“Morning. And it’s Darcy.”
He nodded. “How can I help you?”
Part of her wanted to forget it. To just go back into the house and wait until all this was over. But a stronger voice in her head told her that she couldn’t wait much longer without going crazy. She had to start doing something.
“I want to draw the vineyard this morning,” she said, holding up her sketch pad. “I’m guessing it will take about an hour.”
“Okay. Give me a second.” He picked up a walkie-talkie and spoke into it.
No doubt getting permission, she thought glumly. What if they said no?
Before she could decide on a course of action, she felt a slight prickling between her shoulder blades. She turned and saw Joe coming out of the house.
Contradictory emotions warred within her. Part of her wondered why she couldn’t spend five minutes alone outside of her bedroom. Another part of her acknowledged that if someone had to disturb the quiet, she wouldn’t mind if it was Joe.
“You’re up early,” she said.
“Old habits,” he told her.
She waited for him to comment on her being awake as well, but he didn’t. Instead he nodded at the pad and pencils.
“Hoping for inspiration?” he asked.
“I was, but it’s turning out to be a big deal.”
The Secret Service agent put down the walkie-talkie. “Okay, I’m ready,” he said, then spoke into his ever- present wrist communicator. “Pigeon is leaving. Repeat, Pigeon is leaving.”
Joe raised his eyebrows.
“Don’t say it,” Darcy told him. “My father is Falcon, my sister is Swan, and I’m Pigeon. Does the Secret Service have a sense of humor or what?”
Joe stepped toward the other man. “Why don’t you stay here,” he told him. “I’ll go with our bird friend while she draws.”
The agent frowned. “I’m supposed to be with Ms. Jensen, ah, Darcy, as protection.”
“Check with Paige,” Joe said. “She’ll clear it.” Then, without waiting for approval, he returned to Darcy’s side and pointed toward the vineyard. “Let’s go.”
“Pretty smooth,” she said when they were out of earshot and walking through vines heavy with grapes. “You said to contact Paige, not Alex, knowing she’s the softer touch.”
“Uh-huh.”
“What makes you think it’s easier for me to have you along than the other agent?”
“I don’t call you Ms. Jensen.”
She smiled. “Good point.” And in truth, she didn’t mind having Joe around.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“Not a clue. We’ll walk until I find inspiration.”
They continued walking, she in front, he right behind. Dew spattered her arms and soaked her jeans. There was a peacefulness to the quiet, and a sense of safety. As if nothing bad could ever happen here.
At the other end of that plot of grapes they found a narrow dirt track. Darcy paused to survey the miles of grapes and a cluster of trees to the west.
“That way,” she said, pointing. As they followed the path, they were able to walk side by side.
“I talked to my sister last night,” she said. “They’re holding her on some farm in the Midwest. She’s surrounded by cornfields. When I told her about the wine, she was very jealous.”
Joe looked at her. “You shouldn’t discuss your location, even on a secure line.”
Darcy grinned. She liked messing with him-it was a little like pulling a tiger’s tail-dangerous but very exhilarating.
“You think?” she asked with a grin. “Don’t worry, my little SEAL friend. I told her I was in Washington state. They make wine there, too. But as you’re a part of all this, I’m guessing you already know that.”
He shrugged.
She studied him. “How much, exactly, do you know about wine?”
“I’m a beer drinker myself.”
She winced. “That can’t be good. Aren’t you interested in wine?”
“No.”
“But it’s your heritage. It’s in your blood.”
“I want salt water in my blood.”
The man was nothing if not consistent, she thought. Still, to have so much right there for the taking. “I envy you,” she said quietly. “It’s just my father, my sister, and me. And I don’t get along all that well with Mr. President.” For reasons she had never discussed with anyone. “Which means it’s pretty much Lauren and me. We’re close, although we’re not that much alike. She’s perfect and I’m-”
As she spoke, she stumbled on a loose rock in the road. Before she could catch her balance on her own, Joe grabbed her arm and pulled her upright.
They stood there, in the center of the road, his hand on her arm, his fingers touching bare skin. They were close enough for her to feel the heat from his body and his slow, steady breathing. She could see the various colors of brown that colored his irises and the faint scar on the edge of his jaw.
Her stomach clenched in anticipation, which was crazy. Nothing was going to happen.
But for the moment, that single heartbeat of time, she wanted it to. She wanted him to…oh, who knew. Kiss her? Say something sweet? She wasn’t particularly picky, as long as he acknowledged the connection between them.
But he didn’t, and she started to feel awkward. She pulled free of his grasp.
“Obviously Lauren is the perfect one,” she said with a laugh that didn’t exactly sound real. “I’m the clumsy one.”
“You’re still not sleeping.”
“I know. Some. A little.”
“Hardly at all.”
Annoyance replaced her awareness of him. “Haven’t we already had this particular conversation? If you recall, it didn’t end well.”
“If the objective isn’t achieved on the first mission, the team doesn’t give up.”
She glared at him. “There are so many things wrong with that statement, I don’t know where to begin. For one thing, you’re not a team, and I’m sure as hell not a mission.”
He shifted uncomfortably. “You know what I mean.”
“I do, and it’s insulting.”
“Darcy, you can’t avoid what happened forever. It’s not going away until you deal with it. The longer you wait the harder it gets.”
She didn’t want to hear that. She wanted to continue to think that the fear would one day just be gone.
“Go away,” she said, turning her back on him.
He put his hand on her shoulder and moved her until they were facing each other again. “No can do. Look, I understand. You think I don’t, but you’re wrong. I’ve been scared and alone and bad things have happened to me, too. I can help.”
She refused to cooperate. Instead of speaking, she pressed her lips together.
He looked at her. “You’re stubborn.”
“It’s one of my best qualities.”
“Want to take a poll on that?” He lowered his hand from her shoulder and sighed heavily. “Here’s the thing,” he said. “I’ve had years of training and experience. You didn’t have any. When I walk into a dangerous situation I expect trouble, but you were just minding your own business at the mall. Those bastards grabbed you with no warning, and the people whose job it is to protect you screwed up. They weren’t there and they didn’t notice. You were totally and completely alone.”
She honestly hadn’t believed anyone could understand what it had been like, but with a few words, he showed
