Page 42 of Innocent Salvation

Watchdog blinked and looked up from his keyboard. “Really? I think it would be awesome.”

“That’s because you wouldn’t have to drag yourself away from your computer terminal to get laid.”

“See, perfect.”

“You’re an odd little man, Watchdog.”

The smile he sent her was cheeky and endearing just like he was. The man looked like a Greek god and had the mind of Steven Hawking. Better in fact because Watchdog’s IQ was off the charts higher than the esteemed physicist.

“So, you and Sebastian Alexander.”

Snow groaned. She’d been waiting for this all week since it had become clear to her team she was involved with Seb. They hadn’t made any announcements or anything but neither had they hidden their relationship and around there, surrounded by this lot, it would be futile anyway. “Don’t start.”

“I’m not. I see the way he looks at you, that’s not fake.”

Suddenly intrigued by what the boy genius saw she turned to face him fully. “Okay, I’ll bite. How does he look at me?”

“Like a starving man who’s finally found a juicy steak. Like a man in awe of the person he’s holding. Like a man in love.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

Her instant rejection of the idea that Seb was in love with her was purely a self-protective gesture and she knew it.

“Okay.”

Watchdog went back to his screen and Snow was left to ponder what he’d said. Was Seb really in love with her and if so, how did she really feel about that? The truth was, she was already half in love with him and she adored Fleur but what if it went wrong? What if her evil mother took them away from her? Loving him and losing him would destroy her and she knew it. Could she stop herself from falling more or was it too late?

The questions ran through her mind the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. She went to meet Valentina in the main kitchen.

It was Valentina’s turn to cook, and they were all excited about that. Having a bona fide Italian in the kitchen was like a blessing from the gods. Her meatballs were the stuff dreams were made of, and she was going to learn how to make them so she could widen her repertoire. In return, she’d teach Val how to make her fudge.

“Hey, you ready to cook?”

Valentina was a twin. Her brother Rafe was married to the famous rock star Nix. Their reunion after a long misunderstanding had been a Christmas miracle and a romantic story that made her heart sigh. “Sure am. Put me to work.”

Val showed her how to season the meat, adding things Snow would never have even thought to use. Then they stood side by side as they rolled the huge amount of mince mixture into balls for frying.

“How is Fleur getting on with the commands?”

Val smiled and it lit up her whole face. “She’s an utter delight and a total natural. Has Sebastian had her IQ tested?”

Snow shook her head as she formed the last ball and set it aside on the lined tray. “I don’t think so, why?”

“I think he should. I wouldn’t be surprised if she gave Watchdog a run for his money.”

“You might be right. I’ll talk to him.”

“Speaking of her hot uncle, how is that going?”

Snow shrugged one shoulder as she washed her hands, getting the grease off her fingers. “Good.”

“Just good?”

“Amazing, phenomenal. He rocks my world. I’m falling for him so fast I feel like I’m going to get whiplash.”

Val’s eyebrows rose. “Wow, all that from good. He must be a god in the sheets.”

Snow couldn’t stop the smile as she remembered last night when he’d fucked her over the kitchen counter of her apartment making her come so hard, she thought she might blackout, before doing it again in the shower.