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Ike’s eyes widened. He wanted to be closer to her. He held his ground. Barely.
“Ah, you two.” Beau’s voice was full of affection. “I love you together. You have almost as many sparks as Bermuda and I … used to have.” His body seemed to droop again.
Ike met Myra’s gaze. Of course there was sympathy in her dark eyes. She was a thoughtful and caring woman.
He could believe they had sparks, but sadly they weren’t together.
Even worse, he didn’t know that they could ever be.
Chapter
Fourteen
When they made it back to the house, Ike and Myra checked the house and Beau’s suite. It was clear. Beau thanked them again and said goodnight.
Myra felt horrible for him. He shouldn’t have rushed into Bermuda’s box like that, screaming for her and making a scene, but it had been romantic. She wished Ike would run for her, yelling he loved her for all the world to hear.
Rolling her eyes at herself, she headed back down the stairs. Ike followed her. She went to the fridge and pulled out a Propel. She and Ike didn’t even have a real relationship. This job was messing with her head.
She took a long drink and turned to Ike. “Headed to bed?” she asked with a forced bright smile.
“I don’t know that I’ll sleep worrying about the stalker getting past us again.”
She nodded her understanding. It was frustrating that they had no solutions and the man or woman had gotten into Beau’s suite last night.
“Would you like to sit and talk?” he asked.
Would she ever!
Myra wanted to roll her eyes at herself again. Why did she feel like a teenage girl getting asked to prom when she was around Ike? It was ridiculous; he was the toughest and most manly man she’d ever known. There was nothing juvenile about him. It was all her. Which should be frustrating as she’d worked hard to joke with everyone while also proving she was a competent professional.
She didn’t know how to deny her feelings for Ike. They were irrational—though sparkly, thrilling, and consuming. Ike would probably be embarrassed and awkward around her if he had an inkling of how he made her feel.
The problem was that she hadn’t dated anyone seriously. Maybe if she had, she’d know how to deal with this. It was reassuring that Ike hadn’t dated anyone either. They might both be tough security ops, experienced at observing and protecting, but they were infants regarding relationships and romance. Wasn’t that romantic in its own way?
Wait a minute. Ike had been in a serious relationship. He’d said that on the car ride to the hockey game. Had he just been posturing for Beau? Beau wasn’t trying to hit on her, and the fake relationships seemed doomed in each direction. If only Tippin would call with some information on the Star Stabber. Yet she didn’t want the fake relationship with Ike to be over. Would she ever get to be close to him like this again?
Ike hadn’t moved. She grimaced at being so caught up in her thoughts and nodded to him. They could talk.
He turned, and they fell into step. He seemed to be trying not to touch her, which was for the best.
She still hated it.
He waited while she sat on the sofa. Instead of sitting next to her, he sat on an overstuffed chair diagonal to her. They were only a few feet apart, but it felt like much more.
“You reacted perfectly at the hockey game,” he said. “Protecting Beau.”
“So did you. I liked watching you fight.” She appreciated that he seemed to trust her skills and not stepping in front of her to protect her.
“Ah, that wasn’t even a fight.” He gave her a too-sure-of-himself smile. “You should see me really fight.”
Her body went hot and cold. “I’d love that.”
Their gazes held and she wasn’t sure if they were talking about fighting any longer or something else entirely. She swallowed and he looked away, focusing on the lit pool area out the back windows.
She gripped the Propel bottle, took another drink, and set it on the coffee table. Leaning back against the leather sofa, she tried to act relaxed.
“What did you want to speak about?” It sounded much too formal. She was tired. It had been another long day, and she hadn’t slept well last night. She couldn’t blame him for both issues, but she kind of did. He stirred her up like nobody she’d ever met. All her lofty ideals of not settling down disappeared when he was around. Ike seemed to be the perfect man for her, if they could both drop any pride or awkwardness and admit their interest in each other. She could envision them fighting together, side by side, then hugging and kissing the nights away. She was the one looking away now.
