Free Hot Ice (A Hostile Operations Team Novel - Book 7) by Lynn Raye Harris

himself. Senator Campbell glanced over at Garrett and then back to Black. Grace didn’t look at him as he came to her side.
    He put his hand against her back. That made her stop talking and look up at him.
    “The car is ready when you are,” he said. “You have an early day tomorrow.”
    She licked her lips, and his groin tightened. “I… uh, yes, you’re right.” She turned back to her father and Black. “It was so nice to see you, Ian. I hope you don’t disappear on us again.”
    Ian smiled. “I hope not too. But I can never tell where the job will take me, so anything is possible.”
    Her father kissed her, and then her mother came over and fussed a bit over her, telling her to be careful and to be sure to eat. It took another half hour, but Garrett finally ushered her from the room and down to the front entrance. Flash had called to tell him it was safe, that the press had mostly decamped at this point. There were one or two of them left, probably tabloid reporters looking for something juicy, but Garrett hurried Grace from the building and into the car before they could get past hotel security and get close enough to ask questions.
    Then they were inside and Flash was speeding away from the hotel and down the street toward the Potomac and the bridge that would take them back to Virginia.  
    “What’s your favorite pizza joint?”
    Grace glanced over at him. “Uh, it’s a local place. Da Tony’s in Old Town.”
    Garrett looked up the number on his phone and then dialed. “What do you want on it?”
    “Cheese.”
    “Just cheese?”
    She sniffed. “Is that a problem?”
    “Nope.” He preferred meat on his pizza, but whatever. He placed the order for a large cheese pizza and hung up again. Then he told Flash to stop by the restaurant on the way to Grace’s house.
    Grace had her head turned, looking out the window, and Garrett had a strong urge to reach for her and make her look at him. But he didn’t.
    “How do you know Ian Black?”
    Flash’s gaze met his in the rearview. He knew the importance of that name.
    Grace turned. “His parents are big supporters of my father. They own a furniture chain in South Carolina.”
    Garrett figured this was info Mendez already knew from his files, but it was news to him . And the fact Grace knew Black didn’t make him happy, especially considering what he knew about the man’s dealings in Qu’rim. Yeah, he’d left the vials of smallpox behind for HOT to destroy, but that didn’t make him a nice guy.
    And Grace was a researcher in a medical laboratory. Working on fucking viruses, for God’s sake.
    Grace’s brows drew down. “Wait a minute—how do you know Ian?”
    “You meet a lot of people in my line of work.”
    “He didn’t seem to know you.”
    “He might not remember me. Or he might not have wanted to admit he did. It’s not a big deal.”
    She shrugged. “With Ian, one never knows.”
    “Probably best if you don’t ask him about me, cupcake.”
    Her gaze shot to his again. “I don’t have his number in my phone, and I don’t speak with him often. Though he did suggest we meet for coffee sometime.”
    Ice ran down Garrett’s spine. “Not while I’m with you.”
    She arched an eyebrow. “Oh really?”
    “Grace.” Garrett blew out a breath and resisted the urge to slide his palms over his face. “It will make this job more difficult is all I’m saying. I’d rather you didn’t. Ian Black isn’t what he seems, so just trust me, all right?”
    She faced straight ahead, her pert little nose turning up as she thrust her chin in the air. So haughty. He should want to strangle her for it, and yet he had this vision of her tied up on a bed and at his mercy instead. He’d love to hear her beg him for his cock in that superior voice of hers.
    Down, dude.
    “Fine.”
    The way she said fine got under his skin like a mosquito bite. Itching and nagging until he just wanted to scratch it away and damn the consequences. Or, in her case, kiss