“Yeah,” Spence said with a laugh. “And that’s your problem. You fell in love with her.”
“Spoken by someone who knows all too well what it’s like to fall in love while on assignment,” Jessie teased.
Spence nodded. “You got me pegged, darlin’. In fact, my lady is waiting for me at home. My paperwork is done, Grange. I’m outta here.” Spence pivoted, but stopped and half turned. “Rick, trust me. If you love her, go tell her. The ache doesn’t go away.”
“I don’t love her.” But he couldn’t look at any of them when he said it, because that was his problem. He couldn’t stop thinking about Ava, couldn’t get her face out of his mind. He didn’t like the way he’d left her, the things he’d said to her. He’d hurt her. It was wrong.
“All of you, go find something to do. You, come with me.” Grange motioned to Rick. And when Grange commanded, you went.
The rest of the team scattered, and Rick followed Grange into his office. The general shut the door and they took seats in front of the general’s desk.
“Okay, so this Ava Vargas. You love her?”
Leave it to Grange to be direct. “I don’t know.”
“Then go find out.”
“She was an assignment. She doesn’t even know who I really am.”
“Then go tell her.”
“Her lifestyle isn’t conducive to—”
“Boy, quit drumming up excuses. You guys had shit for upbringings, and very little love in your lives when you were younger. If it comes to you now, don’t spit in its face. Now get on your bike, go back to Las Vegas, and see if you can find a way to make it work with this woman.”
And just like that, it all fell together. Grange was right. “Yes, sir.”
The fresh air of campus had done a lot to clear her head. Seeing the colorful trees lining the sidewalks, stopping at a bench to eat lunch and soak up the fall weather all helped keep her mind off Rick. Spending time at the library and working with the counseling office to investigate different schools’ Ph.D. programs kept her busy enough that Rick didn’t creep into her mind until she crawled into bed at night. Only then did his face appear before her, only then did her mind dredge up memories of his hands on her, his mouth on her. Only then did her heart ache from missing him.
So she spent as much time as possible on campus, and she went to the gym for a couple hours every day, hoping by the time she fell into bed at night she’d be physically and mentally exhausted.
Her backpack filled with brochures and laden down with her laptop, she took a brisk walk from the library on her way to the administration building, breathing in the crisp air.
She paused when she heard the revving sounds of a motorcycle approaching behind her, sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, and shook off the moment of melancholy.
The bike would pass her shortly, and so would the feeling of loss.
The bike slowed as it approached behind her. She waited for it to turn at the nearby corner.
Go away. I don’t want to hear you. I don’t want to think about him.
She heard the bike’s throttle revving as it drew closer, closer. Unable to help herself, she turned, her heart leaping as Rick pulled up alongside her.
He parked just ahead of her, climbed off his bike, and removed his helmet, shaking out his dark hair.
He looked so damn good dressed in black leather chaps and matching jacket she wanted to melt right there on the cement walkway. She licked her lips, parched for a taste of him, for his touch.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as he stepped up to her.
He didn’t say a word, just pulled her into his arms and kissed her, a kiss filled with longing, with passion, that spoke volumes without him needing to say a word. He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her backpack off her shoulders so he could hold her closer. She moaned, felt like she was home again as she moved into his embrace, as his tongue swept in and found hers. And when he finally broke the kiss, she was out of breath, panting from shock and excitement and wonder.
“My name is Rick Benetti and I work undercover for the United States government. We’re called the Wild Riders, a special group of operatives. Not many people know who we are, because we work special projects for the government. I was assigned to keep an eye on you because of who your father is. My assignment didn’t include kissing you, touching you, making love to you, or falling in love with you, but I did all of those.”
Stunned speechless, Ava could only look at him, and listen, her heart rejoicing at what he said.
“I can’t tell you how bad I feel about what I said to you that night at the apartment. Part of it was needing to retain my cover. The other part was fear. No one has ever loved me before, Ava. I didn’t know how to handle it and I didn’t handle it well at all. I’m sorry. I hurt you and I know it and I feel like an ass**le. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t slept since I left you.”
She smiled. “That does make me feel a little better.”
“There’s a hole inside me without you. I hurt when I’m not with you. And I think that’s what love is all about. It means you hurt when you’re not with the person you love.”
She let the tears fall down her cheeks. She laid her hand on his chest, felt the strong beat of his heart. “Love is a scary thing. It’s risky.”
“I know. I’m afraid. I’ve never told anyone that before in my life.”
“I’m afraid too, Rick. But you’re worth the risk.”
“So are you.”
He pulled her against him again, kissed her breathless again, and when she no longer felt the chill in the air, when she began to sweat under her jacket, she pulled away, licked her lips, and swallowed hard.
He swept his knuckles against her cheek. “God, I missed you. Can we go to your place, because if I can’t get my dick inside you within the next ten minutes I might push you up against the tree here and f**k you.”
She laughed, and her body swelled with arousal at the thought of him taking her right here in front of the administration building. “I might like that.”
His eyes flashed heat. “Don’t tempt me.”
She’d like to tempt him, but her need for him was as great as his for hers. She grabbed his hand. “Come on.”
Fortunately, she lived right down the street from the campus. They hopped on his bike and were there a couple minutes later. Ava fumbled with the keys to the front door, but managed to open it with shaky hands. Rick pushed her inside, shut the door, dropped her backpack, and turned her around, his mouth on hers before she could draw her next breath.