Alive at 5 (Entangled Ignite) (23 page)
Read Alive at 5 (Entangled Ignite) Online
Authors: Linda Bond
Tags: #Ignite, #mystery, #enemies to lovers, #romantic suspense, #cop, #Contemporary, #TV News Reporter, #undercover, #Romance, #suspense, #entangled, #Special Ops, #Linda Bond
She glanced up and caught him staring.
Unlike the first time she’d done that, this time Zack didn’t look away.
She cocked her head to one side and grinned.
A new emotion rocked him. He felt like a schoolboy with an overwhelming crush, warmth rushing through him.
She started walking his way. After such an intense morning, followed by an intense few minutes alone with her in the marina’s cramped bathroom, all he wanted to do now was have a little fun.
She stopped in front of him, placing her hands on her hips as if challenging him to say something, just like she had a few weeks ago when they first met. So, she wanted to play as well. He grinned. “How can you do that?” He mimicked his words from Skydive Drop Zone.
“Do what?” She raised an eyebrow, but the wicked smile on her face told him she knew what he was doing and planned to follow along.
“Turn your emotions on and off like that? One minute you’re crying over me because you think I’m dead, the next you’re this indifferent journalist reporting on a death and a couple of shootings as if we were all strangers to you.”
Her eyes widened. “It’s my job. It’s what I have to do, like it or not.”
“It’s cold.” He knew he was pushing her buttons, but this time instead of trying to hurt her, he was engaging in some foreplay. He couldn’t believe how turned on he was. Again.
“Cold? Really? Well, some of us—”
Before she could finish her sentence, he swooped her into a bear hug and planted a fierce kiss right on her lips. He heard her gasp, and that natural reaction sent desire pulsating through him. He kissed her slowly, passionately, moving her body up against his in an unmistakable way.
“Wow.” She sounded breathless. “You’re making a very public statement with that kiss.”
A few law enforcement officials had stopped to stare at them. Stan, her boss, fired off a death glare at him. Zack merely chuckled. Nothing could ruin his mood or his plans. “Good. I’m done hiding, both my feelings and the truth. From this moment forward, I’m putting it all out in the open.”
She stared up at him, wide-eyed.
“Samantha.” Her boss had made his way over to them. “You’re both old enough to practice a little more control and discretion.”
The tone of her boss’ voice pissed Zack off. But he held his tongue for Sam’s sake.
“That kiss, in front of numerous witnesses, represents a conflict of interest, don’t you think?”
“Actually, Stan, I wasn’t really thinking at all.”
Zack grinned. This was the Sam he loved. Bold and confident.
“Is that why you want to have a little sit down with me?” Sam asked.
“That’s one of the reasons.”
“Okay, but there’s nothing in any journalism book I’ve ever read that says it’s unethical to fall in love.”
Zack loved the way she defended herself. Much differently from the day they’d met.
As Stan’s eyebrows shot up and he opened his mouth to respond, her boss’ cell phone ringtone sounded. “We’ll talk later. First, let me take this call.” He stalked a few feet away.
“Quite a character,” Zack commented.
“You have no idea.”
“So, where do we go from here?”
She shrugged, and peered up at him through long lashes. “How about lunch?”
He smiled. “I have some paperwork, and I’ll need to be debriefed.”
“Okay, then I’ll wait for you at the hotel.” She sighed.
“I’m not just talking about today.”
Her cheeks brightened. He loved that he could get that kind of reaction out of her.
“I’m open to suggestions,” she said in a soft, coy voice.
“How about a vacation? An adventure vacation.”
She playfully swatted at him. “Are you for real? You haven’t had enough adventure over the last two weeks?”
He touched her lips. They were moist and a bit bruised. Her bottom lip trembled.
That simple move hardened him. Jesus, he wasn’t even able to control his own desire out here in the open. He laughed at his own predicament. “I had another kind of adventure in mind. One that includes just you and me in a hotel room overlooking the Gulf of Mexico on St. Pete Beach.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She grabbed his hand, entwining her fingers in his, and looked up at him with the genuine love and trust he’d been waiting for all his life.
About the Author
Linda Bond
is an Emmy award-winning journalist by day and an author of romantic adventures by night. She’s also the mother of five: four athletes and an adopted son from Cuba. She has a passion for world travel, classic movies, and alpha males. Linda currently lives in Florida, where the sun always shines and the day begins with endless possibilities.
You can learn where Linda Bond got part of her inspiration for Alive at Five by clicking on
this link
right now. The chapters dedicated to riding in a United States Air Force F-16 were inspired by this real life ride. Hear Linda Bond talk more about the making of Alive at Five in this
interview
. And check out the Alive at Five book trailer on the home page of
www.lindabond.com
.
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