CHAPTER FOURTEEN #2
“Well, if there is anything you need. Anything at all, just let me know.”
The emphasis wasn’t lost on her. She had heard enough double meanings over the years to recognize one instantly.
“Thank you,” she replied.
Before Brett could respond, the door leading from the outside slammed shut, and Clint appeared.
“There you are,” Clint said to Brett as he approached. When he noticed Nova standing there, he grinned. “Oh, I see you’ve met Ms. Hart.”
Brett held Nova’s gaze a fraction too long before finally looking at Clint. “Yes, we just bumped into each other. I was also reassuring Ms. Hart that she and Mr. Iverson will be well looked after while they’re aboard.”
Nova forced a polite smile, but every instinct she possessed recoiled at his words.
Maybe Brett had intended the comment to sound reassuring, but paired with the way he had been staring at her, it landed more like a warning.
She had spent the last few years negotiating with high-profile people who believed they were the smartest ones in every room. She had learned to trust the quiet voice in her head that whispered when someone’s words and intentions didn’t match. That voice was practically yelling now.
Brett shifted his attention to Clint as though Nova no longer existed.
“What do you need?” he asked casually.
Clint glanced between them before answering. “The reports you asked for from corporate came in. I thought you’d want to look them over before the guys start connecting the piping tomorrow morning.”
Brett gave a single nod. “Yeah. I’ve been waiting on those. We can discuss it in my office.”
He started toward the nearby unmarked door, then paused just long enough to glance back at Nova.
“It was nice meeting you, Ms. Hart. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other.”
The smile that accompanied the remark was predatory.
Then he took a regular key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. It closed behind them with a solid click.
Nova remained rooted where she was for another heartbeat, staring at the unmarked door. So that’s Brett’s office.
She suddenly had no desire to linger in that space near those two men. And what really pissed her off was that she lost her appetite and ended up tossing the half-eaten cup of ice cream in the trash.
Turning on her heel, she headed back toward the stairwell, took two flights down to the kitchen level, and then walked to the other side of the building to the stairs that would take her back up to her and Snow’s room.
◆◆◆
“Wait, so you’re saying you and Nova are sharing a room?” Joker asked.
Snow leaned back in the chair, the tablet propped up on the desk against the wall. He smirked. “Yup.”
Bear’s massive frame filled most of his screen, his eyebrows practically disappearing into his hairline. “How does she feel about that?”
“She seems okay with it.” Snow kept his voice casual, but in his head he was laughing-remembering Nova’s dead-serious delivery of her roommate rules. “Though she did lay down some ‘roommate’ rules.”
There was a moment of silence before every screen exploded with laughter.
Snow couldn’t help smiling. “Actually, they’re pretty reasonable.”
“He’s defending the rules already,” Nails groaned dramatically. “Boys, we’ve lost him.”
There was more laughter, then Aussie spoke up. “So let me get this straight. Out of that entire rig, they gave you two a room to share?”
Snow nodded once. “They said it was because the other rooms aren’t finished yet.”
“Yeah, I call bullshit,” Joker stated.
“Nova and I both said the same thing.”
Nails then smirked. “So, you guys have the honeymoon suite. One or two beds?”
Snow groan. “Jesus Christ. I’m hanging up.”
“I’m calling it now,” Duke chimed in.
Snow sighed. “Calling what?”
“By the end of this mission, you’re going to know her favorite coffee, favorite ice cream, favorite color, favorite flower, and shoe size.”
Snow smirked. “I already know she likes vanilla and chocolate soft serve.”
Duke laughed, pointing at the screen. “I rest my case!”
“Where is she now?” Playboy asked, leaning into his own camera.
“She went up to the offices to look around,” Snow said, though a part of him was still uneasy about her moving through the rig alone. But he pushed it down, telling himself that she was a big girl and could handle herself.
“Uh, Snow?” Jay Bird’s voice cut through, his face filling the screen but his eyes tracking somewhere over Snow’s shoulder. “Is that... are those panties on the bed behind you?”
Snow’s eyebrows pinched together. “What?”
“Behind you,” Jay Bird said again, pointing at the screen.
Snow turned just enough to glance over his shoulder.
His eyes landed on a pair of tiny black lace panties—definitely a thong. They lay there on top of the light grey blanket, like a beacon wanting to be seen.
“Shit!” He whipped around so fast he nearly knocked his tablet off the desk.
He stood, scooped them off the bed with lightning speed. Before he could decide where to hide them, he heard the electronic beep of the door’s keypad.
Oh fuck! Nova’s back.
