“A working relationship?”
“Yes. A friendly working relationship.”
This was dangerous territory. She was vulnerable and emotional and Ian was in a
heightened alpha state. But being in his arms felt good. It felt so good.
“I should change,” she said, lifting her face to his. “I’m sorry for being so familiar with you.”
But he held on and so did she. All Sofie could think was how much she’d missed him.
Not only as a man she loved, but as her friend. The time they spent together before becoming romantically involved was some of the best of her life.
Finally stepping back from him, because she was at risk of kissing him senseless, Sofie wiped her eyes and used the distance to talk some sense into herself. His hands went back in his pockets and a sad grin teased his mouth. Ian missed her, too. She could feel it, but starting something now would be as foolish as the relationship they started when they were at university.
It was out of the question.
“I’ll see you downstairs. Take your time.”
He left then, leaving Sofie with her thoughts, desires, and her still very broken heart.
“You could have told me you were bringing home a princess.”
Ian stepped into the large country kitchen where his uncle was at the stove turning chicken in a pan. “I didn’t know you’d be here or I would have.”
“Jesus, Ian. A princess? Is she the girl who broke your heart when you were at school in England.”
“Yup. But I don’t want to talk about it.” Grabbing a beer from the fridge he turned and faced the man who helped raise him. The one who had endured his own troubled romantic past.
“Since she’s here and she needs protection, you’re damn well going to tell me about it. I mean I heard what happened to her family today. Is she handling it okay?”
“For now, she is. It’s just the tip of the iceberg. There was almost an attack on her at the same time as the rest of her family. We were lucky on this side of the pond, but her sister’s been hurt. That’s why she didn’t go home or stay with her people. There’s someone on the inside feeding the insurgents information.”
“Crap. So no one knows you’re here with her?”
“Her father knows, in addition to a couple of people at the Bureau and one at State.”
“Damn. I saw her get out of the car and I wondered what kind of shit you’d gotten
yourself into. She’s a beauty, though.”
He couldn’t disagree. “She’s even prettier on the inside.”
“And based on that look in your eyes, my boy…” Uncle John said as he poured sauce
over the chicken, “...you are a total goner.”
Again, Ian couldn’t disagree, but this time he changed the subject. “She’s very out of her element; she’s afraid.”
“Understandable. What about you?”
He took a long pull on his beer. “The bastards almost killed her whole family.” If the shooter who was in town to take her out hadn’t gotten caught in traffic, God knew what would have happened. “They have two of the three drivers from the attempted hit on her parents and sister. We’re hoping we can get some intel on the guy we have in custody. We don’t think he was alone.”
“There’s someone else looking for me?”
Damn. There she was, standing in the doorway. Of all the things she had to overhear, it had to be that.
“Ian?” If Sofie was only a little afraid before, she was terrified after overhearing him and his uncle talking. “Someone’s still out there? The person in jail wasn’t alone?”
Going to her, he guided her into the kitchen and hoped some simple reassurance would calm her down. “You’re safe here. No one is going to find you.”
She leveled her magical hazel eyes on Uncle John. “But you know who I am. If you
know why wouldn’t anyone else? So much for your theory, Special Agent Stuart.” She might have been upset, but that didn’t stop her from dressing him down.
“I was stationed at The Hague, Your Highness,” his uncle jumped in. “You and I have never met, but we’ve crossed paths.”
Sofie had been through about all she could take. Every movement was strained, every blink pushed back a tear. Ian set a glass of red wine in front of her and she sipped it gratefully.
“I don’t know what to do. Everything I know has been turned upside down.”
Crouching in front of her, Ian was just as frustrated. He had no answers to give. “Eat something, get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow you’ll have a better handle on how you’re feeling.”