Free Moving Target by Cheyenne McCray

Now, though . . . Now their relationship went a little more beyond professional, even if they had to rein in their attraction to one another.
    She seemed to catch herself and removed her hand from his, her cheeks a little pink. "One time you said your mother got you started on your hobby of collecting and building model airplanes."
    He couldn't help a smile. "She said when she was young that it was the tomboy in her—that she had always loved the hobby, and Granddad encouraged her. I still have most of her collection."

    "Tell me about it," she said as she toyed with another fry.
    "You need to eat." He pointed to her partially eaten cheeseburger. "Instead of talking so much."
    Ani smiled and picked up her cheeseburger. As he spoke, she appeared fascinated as he told her a little about his hobby, and he enjoyed talking with her about it.
    When he'd finished his food, she said she was done. She'd only eaten half of her cheeseburger, so he finished that half as well as some of her fries.
    The smell of the apple pie called to him, and when they ate it, he practically inhaled his piece. Apples, cinnamon, soft crust. "My mom made the best apple pies," Daniel said after he took his last bite. "This is good, but nothing compares to hers."
    Ani smiled back but he could see exhaustion catching up with her from the droopiness in her eyelids to her slack posture.
    He stood and automatically held his hand out. "Let's get you to bed."
    They both went still, but after a pause Ani took his hand and he helped her up from the chair. The warmth of her touch went straight to his cock and he hoped she didn't notice the tent in his jogging shorts from his instant hard-on.
    "I got you some toothpaste and a toothbrush." He gestured to an end table. "Over there."
    She looked up at him with an expression of relief. "Thank you."
    He smiled and waited for her to brush her teeth and return to the bedroom.
    When she was finished, Daniel followed her to one of the beds and she turned to look up at him with her crystalline blue eyes.
    "Thank you for watching over me, Daniel," she said softly.
    He brushed his knuckles across her cheek and she closed her eyes. Those lips. Just one kiss—
    And he'd never be able to stop.
    Instead he placed a light kiss on her forehead and drew away. The scent of mint from the hotel's shampoo and the warm smell of her skin flooded his system.
    Ani opened her eyes and tilted her head back.
    He swallowed and took a step back. "Good night."
    "'Night," she said, then drew back the covers on her bed and crawled under them. She faced away from his bed as if knowing they needed to keep every bit of distance they could.
    Daniel turned to his own bed and wondered how he was going to make it through the next few days.
    Her clothes were still damp from washing them last night. With a groan, Ani stood in the bathroom and dried her silk blouse the best she could with the hotel blow-dryer. Her slacks would just have to stay damp.
    When she was done with her blouse she slipped into it, then the body armor. Over it she pulled one of Daniel's plain black T-shirts and tied it off to the side. She needed to cover her armor to make sure she didn't stand out in public. This time she made sure she was out of his sight when she put on her clothing. They needed to fight this incredible attraction before they took it too far.
    Maybe after the trial was over . . . would he be interested in pursuing a relationship with her then? Could he? She bit her lower lip. She'd likely have to stay in WITSEC and there would be no way she and Daniel could manage any kind of personal ties. She'd likely have to move to another state, which would probably mean a new Inspector Marshal.
    She needed to put things in perspective and acknowledge the fact that she had to stop this infatuation and keep her distance.
    It didn't take them long to get ready. After she slipped on her high heels, they headed down in the elevator to the lobby. It was a busy day in the