Power zinged through her. She felt his body jolt as the wave rolled through him as well. Without thinking, almost without any awareness of it at all, she reached out to him the way she did when she healed. He became Dust swirling, blood surging, heartbeat increasing heat. She could feel his answer as he did the same. Dust moved low within her, curling and gathering in her belly and back.
He tugged his hand free from where she’d captured it and slid it around to her back, pulling her closer. He pressed his hand to her lower back, and her Dust darted to him in a cloud of energy, then flashed out, spreading rapidly through her to flare and pop everywhere they were in contact, at groin, and chest, and mouth. She shuddered again.
It was delicious. It was dangerous. She wanted this more than she’d wanted anything. But even as she leaned into the kiss, he pulled his mouth from hers, leaning back to put space between them.
“Lena,” he said, his voice rough, “if we keep doing this, we won’t stop.”
Her head nodded, tiny movements signaling her agreement. “Okay,” she said aloud, dazed. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and she leaned in again, wrapping her legs around him so he couldn’t keep pulling away.
“We can’t. Someone’s going to walk in.”
“So go close the door.” She blinked at his expression. “What? Are you scared of being caught with me?”
He looked away and gave a pained laugh before nodding several times. “Absolutely.”
She frowned. He was serious. “I’m trying to imagine sober, sensible Jackson Lee scared of anyone.”
“Huh. Doesn’t take much trying. I’m scared of you.”
“I’m scary?”
“You are terrifying.”
“Really?” She leaned in, grinning wide, determined to cajole him into going and closing the damn door. She nipped at his lip as she purred, “How so?”
“Hmmm,” a familiar husky voice interjected from the other end of the room, “I don’t think there’s enough time left in the morning for Jackson to complete that list.”
Jackson leaped back as if she’d scalded him. He didn’t turn, and his hands had come up to frame his forehead.
She sat back. Reyes stood in the doorway, long and lean, with his hands in his pockets and his chin down.
She hadn’t seen him in more than six weeks. She wasn’t prepared for the jolt as her Dust recognized him. Already excited by what she’d been doing with Jackson, the Dust raged through her, battering her inside. She swallowed and sent angry demands that it stop.
I don’t even like that man!
The Dust ignored the lie. Lena clenched her teeth and squeezed her legs together, tightening her back against the onslaught. She would not respond.
“Reyes.” It was all the greeting he’d get. Her perfect maple syrup and make-out mood had soured. She could feel her face sliding into cold, unhappy lines. Damn her body anyway for responding to him more strongly than it had to Jackson. What the hell was that about?
“Well,” he said, “if that isn’t the damnedest transformation ever.” His dark, displeased face turned to Jackson, who slowly moved to face the older agent. They remained on the younger man, steady and evaluating. “I thought Thomas spoke to you about this?”
“Spoke about what?” She looked from Reyes to Jackson.
“He did, sir. I apologize. Just—” Jackson shook his head. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Take care of what?”
Jackson looked away, shaking his head.
Reyes gave a strangled, disparaging laugh and shrugged. “Nothing, Lena.” He cocked his finger at them. “C’mon. We’re gonna be late. It’s my day off, and I don’t want to waste the whole day here.” He turned and stalked down the hall, his back stiff.
Jackson started after Reyes then paused to wait for her. He still wouldn’t meet her eyes. As soon as she hopped down from the desk, Jackson followed Reyes out. She trailed along behind him. What had just happened?
She wasn’t in any hurry to catch up. She didn’t know what was going on with Jackson, and she had no desire to engage Reyes any more than necessary. Lena had spent enough time examining her feelings to understand the source of her attraction, as well as her resentment. Reyes had been there. He had worked hard to keep her safe from the bad acts and intentions of the Council of Nine. When his plan had gone bad, he hadn’t given up or walked away, he’d remained at her side, witnessing it all, and waiting for the opportunity to free her. He had kept his word to her. And after he had, he’d had no way to know he was taking her to the one place guaranteed to awaken all of her childhood fears. Intellectually, she understood.
But emotionally…every time she saw him, her teeth set and her shoulders tightened. She had trusted him. Doing so had cost her mother her life. As if that loss wasn’t enough, Reyes had brought her to the school her father had told her wasn’t safe, to the people he had insisted could never be trusted. Then he’d abandoned her. Mission accomplished. Outcome produced. He was done factoring that particular equation.