Free Ignited (Titanium Security Series) by Cross Kaylea Page A

him as his second-in-command.
    After a couple of hours’ discussion and planning they stopped to eat.
    “You gonna let her know about the schedule change, or should I?” Gage asked, rising to toss his container in the trash.
    “I’ll do it.” It surprised him how much he wanted to personally check in on her again.
    “Hell of a thing, what she’s doing. I like her.”
    Hunter smirked. “You like everyone, and everyone likes you.”
    “Not true. And my ex-wife would be the first to tell you that.”
    It didn’t bother Hunter that Gage was on friendly terms with Khalia. He was good enough at his job that Hunter didn’t mind relaxing the protocol about interaction between him and their Principal on this assignment. Over the past two years working together Gage had earned his trust, and along with it, the right to operate with more latitude than Hunter might allow the others on the team. Still, Hunter had to admit there was a tiny part of him that wished he didn’t have to maintain his distance from her.
    Gage spoke up when Hunter reached the door. “Go easy on her, Hunt.”
    He paused and looked back at him with an upraised brow. “Are you seriously telling me how to do my job?”
    Gage’s expression was all innocence as he held his hands up in self-defense. “I’m just saying, you don’t need to be all hard-ass with her. She got the message about not being best friends loud and clear, so she’s not gonna throw herself at you or anything.”
    That drew a grudging chuckle out of him. “Occupational hazard, women throwing themselves at me.” Although the idea of Khalia throwing herself at him was a hell of a lot more appealing than it should have been. The attraction was there. She was subtle about it, but he’d noticed the glimmer of female interest in her eyes the few times he’d caught her checking him out. The interest was definitely mutual. Under different circumstances he’d be making moves on her in a big way, but not when she was a client and he was in charge of her safety over here.
    “Yeah, my heart bleeds for you, man,” Gage said dryly. “Call me if you need backup.”
    “Not a chance in hell.” Gage’s laugh followed him out into the hallway.
    When Khalia opened the door Hunter was surprised to find her alone in the room. She was dressed in a pair of black stretchy pants that hugged her thighs and a light gray sweater that belted at her waist. Her hair was a mass of coffee brown curls that spilled halfway down her back and she didn’t have a trace of makeup on. Still sexy as hell, even with the scrape on her cheek. And her smell. God, the air was infused with that mix of shampoo, lotion and feminine warmth. She smelled so good it gave him the insane urge to bury his face in the curve of her neck and breathe in more of her.
    Focus, jackass. He glanced around the room, taking in the rumpled bed where she’d pulled the covers back on one side, the room service tray bearing two sets of dishes wedged into the corner. “Where’s Ray?”
    “He went back to his room to call his family so I could call mine in private because I knew they’d be freaking out.”
    “Your mom?”
    “And brother.” She stepped back and gestured for him to come in, then went and sat against the mound of pillows stacked at the headboard.
    “Is your brother involved with the foundation too?” From her file Hunter knew he was two years younger than her.
    “No, it isn’t his thing, so he hasn’t been involved from the get go. He owns a restaurant in Phoenix.”
    Interesting. He crossed to an armchair positioned across from the foot of the bed and sank into it. “You look better.”
    She met his eyes, a glint of humor lighting their pale depths. “What, you didn’t like my shell-shocked, I-just-narrowly-escaped-being-blown-up look?”
    “I like this look better.” More than was professional of him, if he was honest. She had color in her cheeks again and she seemed much steadier. But that’s not what he