Page 28 of High-Priority Asset

In that moment, she was fearless and passionate, and had never felt more like her true self. A believer in happiness and romance. All from the most empowering kiss of her life with a man she was falling for. Against her self-imposed rules.

Dutch eased back and looked into her eyes. His hand came up to cradle her jaw. A smile spread across his face, brimming with heat that melted her. To heck with the rules.

“That’s one hell of a way to ask a guy to kiss you.”

She laughed, free and loud. The heartfelt sound emanating from deep inside her belly. Glancing over her shoulder, she looked at the fountain.

The demon was gone, banished back to hell.

For now.

DUTCH FOLLOWED ISABEL’S directions as he drove her home in her Maserati. A fine piece of machinery that handled tight curves with smooth precision.

Her dog was curled up on the back seat, asleep. A soft smile rested on Isabel’s face, filling him with a sense of joy the likes of which he’d never known. With her tension gone, she looked younger than twenty-eight, vulnerable, adorable. He hadn’t thought making someone else happy could bring him such gratification.

No one deserved a fun evening more than her. The dancing had done the trick. She came out of her shell and had blossomed in front of him. As soon as he’d read about the Third Street Promenade free salsa dancing in a local magazine, he’d thought of Isabel.

Not as a manipulative ploy. She’d popped into his head and he’d imagined her dancing and letting loose. And she had.

But that kiss had been unexpected. Instead of his reaction being one of professional restraint, it had been visceral, instinctual, taking the chemistry kindling between them from sparks to a brush fire.

Remembering it had adrenaline pumping in his veins akin to standing on the edge of a cliff preparing to jump into the deep blue below. He was into extreme sports. Cliff diving. Rock climbing. BASE jumping. Snowboarding. You name it, he’d tried it, but none of it compared to kissing Isabel.

A hunger for more was growing inside him. More kisses and salsa and smiles, like the one on her face now.

Dancing had led to dinner at an Italian place with good vibes, where they’d split a Neapolitan-style pizza while he kept one eye on the door. Waiting, hoping that cretin Chad dared set a foot inside, but he hadn’t shown his face.

Isabel had eaten with a hearty appetite that he appreciated and laughed with no shadows in her eyes. They had chatted about their childhoods and the importance of family and their respective difficulties making friends when they were younger. About the places they’d both traveled to for fun and deployments. His time in the Sandbox and the mountains of Afghanistan. Even the gut-wrenching reality of what it had been like in spec ops.

He’d told her things he’d never shared with another soul, and she didn’t diminish it with platitudes. She’d taken his hand in hers and showed her understanding through her eyes, through her touch.

Somewhere along the way he’d forgotten this was business and not pleasure, and the weight she carried seemed to lift from her shoulders, as well.

They’d only called it a night because she had to pick up her dog from day care before the place closed.

“Turn left here,” she said. “That’s my building.” She pointed to a small modern complex with only six floors.

Dutch turned and she hit the remote, opening the gate to her garage. It was well lit and had plenty of security cameras, not leaving any blind spots.

Still, it was possible for someone on foot to slip in behind her car. Good thing she’d gotten the dog.

“Thanks for driving. I’ll order an Uber for you,” she said, as they had planned earlier, but he’d hoped to have a little more time with her.

They got out of the car and walked toward the door that led inside to the lobby. The well-trained dog stayed at her side without a leash.

“The app says it’ll take twenty minutes.” Her tone was disappointed, but he couldn’t tell if it was because he wasn’t staying longer or not leaving sooner.

“I can wait outside for it.” The night had been the best date he’d had in a long time, but he didn’t want to put any unnecessary pressure on her.

“No, please don’t. I’ve got to take McQueen out one last time. Join us? The app will send an alert when the car gets here.”

“Sure.”

They strolled past the elevator and headed for the back deck.

“Since the gallery is closed tomorrow, if you don’t have plans, I’d love to help you mark something off your bucket list.”

“If you’re talking about sex, I’m sure you’re fantastic in bed, but—”