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I hadn’t expected such a one-eighty when she came out of the bathroom. I had been preparing myself for another day of awkwardness and tension.
Maybe her mother had said something encouraging to her. Sam seemed to be on my side with the whole relationship thing.
Because that was what this was. Or, rather, what I hoped it was. I knew that it might take a little more convincing on Saylor’s part. She was probably going to try to insist for a while that it was just sex, just a fun way to spend time while we were on a never-ending stakeout.
She could lie to herself all she wanted. But I knew she’d felt it when I’d felt it that last time we’d had sex. Something deeper than just sex, more so even than simple intimacy.
Something felt really fucking right about it.
And judging by the tears I brushed off her lashes, she felt it. Even if she didn’t know what to call it. Even if she was afraid to try to figure out what it was.
I had to remind myself that she wasn’t constantly surrounded by happily-ever-afters like I was. Wasn’t constantly being told you would just “know it” when you finally found the right person.
She just needed time.
And some more orgasms to break down her defenses.
Luckily, I was happy to give her both those things.
Which was why it was fucking disappointment I felt when I saw Elio’s name on my phone when I reached for it.
“Hey, Elio. What’s up?” I asked.
“What are you up to today?”
“Nothing really. Why? What’s up?”
“I haven’t been able to get in touch with Matej Dvorák,” Elio admitted. “That’s why I haven’t been in touch yet.”
“Hey, it’s no sweat. I’m not in a rush.”
“No?” he asked, and I swear I could hear his grin through the fucking phone. “Would that have anything to do with that all kinds of pretty you had with you in the deli?”
“Yeah,” I admitted.
“Nice pull. Anyway, this is less of an apology call and more of a request.”
“Okay. What do you need?”
“Backup.”
“Backup for what?” I asked, pouring myself a cup of coffee before emptying the last of the brownie batter creamer into it.
“I need to check on the Czechs. Not necessarily just for you. We need to be able to get in contact with them when we need to. I got a bad feeling, and my brothers are handling some other shit. I need another set of hands. Or two, if Saylor wants to come.”
“Oh, she’s gonna want to come,” I said, shaking my head at the idea of telling her to sit pretty in the stakeout studio while I did all the ‘fun shit.’
“Alright. When are you guys free?”
“Saylor is just walking her dog. Ferry leaves, what, every half an hour or so this time of day? Can probably be there in an hour and a half.”
“Sounds good. I’ll meet you at the ferry and we can just go from there.”
“I’ll let you know when we get on,” I told him, then ended the call to dial Saylor.
“Fury, it’s a balloon, not a mass murderer,” Saylor told the dog as furious barks could be heard in the background. “What’s up?”
“We need to head back to Staten Island,” I told her.
