With his heart slamming against his ribs, and need spiraling out of control, he lowered his mouth until they shared a heated breath.

Then his phone rang.

Followed by hers.

“Shit,” someone said.

Probably him. Could’ve been her.

Either way, they broke apart to answer their calls.

The only reason he let go of his desire to kiss Bella was because Knight was supposed to update him on his father. Pulling the phone out of his pocket, he drew in a deep breath, then released it as he noted Knight’s number on his caller ID.

“How’s my father, sir?”

“Good, but he’ll be even better now that the doctors can identify the toxin, thanks to the sample that’s on its way.”

How the fuck…?

He shot his gaze to Bella, but her back was to him as she talked on her phone.

The figure in the shadows must’ve been one of Knight’s agents.

“Latest chatter still puts Rasheed in Atlantic City this month. But all indications are he hasn’t surfaced yet.”

“Well, Tariq and Kamal are definitely waiting for someone to arrive.” He went on to explain the room with the bed, and clothes, and food.

“Yeah, they’re expecting company.”

“Have your people gotten anything off the photos of the contents of their stash and trash we sent?” he asked, noting that Bella was off the phone. “Hang on, sir. I’m going to put you on speaker, so Bella can hear too.” He hit the button and walked toward her with the phone in his palm. “Go ahead, sir.”

“Hi, Bella,” the commander greeted. “Brooke and I will be flying back up in the morning to assist. I already sent both of you the files on the guys you’re surveilling. Did you get them?”

She smiled as she neared. “Hello, sir, and yes, we’ve already read them.”

“Good. Our technicians determined the weapons came from a shop in Camden.”

Matteo bit back a curse. It was way too easy. “I don’t like it. They didn’t even try to scratch out the serial numbers. They’re either really reckless, or following orders, which would be worse.”

“I know.” The commander’s sigh rustled through the phone. “It’s the reckless part that has me worried. By not covering their tracks, it tells me they don’t plan to get caught.”

“They plan to get dead,” Bella said.

He nodded. “Exactly.”

“It backs up the chatter we’ve heard about an attack during the holidays,” Knight said. “Is there anything big going on in AC this month?”

“A few things,” Bella replied. “A live, televised Christmas concert at the Capris, with several popular singers. A Christmas parade down the boardwalk. Each casino hosts huge New Year’s Eve bashes. And my personal favorite, a Grinch convention where I think Matteo would fit right in, since he loves the holiday so much.”

The commander laughed. “You’re right. Reaper always did channel an inner Grinch this time of the year.”

“Reaper?” Her head snapped back, and eyes lit with interest. “That’s your SEAL handle?”

He cocked his head. “Yes.”

“I gave it to him myself,” Knight said, a measure of pride in his tone. “His aim was unmatched, and unlike the song, enemies did fear him.”

She narrowed her eyes, then nodded. “Suits you.”

Unsure if it was a compliment or not, he decided to take it as one and nodded back, before changing the subject. “Kamal had complained about Tariq burning the section of the newspaper that had listed community events. I’m betting there was something of interest on that list.”

“Any evidence of it in the ash?” Knight asked.

“No.” Bella shook her head. “The only thing bigger than ash was the piece of paper I photographed and sent you with the letters MPSI on it.”

“Our technician ran it through his computers, and cross-referenced with your local businesses and letterhead and found a match to Simpson Enterprises. Alan Simpson is a bigwig from the big apple who owns the Capris with a silent partner from the west coast.”

Bella’s chin lifted. “Every year he throws a large holiday party for his office employees and all the dealers at his shore house, just up the road in Brigantine. And by house, I mean huge, sprawling mansion.”

“When is it?” Knight asked.

“This Friday.” Bella grinned. “Two days from now.”

“Good. That’ll give my guy time to hack into security, so Brooke can be your eyes when you take Matteo as your date and copy Simpson’s hard drives.”

She blinked. “I’m more than capable of doing that on my own.”

“You’re not going alone,” Matteo ground out, as all the anxiety and emotion from the past hour came crashing back.

“He’s right, Bella,” Knight chimed in. “If Simpson is involved with terrorists, he has the money and the power to back something big.”

“And to be a real threat,” he added, refusing to let her go without him.

She blew out a breath. “Fine. He probably has more than one computer, anyhow.”

“Get some rest,” Knight said. “Things are going to heat up.”

Matteo barely held back a snort. Truer words. His gaze met Bella’s, but the hunger and need were gone, replaced by a closed calm.

Her walls were back up. “Will do.”

“See you tomorrow,” Knight said, before the line went dead.

“Do you want the couch or the bed?” she asked, arms folded across her chest in a classic ward-off stance.

“Couch,” he replied, ignoring the “warding”. “But we need to talk.”

Her gaze slowly narrowed. “About what?”

“Are you kidding?” He reeled back. “About the fact you snuck out of here and into the damn building without me. What the hell were you thinking?”

