When she quickly turned to him, she nodded with a sweet smile.
Cowboy’s movement caught his eye. His friend leaned back in his seat, taking a finger to lift his cowboy hat. “Yep, the master.”
Chapter Sixteen
Although he’d rather be with Moira, Danny met with Cowboy and Doc for after-hours drinks. After Cowboy asked the server for another round for the three of them, he turned to Danny. “Why the hell aren’t you with that pretty little thing? Last night she said she’d date you.”
Danny remembered that also. However, it’d kept him awake most of the night worrying about his brother. He wanted Moira, but he didn’t want to go behind his brother’s back, who couldn’t be here, especially because he’d left to make her safer. “I need to talk to my brother first,” he admitted.
“Screw your brother,” Cowboy asserted. “He’s not here. He left her with you.”
“Exactly. He left her in my care. Not to steal her away.” And that’d be what he was doing since they had no idea when Justin might return. Or, if he’d make it home. Justin was playing a dangerous game that Danny wished he wasn’t. Bringing their father’s killer to justice wasn’t worth his brother’s life. But to steal his girl during the process, that would make him a massive asshole.
“Ask him,” Doc suggested, “next time you chat with him. Heck, ask her. Things may not be as serious as you think.”
What would Moira say? He’d hate for her to say she’d date both him and his brother. He’d also hate to hear she broke up with Justin to date him. The man who was present. That would be like a kick to the gut. “No, it needs to be my brother.” That was the only right way to settle the matter. Exactly how he’d code that in a secure message, he didn’t know.
“What do you think of the newbies?” Under his breath, Cowboy said, “Damn Russian spies.”
Danny chuckled but worried at the animosity Cowboy had for John and Jane. What ridiculous names, John and Jane Smith. So phony. Yet, he guessed using their real names with the government wouldn’t have worked. Too many doors would’ve been shut on them before they had the chance to step inside.
“And a munitions expert,” Cowboy grumbled, after taking a hefty swig of his beer. “I’m the munitions expert on our team.” He took another swig.
“He’s not here to take your spot. He’s primarily a sharpshooter. Heck, they’re only temporary anyhow.”
Cowboy brightened at that. “They are, aren’t they? Pity. That Jane is one fine woman.”
Danny decided to ignore that comment. “You need to be prepared. The brothers plan to put two munitions experts on each team. Two of everything if they can do it.” Here he sat with Doc whose specialty was evident by his name and Cowboy who was their explosive ordinance expert. Again, he brought nothing to the group. Maybe he should learn explosives and be another expert on the team. No, he had no desire to blow himself up with his own stupidity. He was an interrogator. Yet, everyone had some interrogation skills, so he wasn’t all that special. Maybe if he could convince himself to fly again….
“We’ll have larger teams then,” Doc said. “But I heard they won’t have two medics on each team.”
Setting his beer down on the table, Danny said, “Maybe we’ll get someone with more experience than Stone.”
“Stone has no experience. He’s a computer geek.” Cowboy laughed.
“He did slide right into the job at HQ.” Danny finished his beer. “Ready?”
Beer mugs hit the table, and the three men stood. As they made to exit the Irish Pub with Danny in the lead, someone bolted in the door, right into his chest, almost knocking him down.
“Moira.”
“Hide me,” she insisted. “Two men,” she said between raspy breaths, “chasing me.”
Without pause, Danny moved them away from the entrance toward the rear door of the pub. Before they made it, Cowboy said, “Tallyho,” noting he’d caught sight of the potential threat. The men had entered. “Showbiz,” Cowboy suggested.
Danny agreed to the protective tactic Cowboy had designed and recommended. They were inside, had no weapons and, whenever possible, they would peacefully neutralize a threat when they had an innocent with them. And they had no idea if the men who’d entered had weapons. So, he played along with Cowboy’s suggestion. One, because it was a smart idea, and two, because he wanted the excuse to kiss her. And that’s what he’d be doing. He turned her with her back facing the wall and whispered, “Play along.”
Wide-eyed, she nodded.
He pulled her close and kissed her. Not with all the pent-up desire for her since he had to retain some focus and perspective about what was happening around him. They only had to pull off lovers who’d had a bit too much to drink and were making out. Yet he wanted so much more.
Her mouth opened under his and either she was a great actress, or she wanted the kiss as much as he did. Their tongues mated in the age-old song of passion. Her arms entwined around his neck, pulling them so close even a breath wouldn’t have been able to slip through between them.
As expected, his cock thickened, wanting to take this make-out session to the next level.
Vaguely, he heard the men tell someone to step away, acting like bodyguards protecting one or both of their privacies. They assured the men they hadn’t seen a woman run though, especially since their job was to see that their boss was not disturbed, not to watch for stray women. Cowboy laughed and told them unless she was hot, then their boss might want to meet her tomorrow night. He was set for tonight.
After a few more minutes, someone tapped his shoulder. “Okay, Ball Park, we’re set.”
Reluctantly, he pulled back from Moira’s soft lips and stared down at her with his ragged breathing.
