A Perfect Storm

Feeling desperate, she was quick to say, “Not necessary, Jackson. I know you’re busy with your wedding prep and—”

Again, he paid no attention to her protests. “We’ll invite Spencer. Dare said this weekend would work at his house. What do you think?”

Oh, Gawd! He’d cornered her. “Look, I don’t—”

“Great. Saturday at two. Bring a bathing suit and we’ll hang at the lake. Do it up picnic style. Sound good?” Before she could answer, he said, “So we’re all set. But now I need to go before my steak gets cold.”

She wanted to deny him and his weekend plans, but she didn’t want to keep him from his meal. “Okay, fine.” She was such a dolt. Somehow she’d find a way around things—especially the bathing suit part of it all. “Sorry for interrupting.”

“You didn’t.” There was a slight hesitation and then: “Love ya.”

Happiness filled her heart. She swallowed back a swell of emotion. Keeping her back to Spencer, she said, “Love you, too.”

After she pocketed the phone, she had no idea what to do. The moment was so awkward that she wanted to crawl off and hide.

Then Spencer said, “Told you so.”

His self-righteous tone brought her snapping around. “You told Trace!”

He shrugged that off. “But only Trace…so you owe me an apology.”

She opened her mouth to blast him…and then shut it again. Yeah, she did owe him. Grudgingly, she muttered, “Sorry.”

His hand touched her chin, lifted her face. “I won’t ever lie to you, Arizona.”

Not for a second would she believe that. “Everyone lies. Big lies, little lies. No one is honest all the time.”

“Including you?”

Especially her. She folded her arms under her breasts. “When necessary, I fudge things.”

“I won’t. Not with you.”

Feeling herself waffle, Arizona looked around, wondering what to do now. Humiliation rolled over her. She’d disrupted everyone with her plans, when she’d really only wanted to disrupt Spencer.

That truth made her frown at herself.

He thought the frown was directed at him. “I had to tell Trace. You’re smart, Arizona. You know that.”

“And you knew that Trace would tell Jackson.”

He crossed his arms, mimicking her stance. “You’re distorting the facts. Trace said he wouldn’t tell Jackson, and he didn’t. He told Dare. And Dare didn’t tell Jackson until you called up and spilled the beans. So exonerate me. I held to my end of the bargain—so far as I could, anyway.”

She shook her head in denial—but it was true. Somehow, deep down, she’d known he would alert the others. “Why do you guys have this sick need to protect misfits?”

“Is that it?” He put his big hands on her shoulders. He didn’t draw her closer, he just offered…support. “You’re concerned about what Trace will think?”

“I know what he thinks. That I’m pathetic and I need a keeper.”

He gave her a speculative look. “You’ve met Priss, Trace’s wife.”

“Yeah, so?” Priss was self-confident and funny, and Trace loved her a lot.

“Priss’s life wasn’t all roses, you know. Actually, no roses, just thorns.”

The boys had been talking, it seemed. Had Jackson told Spencer about Priss? Had he told him about Dare’s wife, Molly, too? “What’s your point?”

“I told Trace because we need backup if we’re going to do this—”

“We are.” He couldn’t change his mind on her now. She needed to stay busy, and she needed to feel as if she made a difference.

And…she kind of liked being around Spencer—but she wasn’t about to admit it to him.

“Trace understands what you’re going through.” He gave her a gentle shake. “You and Priss have a lot in common. And if you think he pities his wife, you haven’t seen the two of them together.”

“I’ve seen them.” While Jackson was easygoing—most of the time—Trace could be very heavy-handed. Yet Priss matched him in every way. Anyone could see that pity was the last thing Trace felt for Priss. “They make a nice couple.”

“Yes, they do.” His thumbs rubbed over her shoulders. “Fact is, you’re looking at this all wrong. You’re so busy defending your independence, and bearing that massive chip on your shoulder, that you’ve forgotten how it’s done.”

“It?”

“The whole undercover, covert, infiltration gig. You think Jackson ever approaches these situations alone? Or Trace or Dare? They always work as a team.”

For him to know that, they had to have done a lot of talking. Did Jackson really trust him so much? Apparently.

She raised her chin. “You don’t.”

“Until recently, I hadn’t tampered in their league. The busts I made as a bounty hunter were small beans in comparison to what they do. But now, with human trafficking rings that have reach across the country, even out of the country, you can bet your sweet little butt that I wouldn’t get in too deep without knowing someone else was on board, watching to make sure neither of us disappears.”

Because that all made sense, Arizona paced away—and immediately felt the loss of Spencer’s touch.

Standing where she’d left him in the middle of the floor, he waited.

She knew she’d relent. Heck, she didn’t even want to go. Not really. But she wasn’t quite ready to tell him that yet. “What did Jackson say to you?”

“He wanted me to follow you if you left, and to tail you all night if necessary.” When her eyes widened, he added, “And I would have. I will—if you don’t stay.”

Going to the window, Arizona watched the rain start to fall. If she was going to get her bag, she should do it now.

From right behind her, his tone compelling, Spencer said, “Stay.”

“You said you wouldn’t lie.”

“I won’t.”

“Okay, then…” Turning to face him, she asked in a rush, “If you’re not trying to have sex with me, then why are you doing all this? Why are you being so…concerned and caring, and protective and understanding and stuff?”

“All that?” A smile flickered over his mouth. “Okay, the truth. I want you to see a better way of things. I want you to be able to move on—”