Chapter 5
ETHAN
The sun grew hot as I waited beside the plane, and I was annoyed I’d been assigned this routine security task. Giovanni liked the plane ready at his whim. Who knew when the day might turn south and he’d have to hightail it back to Rome?
The fuel truck was late, but that was expected. Every country had their own way of doing things and operated on their own time. South Africa had a leisurely pace, similar to Italy’s.
What would have happened if Olivia hadn’t said my cover’s name?
I’d stumbled from her room last night and made my way to my own, barely catching my breath before Giovanni found me there.
I’d assured him I had escorted Olivia back to her room where she must have immediately fallen asleep.
That explained why she hadn’t heard her employer knock on her door minutes later when he’d come looking to hook up.
Once again, the idea of him going after her gave me a sharp, odd feeling of possessiveness.
The word repeated over and over again. Disaster. That was what my director would call this, and that was exactly what it was. Despite everything, no matter the risk to my mission, the real man inside me wanted her.
I’d never, ever had a reaction to a woman during an op. It was hazardous and unprecedented. She clouded my head and left me disoriented. Made me slow and stupid, which was a great way for me to end up blowing my cover.
Or dead.
She came on strong. So strong that I’d spent time against that wall wondering if she had ulterior motives, but there was genuine hurt when I’d backed away. She wanted me, which made no sense.
I shouldn’t have been surprised to see her making her way toward me now, but I cursed under my breath. It was her plane, and she’d told me it was her job to know what happened on it. The brim of her faded Detroit Lions hat shielded her green eyes from the sun, but not the rest of her gorgeous body.
I probably looked like I was waiting for her when, in fact, I wanted to avoid her as long as possible.
“Afternoon,” she said, her tone frosty. “You’re here because . . .?”
“I’m to make sure nothing gets on the plane that’s not supposed to while it fuels.” Like a bomb.
She nodded in acceptance. “I guess they’re running behind?”
“Seems so.”
“Where’s our boss?”
“Getting ready for the game drive.” I’d figured now was as good a time as any to have the conversation that was needed. “Hey, last night—”
A tanker truck rumbled down the gravel road, kicking up dust and dirt, and momentarily broke my concentration. There was no way I could tell her over the laboring engine that approached that I’d made a mistake.
I shouldn’t have gotten on her plane. I shouldn’t have let her kiss me. And I sure as shit shouldn’t have let myself kiss her back.
Olivia gave a friendly smile to the truck driver, whose eyes lit up. He probably didn’t encounter women on his deliveries too often, and definitely not ones who looked like her. Long legs, full breasts stacked over a narrow waist. Sexy, dangerous curves.
I knew exactly where those curves were, didn’t I?
All the paperwork was in order, and the refueling was uneventful, other than the driver lingering until he got a good look at my scowl, which sent the man away in a hurry.
“You didn’t have to be rude to him,” she scolded.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“No, but you looked like you wanted to kill him.”
“Maybe that’s just how I look.”
Her gaze held mine, an enigma behind her eyes. “That’s not how you look at me.”
How the hell did she know there was more going on with me than what appeared on the surface? She didn’t wait for my reply. Her emerald eyes blinked once, then she was gone.
By the time I reached the lodge, Giovanni was already seated in the vehicle, ready for the game drive. He dismissed the backup translator. The South African man spoke English well enough, but his Italian wasn’t as good as mine, and that was sure to annoy Giovanni.
I was relieved no one from the flight crew had shown up. It was smart to keep their distance.
“Are you ready?” Giovanni asked.
“Yes.” I wrapped a hand around the black bar to climb into the first row—
“No, she’ll sit there.”
“She?”
I craned my neck, already certain who he was talking about and chewed back the cuss word I wanted to unleash. Although he didn’t speak English, Giovanni had seen enough English-speaking movies to recognize the four-letter words.
My gaze slid over Olivia as she strolled toward the vehicle, and frustration wormed its way through me. “I told you not to come.”
“You are not my boss,” she snapped.
As she moved to climb in, I instinctively stepped back. I didn’t want her so close that I’d be able to smell the faint vanilla perfume she wore. It had lingered last night, just as long as the taste of her soft mouth.
I used the darkest look in my possession, the one that was pure intimidation, and it made her eyes widen so they were mostly white. But she swallowed back that fear and stood tall. Jesus, that glare should have sent her running.
Her face hardened, and I realized I should have tried a soft touch rather than a forceful one. Her foot stomped on the running board as she climbed up and sat in the front row beside Giovanni, just like last time. Her defiant gaze burned into me.
Fuck.
This distraction, the one with green eyes and an unnerving ability to see through my lies, was going to end up a major complication if I wasn’t careful.