Tumult (TSS Series Book 1) by Lea Hart (11)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Sunday Night

Carrick watched Audrey repack the things she’d brought from Maine in her duffle as she listened to something on her headphones. Must be nice to be so free and easy after dropping a damn bomb.

Her little speech earlier had been nothing less and he wasn’t going to pretend otherwise. All her talk about easing tension and adrenaline was complete bullshit. Women didn’t operate the same way as men and he knew there had to be something behind her free and carefree attitude.

Maybe she really did want something beyond the physical and she thought pretending like she didn’t would accomplish that goal. Except she wasn’t a dishonest person. He knew that from the moment he met her. She laid out her truth and let you handle it from there.

Okay, so her speech was the truth…what did that mean?

Great news to start with.

He had no desire to get tied down and Audrey didn’t either. Which meant they had synchronicity about long-term goals after all. And, yes, they were not geographically desirable to one another and he didn’t see either of them investing in a long-distance relationship.

Shit like that never worked and just ended up being long-drawn-out torture. And as far as having things in common—he had no idea if they did and neither did she. Just because they didn’t share the same views about everything only indicated they were intelligent adults and not morons.

For all they knew, their worldview could mesh perfectly. Opposites often complemented one another and he and Audrey could be an excellent example of that.

And that left him on the doorstep of the truth.

One he had no desire to open.

He hated the idea of being nothing more than a fling to her. Bit his ass and chapped his hide in ways he couldn’t describe.

Was it because he’d always been the one to set the parameters with women and she’d stolen that from him?

Possible.

Leaning to the left slightly, he had a perfect view into the bedroom and saw her bend over to put something away.

Torture.

That’s what she was apparently doing.

Except it wasn’t because if he wanted to, he could go in the room right now and take her any way he wanted. She’d said monkey sex was on the table, so as far as he was concerned, all bets were off. Unless his idea of what constituted monkey sex was a lot different than hers. Might be wise to find out before they went too crazy.

And that left him back at the beginning of the maze. Could he have sex with a client during an assignment and still consider himself a professional?

Probably not.

But what if “the assignment” didn’t really begin until they crossed the border into Syria? Groaning, he knew the first rationalization was always the beginning of the end when it came to living by a moral code…or not.

Closing his eyes, he decided he didn’t have to do a thing. If he didn’t, then she probably wouldn’t either. The ball had been left in his court, and as far as he was concerned, there it would stay.

Congratulating himself on the easy solution, he felt satisfied that he’d come up with an answer. He picked up his tablet and began reading the latest updates from Syria. On the job and taking care of business, that was him.

Temptation wasn’t going to be a problem.

He had it handled.

***

He was fucked.

No way around it.

Standing in the bedroom, he saw Audrey climb into bed in a tiny tank-top and a pair of pink bikini underwear. Her perfect ass was barely covered and he knew his ability to resist had just been decimated.

“If you want to sleep on the couch, there are blankets and pillows in the closet next to the bathroom. Help yourself.”

Pulling the sheet up, she then lifted her hair and put on her glasses.

Seductress, no two ways about it.

When she lifted her tablet and began to read, he knew it was a ploy. No way was she going to enjoy a book and then just go to bed. He was onto her and wasn’t going to let her get away with it. “I’m going to grab a shower.”

Her hand went up and waved and that was the only response. “Two can play at that game,” he mumbled. He stripped off his clothes and kept one eye on her as he did and noticed she never looked up. Dropping them onto the chair in the corner, the sound of his buckle hitting the frame echoed in the room. Giving her a side-eye, he noticed she never moved a muscle.

She was good, he’d give her that.

Ambling out of the room slowly, his bare ass on display, he knew she wasn’t going to be able to stop herself from jumping him. And when she did, he would be a gentleman and accept her advances.

They were in New York City and until they got on the plane tomorrow night, they were two adults merely sharing some free time together.

Walking into the bathroom, he knew it was the flames of hell heating his ass for the lies he was telling himself, but he suddenly didn’t care.

He was human and there was only so much he could take.

Walking out of the bathroom, he saw that the bedroom was dark. He preferred the lights on but if she liked it that way, he could work with it. Untying the towel that was around his waist, he stepped into the room and waited a moment. Undoubtedly, now was the moment she’d make her move.

When nothing happened, he hung the damp towel over the doorknob and stepped closer to the bed and heard an unbelievable sound. Something that shook his world.

She was snoring.

Audrey Barnes, offerer of monkey sex and flings, was asleep and sawing logs.

Putting his hands on his hips, he looked around the darkened room and saw for the first time that the lights of the city were actually beautiful. She’d said something about it the other day and he thought she was crazy, but she wasn’t.

Wandering over, he looked up and saw a sliver of moon and knew Audrey wasn’t going to be a fling. He didn’t know exactly what they were going to make, but it wasn’t going to be something they wanted to throw away.

He climbed into bed and rolled next to her and did something he never thought possible.

He spooned her and buried his face in her hair and was completely satisfied.

Turns out, she seduced him after all.