Chapter 16
Mac stood outside Barry’s hotel room, waiting for him to answer.
Emma had said to trust him to help, but what could he honestly do to help her?
She wasn’t referring to his prosthetic arm.
He had already shown her he was more than physically capable of anything.
But what could he do as far as research?
She didn’t even know what he did for a living.
Mac knew nothing about him, and she only had herself to blame for that. She had chosen to keep their fling casual. It was anything but at this point.
The door opened, and Barry stood in the doorway. He had changed as well since she’d seen him on the boat. He wore a black tank top, cargo shorts, and flip flops. “I was beginning to wonder if you were having second thoughts.”
“I called my sister.”
Barry didn’t look upset by her confession. “To make sure I was legit?”
“That and to hear from her own mouth why she sent you.”
“Does this mean you’re ready to trust me?”
“Let’s see what you’ve learned first.”
The corner of Barry’s lips turned up in a smile. “Come on in.” He stood back to let her inside. He closed the door softly behind her as her eyes drank in the small room.
“I can see now why you never invited me to your place.” She said looking around the space. There were photos and files about Miles and equipment she couldn’t begin to identify. There was also a pistol on the nightstand.
Mac turned around to look at him with a million questions on the tip of her tongue but no idea where to start. Barry wouldn’t meet her eye.
“So, what exactly do you do?” she finally asked. That seemed the most important instead of pointing out the obvious: there was a gun in the room. Though she didn’t think he had any intention of using it on her.
Barry’s head cocked to the side as if studying her. “Emma didn’t tell you?”
“She said it’s your story to tell, not hers. So tell me.”
“It’s hard to explain.” Barry walked past her to his desk.
“Try me.” She followed closely behind him. He’s demanded answers from her earlier. Now it was his turn to share.
Barry took a deep breath and looked her square in the eyes. “I work for the government on secret missions.”
“Like Mission Impossible stuff?”
Barry whispered something under his breath that was too low to hear, but it sounded like ‘at least not compared to Bond.’ “Something like that,” he said louder.
Somehow, she could see that. He carried himself like a military man. He’d probably lost his arm in the armed services, but it still didn’t explain his presence. “So was coming here a cover? Are you already looking into Miles?”
“No, nothing like that. Emma asked me to check in on you as a favor.”
“I’m guessing you live in Vegas then.” That was where Emma’s office was.
“Yes.”
So, Emma didn’t hire him as a PI or something. They knew each other, and he’d offered to come here as a favor. “So nothing about our meeting was a coincidence.”
Barry shook his head. “You weren’t supposed to know I was here unless you needed help. You know the rest.”
Yeah, on the boat he’d said he was drawn to her.
It was flattering, but a small part of her wondered if it was completely true.
If he hadn’t just tried to get close so he could follow her around more easily.
“I never asked her for help. I was just venting about Miles.” Mac never would have imagined her sister would send someone to follow her.
“Your sister said you can be a bit headstrong, and she was worried you were going to get yourself in trouble.”
Emma had told her the same thing. “So she sent you to babysit me.”
“Like I said, I volunteered,” he corrected, as if it made a difference.
“To babysit me?” No matter how he phrased it, the end result was still the same.
“Offer assistance or make sure you’re staying out of trouble.”
So now he’d answered that, but there was still one thing she wanted to know. “Why?”
“I already told you.”
“No, why did you volunteer for Emma?” Emma was a beautiful woman.
Mac had always felt her sister was much prettier than herself.
Emma had always turned heads where Mac tended to be overlooked because she didn’t wear a lot of makeup or flashy clothes to draw attention.
It was impractical on a boat. Was Barry sexually involved with her sister and that was the only reason he was doing this?
Barry turned to face her completely, his hip jutting out to rest against the front of the desk. “What exactly are you asking?” His tone was casual, but she could see the irritation in his eyes at her question.
“I think you know.”
“Are you asking if I’m with your sister?”
“I am.” She was not going to stay involved with a man who was banging her sister at the same time.
Not that she was still considering seeing him like that.
Maybe. She was undecided. What she did know was that she was hurt she’d been lied to.
If he could help save the sharks, she might consider not causing him bodily injuring for hurting her.
Barry almost looked insulted by her question, but she wanted to know the answer. If he was involved with Emma, she would not play his sloppy seconds any longer.
“Do you really think I could do that? Cheat on someone I’m involved with?”
“I don’t know anything about you.” In her heart, she knew he wasn’t the type, but she still wanted to hear the words. “Maybe if it were part of your mission.”
“You already know the answer to that question,” he said with a knowing look.
She did, but she wanted to hear the words. “Tell me anyway.”
“No, I’m not.”
Mac released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “I know I should apologize for asking or even accusing.”
“I get it, but you have nothing to worry about in that department. We’re only friends.”
“Emma is a beautiful woman.” Men in their school were always pursuing her.
“She is, but there is nothing romantic between us. She’s helped me in many ways, and I felt I owed her one.”
His arm. “That’s her work, isn’t it.” It wasn’t a question. She knew Emma’s work. She should have put two and two together when she first saw it, but she really didn’t want to think her sister would stoop to sending a babysitter to watch over her.
Barry lifted up his arm. “It is.”
Mac hadn’t even known Emma could design and build something like that, but she shouldn’t have put it past her. Emma was a genius. “She helped you with your arm, so you felt you owed her by looking in on me.”
“Yes.”
“And the reason you’re helping me is because you don’t want to tell my sister my headstrongness got me killed?”
Barry pushed off the table, gliding toward her.
The room suddenly felt very small with him standing right in front of her.
Without warning, his head dipped down, and he captured her lips.
Mac stood in shock as his tongue slid into her mouth and swiped over hers before retreating. It was over as quickly as it began.
Mac was trying to get her sex-clouded brain to focus again. The man had a way of scattering her brain cells. “What was that for?”
“Because it’s been too long since I last kissed you.”
“Maybe it would be best to stop kissing and everything else altogether and focus on what’s important.”
“What’s important is you.”
“What’s important is saving the sharks and stopping Miles. Not mixing business and pleasure.”
“Business?” His face pulled back into a sneer.
“Our partnership,” she corrected.
“Are you worried being sexual will overcomplicate matters?”
It already had. She was getting attached, and working closely together would only make things worse. She needed to distance herself. “Sex always does.”
Barry took a step back. “So let me get this straight… Sleeping with me was okay when you thought I was a tourist, but now that you know I’m not, it’s no longer okay.”
“Now it feels unprofessional.” And it would be safer for her heart.
Barry didn’t look happy about her decision. Honestly, she wasn’t much happier either. “If that’s what you want. Though we may at least have to look like a couple, for appearance’s sake.”
“Why?”
“It will be the perfect ruse too. Miles and his people won’t become suspicious if we seem cuddly together.”
“Fine, but as a ruse only,” she warned with a pointed finger and wagged it in his face.
“As you say.” Barry’s grin was back on his face as if he had a plan. “Have I answered all of your questions?”
“Only one more. Where do we start?” Because she didn’t have a clue, and apparently, he was an expert.