She unfolded her arms to jam her hands on her hips. “I hate to break it to you, frogman, but I am more than capable of performing a snatch n’ grab on my own.”

“That’s not the point.”

“No?” Her chin lifted. “Then what is?”

“I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”

Her posture relaxed and some of the fight disappeared from her stance. “I’d do just about anything for you, but don’t think for one minute that what I did tonight was strictly for you. I did it for me, too. He may be your father, but he’s my godfather—my second father. So, I did it for me too.”

He should’ve realized that, but unexpectedly running into her today had fucked up his brain. He nodded. “Thanks, by the way.”

A smile tugged her lips. “No need. We’re like family, right?”

Not like she thought. Never like that. But that was an argument for another time. “Look, I just want you to know you don’t have to go it on your own. Not while I’m around.”

She cocked her head as the warmth faded from her gaze. “Yeah, well, you haven’t been around, Matteo. You took off. Married the Navy, and left me behind. So I’ve learned to improvise.”

Ouch.

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Look, Bella…”

“No. Don’t.” She held up a hand and shook her head. “You don’t get to say anything, just because it suits you now. Forget it. I’m going to bed.”

Swiping her backpack off the floor, she strode into the bedroom and shut the door. The ominous sound of the lock clicking in place was a blatant emphasis that this time, she was putting up the barriers, closing doors—shutting him out of her life.

But it wasn’t going to work.

He was a SEAL, and known for his persistence. He’d already made up his mind to break the promise to his dad, and once Matteo made up his mind, he didn’t turn back. It was a waste of time and energy. Both precious.

Something he came to realize when his mother dropped dead from a massive heart attack while putting up Christmas decorations five years ago. Another reason to hate the holidays. The anniversary of her death was fast approaching. Hopefully, this mission would keep him too damn busy to dwell on it.

He’d rather think about Bella, and how much fun it was going to be to break through her walls and put their chemistry to the test.

***

By the time Friday evening approached, Bella was ready to get on with the mission. The more time she spent around Matteo, the more cracks appeared in the wall around her heart, giving her old feelings a chance to surface.

Sure, it’d be amazing for a while. But she knew how it would all end. She wasn’t stupid. He was a SEAL, and he’d return to the teams, once his father recovered. And Angelo Santarelli was too stubborn not to.

So, once again, Matteo would leave her on the beach with her heart exposed and bleeding while he disappeared into the sunset.

She couldn’t go through that again.

Refused to go through it again.

With luck, tonight would be the night to put things right. She had a good feeling about it. There was something on Simpson’s computers to point her in Rasheed’s direction, and that meant she could complete her actual mission.

Hanging out with Knight and Brooke was fine—fun even—but at the end of the day, Bella answered to a different boss. Her phone call with the General this morning, reaffirmed her focus.

Find and neutralize Rasheed.

Lord knew she’d love nothing more.

Okay, there were a few other things, but they all involved Matteo. Naked. And she’d already decided that was a bad idea, and moved on.

Mostly.

Dammit. Awareness fluttered through her belly.

Waste of time.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom at home, she smoothed her hands over her hips and studied her reflection. The red dress was festive, yet sexy, with thin straps, a plunging neckline, and a right leg slit from hem to thigh.

Brooke walked into the room, her dark brown ponytail swinging as she stopped dead and whistled. “You trying to give Matteo a heart attack? Or make him eat his heart out by showing him what he passed up?”

The astute woman was the only one who knew her history with Matteo. Or lack of one. “Something like that.”

“Well, this dress will do it.” Brooke nodded. “Might I suggest you only pull some of your hair up, so it exposes just enough neck to tantalize?”

Bella smiled. “Ooh, you’re good.” She quickly pinned up the sides, tugged a few pieces loose to soften the look, then paused to wonder what in the world she was doing.

This wasn’t a date. It was a mini mission to copy hard drives, not tease Matteo. She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin.

To hell with it. She could do both.

Adding the diamond necklace and earring set her father had given her mother at Christmas, a week before his death, Bella embraced the sense of retribution nearly at hand.

“Tell me you have some do-me heels?” Brooke’s gaze met hers in the mirror.

She grinned and opened her closet. “Several.”

Never had their friendship made more sense. Except for that time they took out a pair of Russian mobsters, using knives they both concealed strapped to their thighs.

Tonight, Bella wore one on her left leg.

“Perfect.” Brooke rubbed her hands together in a rare show of emotion. “Those. Definitely.” Her friend pointed to a pair of black stilettos with diamond encrusted straps. “They go with your necklace.”

Bella sat on the bed to slip into the heels, and had just finished buckling the straps when a knock sounded on the front door. Her heart rocked, and stomach fluttered. Which was foolish, because this wasn’t an actual date.

“I’ll get it,” Brooke said, disappearing out the door before Bella could blink.

Or get up. She was still sitting on the bed. Which was probably a good thing, since her legs were unusually shaky.

Which was bullshit.

Daring her legs to buckle, she rose to her feet, straightened her spine, and walked out to greet Matteo.