Long Road Home by Maya Banks

Author:Maya Banks
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9781609283025
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Published: 2011-08-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Dawn crept through the windows, bathing the living room in pale light. Manuel rubbed his eyes then raised his arm to glance at his watch.

Jules lay next to him, curled trustingly against his chest. Unable to help it, he put his arm back over her and pulled her even closer. She stirred but snuggled further into his embrace and stayed asleep.

A rush of satisfaction more powerful than he’d ever experienced surged through his veins. He bent his head to nuzzle her hair, inhaling her sweet scent. He rubbed his lips over her softness, kissing her gently enough not to awaken her.

He couldn’t remember ever being this happy, not in the last three years, for sure. As soon as the thought hit him, he grimaced. There was nothing to be happy about in their present circumstances.

They couldn’t simply ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. No hope of a picket fence and a normal existence. She was a terrorist, and he was in the CIA’s premiere counter-terrorism unit. If his superiors found out about Jules, his ass was cooked and so was hers.

It was enough to make him want to take Jules and run as far as they could, away from the CIA, away from the NFR. But he wasn’t a coward, and there were too many unanswered questions. With Tony’s help, he hoped to get some answers.

He slipped his other arm from beneath Jules and gently eased away from her. He held his breath as she stirred once more, and let it out in relief when she didn’t wake.

He needed coffee, and he needed to call Tony. He pulled on his jeans, leaving his shirt on the floor. A quick check of his pocket found the cell phone still there. A second later, the phone rang.

Manuel looked down to see it was Sanderson. Anxiety churned in his gut. Would it be another ultimatum? He briefly considered letting it ring, but if the CIA was coming after him and Jules, he at least needed to know about it.

“Boss man,” Manuel said into the phone. He tried to sound unaffected, but he wasn’t sure he pulled it off.

He heard a long-suffering sigh. “Manuel, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?”

Fuck. He remained silent, waiting for Sanderson to continue.

“I’d love to know why your fingerprints came across my computer courtesy of the Houston P.D.”

“Just a misunderstanding,” Manuel said.

“Look, it’s obvious to me you’re protecting your girl. Damn it, Manuel, you’ve put me in a hell of a predicament. I’ve got the higher-ups breathing down my neck wanting to know what the fuck is going on with a suspected terrorist on the loose.”

Manuel closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, sir.”

“You be careful, Manuel. You’re officially on your own. I’ll do what I can to keep the heat from you, and I’m sure Tony’s doing the same, damn his computer geek hide, but there’s nothing I can do if you’re apprehended, you got me?”

“Thanks,” Manuel said quietly. “I won’t let you down.

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