“How’d it go?” Callahan sat back and folded his hands behind his head.
“It went. I’ve done all I can now. I’ve given Manny everything I collected on Tailor. And he’s got his people pulling together everything they collected in Sacramento.” He shook his head, still finding it hard to believe that a college professor was part of an international money laundering ring.
“What’s up?” Callahan asked.
“Nothing.”
Callahan smiled. “You did a good job. That’s all you need to know.”
“Thanks. I guess I just thought that fighting bad guys would involve criminals and warlords, not college professors.”
Callahan laughed. “You’re telling me you don’t think Tailor’s a criminal?”
“No! He’s an evil bastard and he deserves everything he gets.” He frowned. “Do you think he’ll manage to cut himself some kind of deal?”
“Our job is to bring them in. We don’t get to decide what happens to them.”
Ryan pursed his lips.
“And the look on your face explains why.” Callahan gave him a grim smile. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m with you. If we had our way, justice for guys like him would be swifter and more deadly. But we live in a civilized society. We hand them over to the legal system and our job is done.”
“Yeah. I suppose.”
“Lawyers are a different breed from us.” Callahan raised an eyebrow. “And speaking of lawyers, or at least law students …”
Ryan’s heart beat faster in his chest. He’d been waiting for this. Waiting for the time that Callahan would question him about what his plans were with Leanne now that the job here was done. “What about her?”
“That’s what I’m asking you. I’m giving you a couple of weeks. You need to take the final exam; you may as well get the qualification since you took the class. That techno stuff will no doubt be useful to you in the future. But after that, it’s time for us to move on.”
Ryan’s heart was hammering now. “Where to?”
Callahan held his gaze. “Back to DC.”
Ryan nodded. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to do. He knew that the sensible thing would be to stick with what he and Leanne had agreed to—to say goodbye. But he didn’t want to.
“I was hoping it’d be easy for you to walk away by now.”
Ryan gave him a rueful smile. “So was I.”
“But it’s not?”
He shook his head. He was hardly going to tell his boss that walking away from Leanne would be the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.
Callahan held his hands up. “I got nothing, Ryan. No words of advice. All I can do is remind you that if you keep this going with her, she’s your responsibility.”
“I know.” That weighed on him the heaviest. He couldn’t stand to think that someone might go after her because she was important to him.
“And don’t forget that it might limit your career options too.”
Ryan met his gaze.
“Like I told you, some people only want single guys on their teams.”
“Yeah. And don’t mind rearranging things so they get what they want. What does that even mean?”
“You don’t want to find out.”
Callahan’s phone rang and he reached for it. “Enjoy this last couple weeks here and think long and hard about it.”
Ryan nodded and let himself out. He already had thought long and hard about it. It seemed he hadn’t thought about much else. And now that the operation here was almost wrapped up, he’d have nothing else left to think about.
Leanne was trying to make it easy for him. She’d refused to talk about what would happen once the semester was over. He’d like to believe that she just wanted to stick to their original deal—that they’d be over and part as friends. But he knew better than that. She tried to hide it from him. Hell, she was trying to hide it from herself. But she was in as deep as he was.
He went back out into the main office and sat down at one of the computers to write up his report. He was tempted to call her, or at least text her and let her know he was back and that he couldn’t wait to see her. But he’d told her he’d go to her place tonight. He should wait until then.
It was seven-thirty by the time he parked the truck behind her building. He’d gotten the report done early, but Manny Alvarado had called to go over some of the details he needed for the warrant. Ryan and Callahan had ended up spending over an hour on a conference call with Manny and his team.
He cut the ignition and pulled his phone out. He should let her know he was here. He smiled to himself. No. He’d rather surprise her.
He closed his eyes as he rode the elevator up to her floor. Every time he stepped in here, he remembered that first weekend—the way he’d hit the emergency stop and taken her against the wall. The memory had him hard for her.
He hurried to her door and unlocked it. She’d given him a key weeks ago.
“Lee?” His heart hammered in his chest when she didn’t answer. A feeling of dread settled in his stomach. What if …?
The bedroom door opened, and she came out wearing just a towel, another wrapped around her head.
“Oh!” She jumped back about three feet as her hand came up to her mouth and her towel fell to the floor.
Jesus! She was gorgeous. He smiled as he went to her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He put his hands on her hips and pulled her against him. She was still damp from the shower. Her skin warm and pink and inviting. He nibbled his way over her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“That’s okay. I’m just glad it’s you.”
He frowned and straightened up. “What? You thought it might be someone else?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes! An intruder. Don’t go all jealous on me.”
He hugged her tight to his chest. “Sorry. I did.” It surprised the hell out of him, but his heart was hammering again and not in a good way this time. To think that she might … that another guy …
She was looking up into his eyes. “Problem?”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah. I have a problem with the thought of you being with someone else.”
The little crease in her forehead warned him that she didn’t like that. But he couldn’t help it. She needed to know.
“Well, I’m not with someone else. You just misunderstood. I wouldn’t have had you down as the jealous type.”
He lowered his head and nipped her lips. “Then you need to get to know me better. I am.” It was true. He hadn’t known it himself until tonight. He’d had glimpses of it when he’d been out with her and seen the way other guys ogled her. But it hadn’t been as strong as it felt right now. He mouthed his way down her neck and loved the way her body sagged against him. “I’m jealous when it comes to you.” He closed his hands around her warm, naked ass. “And I’m possessive. You’re mine.”