She caught the glance her friends made at each other. They were up to something or just knew something she didn’t. Either way, she wasn’t sure she liked it.
“My story is not important,” Luke said. “He won’t be in my life, and if he applies for me as his personal trainer, I’ll work him so hard, he’ll leave with his tail between his legs.”
They all laughed. She could imagine what that would look like. It might be fun to watch, although she would feel bad for this other Danny.
“So, Sweetheart,” Luke said, “what had you so winded? How many blocks did you walk?”
Embarrassed, she held up four fingers. “But,” she tried to justify, “I was running, not walking.”
Their eyes widened, and Laura took over. “Why were you running? Was someone following you? Do we need to call the—”
Moira held up her hand. “Stop, Laura. It’s okay. No police, no emergency.”
“Then why?” Luke asked.
How much to tell them? They didn’t know why she was in America, so she couldn’t bring that into the conversation. “I had two men following me.”
“Oh, girl, you have to be careful,” Luke advised.
“How’d you give them the slip?” Laura eyed her over her mug.
She hadn’t thought this through. Maybe she could skirt around it. “I ran into Sláinte, right into Danny’s chest, and two of the men he worked with. They hid me.”
Luke’s brows furrowed. “How?”
Taking a long drink of tea and trying not to show how it burned her throat going down, she looked at them both to gauge how the next words would go over. “Well, he kissed me.”
Laughter exploded from both her friends. “I knew it,” Laura said with glee.
“I told you first,” Luke said, in an attempt to claim the glory.
They sobered at the same time, which made her worry.
Luke looked at her, calm as day. “Let me get this right. Some men chase you and you escape into Slainté’s. Danny kisses you—which we’ll talk about how it was later—and you run again? Was Danny’s kiss that bad?”
Safety had foolishly been the last thing on her mind. She’d simply reacted in the moment—albeit badly—and had needed to get out of there. The question, though, dealt with the kiss. She’d been kissed before, but that kiss had blown her mind.
Knowing Luke really wanted an answer to the last question, she blurted, “It was the master of all kisses.” Her eyes widened at her disclosure.
“Oh, no,” Luke said, “You’re going to tell us all that mushy stuff.”
After being scared, relieved, feeling heated, almost dying and, finally, free and relaxed with her friends, surely, they could have this conversation. They shared Luke’s and Laura’s encounters. No rules existed except—nothing too personal or graphic. Although she had an inkling that Luke would have loved all the explicit details.
With a grin, she leaned back, bringing her calves under her, and began. “At first, I didn’t realize what he’d planned….”
Chapter Eighteen
Danny wanted to kick his own ass for allowing Moira to give him the slip. He’d waited for hours at his home, and when she hadn’t returned, he’d called Stone and felt guilty until he remembered Stone’s temporarily single situation. They’d have to get him out with the other agents. He could probably use their support.
When he’d installed the tracker in Moira’s purse, Stone had raised a brow but hadn’t questioned him. He knew using HIS equipment for personal use had to be cleared through Jesse or Devon, since they followed civilian laws when able. Besides, no one touched or approved the use of Devon’s equipment without his okay. Basically, Jesse, if he agreed, would tell you to go to Devon for his approval.
Stone’s voice sounded scratchy. Danny hated waking him at two in the morning, but Moira could be in the hands of some violent criminals. “Is this what you dragged me out of bed for?”
“The Underground might have her.”
“Shit. Give me time to get there and I’ll get it for you.”
He’d see where Stone found her and would decide from there. Some would say he was obsessed, but he wasn’t. It was only for her safety. Who the hell was he kidding? He wanted her as his friend and lover, and he was ready to say screw his brother’s claim.
Danny gritted his teeth as his stomach churned with the force of a tsunami. If the Underground had her—and he hoped they didn’t—they could no longer delay locating her. He didn’t believe it was the threat from Ireland, but he’d confirm after they found her and find her, they would.
Halting from his trek back and forth across the living room to the kitchen, he slapped his hands on the kitchen bar, dropped his head, and sighed. Fear of failure racked his body, almost paralyzing him from thinking, from doing. Closing his eyes, he felt the wetness behind his eyelids. He didn’t want to lose her. That night’s kiss meant something. It could be a turning point in their relationship.
Getting lost in his own thoughts, he jumped when his phone rang. Jackass, it’s just the phone.
Accepting the call, Stone started, “You know if Devon finds out about this, he is going to be pissed.”
In his heart, he knew that while he may get shit about it, once Devon heard her story, he’d help him. And why hadn’t he told him already? They’d all think Moira was safe based on the trail Justin had created. So, they’d say what he’d done was overkill and probably intrusive. He didn’t care. This was Moira. “Can you keep this quiet? You’ve been able to so far.”
“Yeah, but I haven’t logged on at this stupid hour for a non-op.”
Pinching his nose between his forefinger and thumb, he let
