidence like white on rice, as the saying goes.” His blue gaze sobered, and narrowed on the ID displayed on the monitor. “But, we need this bastard alive, not dead. I’m afraid Bella’s philosophy is ‘Ready. Shoot. Aim.’ where Rasheed is concerned. It’s a shame, though. We could use her help. She’s a damn good tracker. One of the best I’ve ever worked with, if not the best.”

He turned to face the commander and cocked his head. “About that. How exactly do you know Bella? Was she one of your agents?”

“Sort of.” Knight smiled again, but this time admiration lit his gaze. “She’s not a Knight, although, I’m working on that.”

Which meant…

“You’re saying you worked with her before you started your agency?”

“Yes.”

Since the commander wasn’t more forthcoming, Matteo immediately understood the meaning of his silence. “At Special Operations.”

Knight smiled.

Damn. Bella was recruited into the S.O.G. Only the best of the best were sought.

Wait. He stiffened. “Is she still working for them?”

This time the commander shook his head. “No. She was recruited by a different department and left before I did.”

“Left?” He frowned. “The CIA has her in a different department?”

Knight nodded. “Yeah, for several years now.”

“Which department?”

“I’m afraid she was unable to disclose that when she left.” His lips twitched.

Matteo raised a brow. “But you know anyhow, don’t you?”

“Of course.” Knight shrugged. “Like you, she was one of my team members. I make it a point to keep tabs on all of you.”

A slight rippling of shock flickered through him. “You’ve kept tabs on every SEAL you’ve commanded?”

“Yes.”

The man commanded several teams throughout his Navy career. “That’s a lot, sir.”

“Yes.”

“Going to tell me who Bella works for?”

“No.”

Damn. “Didn’t think so.” But it had been worth a try.

“Why does it matter?” Knight asked, closing the file on the computer, before heading to the coffee pot to refill his mug.

Matteo lifted a shoulder. “I just want to make sure someone has her back. She seems too used to working alone.”

Knight sipped his coffee and nodded. “Her outfit conducts team and solo ops. From what I hear, she excels at the solo ones.”

The memory of her sneaking into that damn building across the street flashed through his mind, and his body temperature shot up several degrees. “What outfit?”

A smile spread across the commander’s lips. “Still as tenacious as ever, I see, Reaper.”

“Yes, sir,” he replied. “About that outfit?”