Midnight Fever (Men of Midnight #5)(4)

You have no idea, Nick, she thought. "It's more admin stuff than anything else," she lied. "My boss is being … difficult and is making my life hard. It's a little depressing."

Depressing didn't begin to cover it. She might have stumbled upon a plan to burn down the world.

"I'm good with guns," Nick said. Which was an understatement. He'd been a sniper as a SEAL and as an FBI HRT guy. "Want me to shoot that son of a bitch who's bothering you? Say the word and consider it done." His face was entirely deadpan, as was his voice.

Kay hesitated a beat then smiled. It was shaky, but genuine. "That was a joke," she said. "Wasn't it?"

"Nah." He speared a mozzarella ball and put it up to her lips. "I meant it, but let's pretend I was joking. Though whoever your boss is, he has worse weapons at his disposal than I do." He shuddered. "Any guy who deals in smallpox and Ebola scares me more than I could scare him." He nudged her mouth. "Open up and eat."

Kay opened her mouth and he gently placed the ball on her tongue. It was delicious and went down like a dream. Her stomach had been closed for weeks, but now it just opened up like a flower.

The entrée arrived. Beef ragout on a bed of pappardelle for Nick. Gorgonzola cheese risotto for her. The dishes looked amazing and smelled even better.

Nick wound strands of pappardelle with ragout around his fork and put it next to her lips. She chewed and swallowed. God. Food like that should be illegal.

It was the food but it was also Nick himself. He'd offered to off the bad guy and it was such a tempting thought, except she wasn't too sure who the bad guy was here. 

But beyond that, Nick was definitely someone to take your woes to. She couldn't take this particular woe to him-that was her burden to bear-but in general, he was made to lift burdens from people, and not just with his sniper rifle. There was something about him-that tough guy, protective attitude-that made her feel better.

"Attagirl," Nick said approvingly when she began to eat. "See what the thought of me whacking your boss does? Brings your appetite right back."

Kay smiled.

"That's more like it," he said. "I thought you'd forgotten how to smile."

She'd thought that, too. "Haven't forgotten," she said. "Just not much to smile about lately."

"You shouldn't have avoided me." Nick shot her a dark, intense glare. "I'd have made you smile. Guaranteed."

And just like that, heat shot through her, a scalding wave from head to toe, like a sun blossoming inside her, under her skin. She had very fair skin, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was blushing bright as a stoplight. Though in childhood her skin showed exactly what she was thinking, she'd learned to control it. Or thought she had. And now, just when she needed control most, her fair skin betrayed her.

"You like that thought." Nick leaned back in his chair, never taking his eyes off her for one second.

Kay closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, let it out.

"Yes," she sighed. "Apparently, I do."

She didn't dare open her eyes because she knew what she'd see-a smug male face. After a long moment's silence, she finally opened them and saw Nick looking at her soberly. Not smug, not smirking, even though he'd alluded to … well, to sex. The eight-hundred-pound gorilla at the table.

He drummed his strong, thick fingers on the tablecloth once, eyes dark and serious. "What's wrong, Kay?" he asked, that deep voice gentle and controlled. "And don't say you don't know what I'm talking about."

No, he understood far too much, was way too perceptive for her to lie right now. "I can't-I can't talk about it," she said finally, after a long silence.

He drummed his fingers once more, thinking about it. If there was one thing a former Navy SEAL, former FBI HRT guy understood, it would be what he'd call "opsec". Operational security. What she knew and what she suspected hadn't been classified as secret because it didn't officially exist, was pure supposition, but it was a bombshell nonetheless. And certainly not something she could share now.

"Okay." Nick continued watching her, face expressionless. "I can't argue with that. So, you won't tell me-"

"Can't," she interrupted. "Can't tell you."

"All right." He bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Can't tell me. I respect that. God knows I've got enough stuff of my own I can't talk about."

I bet, Kay thought. Just about every mission of his as a SEAL would remain classified until the sun went nova.

"Just tell me this. Give me this much." His jaw muscles hardened, the skin over his temples hollowed. "Someone bothering you? Harassing you?"