Where was she?
He found her talking to one of the HRT guys. She was dressed in another black pantsuit with the sleeves rolled up, blue, beaded bracelet adorning her wrist. Combined with the shoulder holster and long hair pinned up in a messy bun, the woman looked hot as hell.
Dominic was friendly with most of the team even if there was some residual institutionalized rivalry between these two sections of the Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG). HRT and SWAT guys were the tip of the spear when it came to the Federal Government’s toolbox, but at the end of the day everyone wanted to go home. Negotiators helped end standoffs nonviolently when at all possible and after the debacles of Ruby Ridge and Waco—thank you, ATF, for those fuck ups—the FBI had been authorized by Congress to use peaceful means to end sieges when at all possible.
Dominic walked over and nodded to the guy and recognized the male glint of interest in the agent’s eyes. The guy was hot for Kanas and probably trying to get her number.
Who wouldn’t?
Dominic remembered reaching out and touching Ava’s cheek in the small hours and mentally winced. The touch had settled something deep inside him. And she hadn’t flinched away like she had on the roof the day of Van’s funeral—he still didn’t know where she’d gotten that damn scar, but he’d find out eventually. Dominic had had to clamp down on the desire to draw her close and tuck her in beside him. Who knew what would have happened then. In his imagination some scorching hot sex where they both got off multiple times. She’d probably lain on the mattress terrified all night.
“Morning.” He greeted them both. “Thanks for breakfast,” he said to Ava, finishing off the sandwich and crumpling the wrapper with one hand.
“Any progress with the prisoners?” the HRT agent asked him.
“I got out of bed five minutes ago so you probably know more than me.” His voice came out a little sharp, which he did not need. “Ava, can I have a word?”
Her hazel eyes went wide. She thought she was in trouble. “Of course.”
A small smile twisted the HRT agent’s mouth, and he backed away out of earshot. He knew why Dominic was snarky. Fucker.
“So about last night—”
Her eyes went massive. “I am so sorry—”
“Why the hell are you sorry?”
“Because you must think I’m a freak to have been staring at you like that.”
Dominic blinked. He hadn’t even thought about it which was odd considering how rarely he slept so close to another person. “That’s not it. I was going to apologize for touching your face.”
“My face?” Ava touched her cheek in the same place he had last night. The graze had healed well with just a small, brown scab marking the spot.
“I realize I overstepped what is probably considered appropriate boundaries.” His face heated. He hadn’t been this humiliated since he’d woken up in bed with Suzanna after a drunken hookup he couldn’t even remember.
Lines appeared between her brows as her forehead crinkled. “I didn’t think you touching my face was inappropriate.” She sounded confused by the idea. “Maybe it depends on whether or not the other person wants to be touched?” Her cheeks filled with the same amount of color as his, and she went to take a step back, but there was a wall behind her.
Compelled by the need to know, he stepped closer and lowered his voice. “And did you? Want to be touched?”
She met his gaze then, hazel eyes warm, vulnerable, tentative. “Yes.”
He swallowed his shock at her honest admission and the hint she might have welcomed more. Yet it shouldn’t have surprised him. Ava Kanas was unflinchingly honest.
“Look, Dominic, there’s something I need to tell—”
“Sheridan!” Another member of HRT yelled at him from the corner of the prison building. “You’re needed in the command center ASAP.”
Dominic squeezed her arm briefly, keeping everything strictly professional to the casual observer even though his blood was pumping erratically through his veins. “Tell me later. I need to get back to the negotiation room.”
Ava pushed off the wall to follow.
He gave her a quizzical glance. “You don’t need to be trapped in there all day. Work in the trailer.”
“Charlotte and Eban need to rest.” Her mouth turned down. “Plus, it’s my job to watch your back, remember?”
Dominic’s mood plummeted. She was right and had reminded him of another reason why even thinking of getting tangled up with Ava Kanas on a personal level was a terrible idea. It didn’t stop him imagining the taste of her mouth the entire way into the building. Or from seeing the smooth curve of her naked shoulders. As soon as he entered the prison doors, however, he shoved distraction to one side.
Charlotte and Eban were headed towards him down the corridor. Both looked strained with exhaustion.
“Any progress?”
Eban shook his head. “We kept them talking for most of the night, but the HTs are getting more and more strained. They’re tired. Milo still won’t talk to us. We suggested sending his medication in via the ductwork and they went for it. No idea if Milo actually took the drugs or faked it. He might fear they’re sedatives.”
“Were they?” Dominic asked.
“Not this time,” Eban smiled ruefully. “Figured we’d try and win a little trust first time around.”
“Go get some food and sleep.” Dominic checked his watch. “I’ll radio you if I need you.” Cell service was blocked, so they used small radios instead.
The two walked sleepily off into the sunshine, and Dominic headed down to the Command Center to find the Incident Commander.
“You better wait outside,” he told Ava when they reached the door. He didn’t want to draw attention to her or explain his own situation of being in danger. None of this was about him.
Inside he found the Incident Commander, SAC Hamner, talking to Kurt Montana, the tactical commander from HRT.
“Any progress?” the IC asked.