No. Aggravation danced across her eyes. I wish it were, because I can promise you I wouldnt be here. I dont like being here.
Yeah, I know what you mean. Gabe made a sweeping glance around the room. I dont care much for it myself.
Leigh made the same sweeping glance, and when she finished, their eyes met, coming together until they held. Are you really my husband?
Well, this was one part of the conversation that he obviously couldnt put off. Not that it surprised him. If their situations were reversed, hed want to know the same thing. Afraid so. Youre not happy about that?
The jurys still out. Its hard to know if Im happy about it when I dont even know you. So, how long have we been married?
Ah, a test. Hed expected that, too. Four years, six months. He paused, thinking. And eighteen days.
He could have given her the hours if shed asked. Gabe cursed himself. It didnt please him that he could recall something so painful in such detail.
That long, she mumbled.
Yeah, that long. But half of that time shed been gone. Now, here she wasright back in his life. It had taken him too long to get over her the last time. Shed turned him upside down and hung him out to dry. He didnt want another dose of that.
Even with the dye job, she hadnt changed much. A little thinner. And maybe there was something different about her expression. The old Leigh had been so self-assured. Not now though. There was a good reason for that. After all, someone had tried to kill her. That murder attempt no doubt had something to do with what had brought her back to him. Fate working overtime again.
Sometimes fate didnt know which end was up.
Well, he wasnt about to buy into anything that dealt with fate.
She continued to stare at him as if sizing him up. Why didnt you say something earlier about being my husband?
There wasnt time. You were unconscious when I brought you here. He knew that wouldnt be the last of her questions, and he didnt have to wait long for her to verify that.
Leigh glanced at his hand. Why isnt either of us wearing a wedding ring?
Hell. The woman could certainly open old wounds. Gabe pulled the neck chain out of his T-shirt so she could see the simple gold band that it held. Im left-handed, and it catches on the holster. Im not sure where your ring is. Maybe it slipped off in the lake.
Or maybe shed thrown it away. He wouldnt put it past her. Obviously their marriage vows hadnt meant much to her. He couldnt say the same. And that was probably the only explanation he had for why he still wore his wedding ring. One thing was for sure, as soon as he got out of there, he planned to get rid of it. It was something he should have done months ago.
I have to go, Jinx announced, the sound of his voice slicing through the heavy silence. I need to update a few people about whats happened and try to figure out what were going to do. Gabe, you wait here with Leigh.
Of course. Gabe hadnt expected it to be any other way.
I should head out, too, Agent Walters added after checking her watch. She gave Gabes sleeve a tug. No improvising, all right?
Gabe didnt concur either verbally or otherwise. Nor did he disagree with the woman who was coleader of this so-called task force. He just kept his rebellious thoughts to himself. Ill walk you two out. He stood and looked down at Leigh. Stay put.
Her unbandaged eyebrow winged up. Do I have a choice?
No, he clarified over his shoulder.
I told you to be nice to her, Jinx said the moment they were outside the door. I told you to gain her trust.
Gabe wanted to laugh. I dont perform miracles.
No, but you will do your job.
Jinxs words hit him like a heavyweights fist, even though Gabe had tried to brace himself for it. And what exactly do you mean by that?
It means youll protect her until we can make other arrangements. There was no hesitation in Jinxs tone, and that tone drew a clear line between their friendship and his role as Gabes boss.
Gabe scrubbed his hand over his face. It means you want me to be her bodyguard.
If necessary, Teresa piped in. Jinx gave a nod of agreement.
It would be necessary. No doubt about it. That was the only way Gabe could see this playing out. Heck, if he hadnt been on the receiving end of this assignment, he might have even considered it a good idea.
There were just a couple of problems with this particular plan that Jinx and Teresa had come up with for him. It would mean hed have to spend a lot of time with his wife. A wife he didnt want. A wife who didnt want him. But she was also a vulnerable woman with a killer after her.
Hell.
Hed do what the Justice Department wanted him to do, and then he was out of there. Leigh could go back to whatever the hell shed been doing, and he would get on with his life. All he had to do was keep her alive, catch the bad guy and leave. Especially, leave.
There was no way hed allow himself to be drawn back into her life. No way.
LEIGH WAITED until Sanchez and the others walked out of the room. Stay put, she said, repeating the terse order hed just given her. As if I had a choice.