Pure instinct took over, and he shoved the panties into his pocket.
Behind him, all he could hear was laughing.
“No way!” Playboy howled.
“He pocketed them!” Joker laughed
“That’s your hiding place?” Bear teased.
Snow shot them a murderous glare and quickly sat down. “Not one fucking word!”
Nails wiped tears from his eyes. “Dude, I’ve seen you under enemy fire, and I’ve never seen you move that fast.”
Snow flashed his middle finger toward the screen just as the door flew open.
Snow spun around in his chair and forced what he hoped passed for a normal smile, all too aware of the delicate black lace currently stuffed into his pocket.
“Hey,” Nova said as she walked in. She stopped when she noticed the tablet propped on the desk. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t realize you were still on a call.”
“It’s fine,” he replied, waving her off. “We were just chatting.”
Nova looked at the screen and waved. “Hi, everyone.”
The hellos echoed through the screen and then silence.
Nova looked between the tablet and Snow. “Are you sure I didn’t interrupt anything?”
Snow was biting the inside of his cheek, praying that the guys would be on their best behavior. But no such luck.
Joker grinned. “We were just teasing Snow about the extra baggage he was carrying around.”
Snow pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing those fuckers were talking about the scrap of lace in his pocket. Fuck me!
Nova shot a look toward Snow and grinned. “Is he talking about your Mary Poppins bag?”
Bear coughed, trying to cover his laugh. “His what?”
Nova laughed as she leaned against the wall.
“I call his little bag of tactical goodies his Mary Poppins bag. I mean, every time he reaches into it, something new comes out. A flashlight, zip ties, a first-aid kit, two knives, another flashlight, because apparently one wasn’t enough, and I’m pretty sure if I gave him another minute he would have pulled out a toaster. ”
Snow heard the muffled snorts through the speakers and knew his teammates were ready to lose it.
Wanting to move on, Snow cleared his throat. “I didn’t expect you back so soon,” he said, looking at Nova.
She pushed off from the wall, walked over to her bed, and sat down.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t expect to be back so soon. But I ran into Brett, the rig supervisor.”
That seemed to sober everyone up. Snow sat up straighter in the chair.
“You met Brett?” He asked.
She nodded, then told them about her brief conversation with him and how Clint interrupted them.
“Did you feel threatened?” Bear asked, looking concerned.
“No, not really. I took his words more as a warning.” She glanced at Snow.
“Especially the way he said that you and I would be looked after while we’re here.
And if you thought Clint was checking me out earlier, Brett made him look like an amateur.
I've already nicknamed him The Collector.” She grimaced.
“He has that polished, charming exterior, but the way he watched me, it felt less like admiration and more like possession.”
Snow felt a knot start to form in his stomach. He hadn’t met Brett yet, but he had learned long ago not to dismiss someone’s instincts, especially not someone as observant as Nova. If she was uneasy after one conversation, there was probably a reason.
“I don’t like either of them being around you,” he admitted. “But, unfortunately, we both have jobs to do, and we can’t spend every minute glued to each other’s side.”
Nova offered him a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve dealt with my fair share of arrogant assholes. They don’t intimidate me.”
“Maybe not,” Bear said, folding his arms. “But the arrogant assholes you’ve dealt with don’t usually spend weeks trapped on an oil rig offshore.”
Snow rubbed the back of his neck. “For what it’s worth, Nova’s not exactly defenseless.”
Everyone got quiet and turned their attention to him through the screen.
Snow looked at Nova to make sure it was okay to tell them. She nodded.
“She’s a kickboxer.”
Playboy let out a low whistle. “Seriously?”
Nova shrugged as if it weren't worth mentioning. “It’s just a hobby.”
Snow barked out a laugh. “No, knitting is a hobby. She could compete.”
“Wait.” Joker leaned forward. “You’re telling me our attorney can legally beat the hell out of someone?”
“Within the rules of the ring,” Nova corrected with a grin.
“That’s unexpectedly awesome,” Duke said, shaking his head in appreciation.
“Remind me never to piss you off,” Jay Bird joked.
Nails smirked. “I don’t know. Between Snow and a kickboxing attorney, I think I would be more afraid of her.”
Snow couldn’t help but smile as the tension eased with the team’s laughter. It didn’t erase the concern gnawing at the back of his mind, but it reminded him of one important fact: Nova wasn’t someone who needed rescuing. She was smart, capable, and more than able to hold her own.
Even so, if Brett or Clint crossed a line, Snow had a feeling they were going to discover that being a kickboxer wasn’t the most dangerous thing about Nova Hart.