“Of course she does, moron,” Fitz growled with backhand cuff to Jack’s bicep that would have knocked a less solid man off balance, but the blow just glanced off. “But this is her friend. Cut her some slack.”
“Right,” she said gratefully. “And how do you know Fitz is safe, huh? Maybe he makes a habit out of kidnapping unsuspecting women and taking them back to his lair to participate in depraved sex acts.”
Um… maybe she could have thought of a different way to phrase that.
His scowl swiveled in her direction. “I don’t have to kidnap women to get them back to my lair for any kind of sex acts. They come willingly. All day long.”
Which, come to think of it, was a thousand times more likely. But still… the man had danger stamped all over him with invisible ink. You could probably only read it under black lights. There was not one single thing about him that said bring me home to meet your mother.
Her risk-adverse little heart rolled over and pleaded for mercy.
Jack rolled his eyes. “He meant to refute the depraved part of that statement too, by the way. Look, I would trust Fitz with my life. And have. Many times. There is literally no one I’d have more confidence in keeping you safe than this guy.”
“Give us a minute,” Fitz suggested and put a hand to the small of Lilah’s back as he guided her off to the side with literally no pause for her to argue with his trajectory.
Oh, goodness. His palm zinged through her shirt, and the current warmed her whole backside. Walking. There was supposed to be walking. But her feet had grown roots down into the wooden planking of the dock, and if he kept putting his hands on her, the heat might burst a few blood vessels.
“Maybe you could not do that,” she whispered, and he must not have heard what she said because he leaned in, wafting a whole lot of masculinity in her direction. Her parched insides soaked it up faster than a lush at happy hour.
“Do what?” His breath stirred against the skin of her neck. “Try to help you see the logic in doing this thing with me? We’d rock it out. I have no doubt that we can kick the ass of every team out here. Come on. This is your adventure, Lilah. Grab it.”
Something unfolded inside as his enthusiasm and simple belief in her abilities washed across every nerve. What, did he have a distant relation to the Pied Piper or something? All at once she had the strongest urge to follow him. Wherever he wanted to lead her.
Fitz eyed her, and she had a feeling he could see her weakening resolve.
“What about this?” he suggested and slapped a hand over his heart. “I do solemnly swear to only perform depraved sex acts under threat of death.”
The giggle escaped from her clenched lips without her permission. “That’s the pledge of allegiance stance. Solemn oaths are said with your hand raised.”
“Not in my world. I pledge allegiance to the flag every day of my life, with my life, and you can trust that as the most solemn oath I could possibly take.”
Dang it. With all of that sincerity oozing from him, how could she keep pretending he was dangerous? Yeah, he made her heart palpitate, but so did everything else.
She nodded. “Okay.”
Idiot. Maybe she should have protested harder. But really. The money alone made it worth it. If they won—and frankly, she couldn’t see any way she’d lose with Captain America on her team—she could definitely use an infusion of cash.
And maybe, just maybe, Fitz could be the answer to her rut problem if she’d just step out of her comfort zone. Do the race, take some pictures. Let him taste her. This was her chance to shake things up, and she truly feared she wouldn’t get another opportunity as good as this one.
The real danger here lay not in the man but in the huge crush she’d developed on him. The way he made her feel scared her, and fear had long affected her trigger finger. And her boring life. For once, she was going to run with those scissors.
Shutting the door of the cab with Jack and Thora inside physically hurt—no SEAL could easily walk away from a fallen teammate, regardless of the mate or the team. Fitz turned from the car with a string of curses. God, what a crappy situation. He should be in the cab, watching Jack’s back as he took care of his girl. The man was all kinds of distracted, and Fitz should have taken point on surveillance.
But Lilah needed this adventure. He could feel it, deep down where it counted. That woman was due for an awakening that had nothing to do with scavenger hunts.
And he needed to be the one to give it to her if for no other reason than to prove to himself that his instincts were still solid. Also? He had the impression Jack would appreciate some alone time with Thora. That had probably been the gut check that tipped it.