Ah, there you go, Samantha. Setting yourself up with a man you know you can’t have. That’s so classic of you. It’s a protective instinct, and you know it. You don’t want to risk actually giving your heart to anyone, so you focus on someone you can’t have. Self-destructive. You’ve got to stop that... She could practically hear Cameron’s voice in her head.
And she could see him opening her front door. “Cam, no—”
Too late.
Cameron frowned and said, “Who the hell are you?”
“About to ask the same question,” came Blake’s curt response.
She hurried toward them. Samantha locked her hand around Cameron’s shoulder and pulled him back. “Cameron, this is my partner, Blake Gamble.”
Blake’s gaze was on her hand. On the hand that she realized was clutching Cameron’s shoulder a little too hard. And her partner...he looked pissed.
Samantha swallowed and met his gleaming stare. “Blake, this is my friend, Cameron Latham.”
“Dr. Cameron Latham.”
Her gaze jerked toward him.
Cameron flashed a shark’s grin as he offered his hand to Blake. “The partner... I was wondering about you.”
Oh, shit. She could feel her cheeks burn.
Blake took the offered hand, shook it once. But his attention barely stayed on Cameron for even a moment longer before that gleaming stare was back on her, raking over her body. “Didn’t mean to...interrupt.” Again, pissed was the word that came to mind for her.
“You didn’t.” She pulled her hand away from Cameron’s shoulder. “Cameron saw the news and he came by to check on me.”
“That’s what friends do,” Cameron murmured.
She rolled her eyes at him. Was he baiting Blake? Sure seemed that way. “Come inside, okay?” No sense having this chat in the doorway. She turned, not looking to see if they followed her. “I’d been meaning to introduce you two, anyway.”
Samantha heard the click as the door shut. The floor creaked behind her.
“I realized Samantha was working with a new partner,” Cameron said, “but she was being a bit...reserved with details about you.”
She sat down on the bar stool near her kitchen counter. “Do you want some wine, Blake?” Now she glanced at him.
“Looks like I interrupted,” he muttered. “Sorry.” His expression was guarded.
Cameron slapped him on the back. “I think you do deserve some wine. After all, you helped to save the girl today, too. What a noble thing to do. True blue.” His head cocked as he studied Blake. “Are you the heroic sort? I guess you must be...since you’re an FBI agent and all.”
“Cameron,” Samantha warned. “Trust me, he doesn’t want to be profiled.”
Cameron laughed. “Tried that, did you?”
Blake’s attention shifted to Cameron. “You’re a profiler, too?”
“Oh, good Lord, no. I’m a professor at Georgetown.” He shrugged. “But my PhD is in psychology so I guess I do know a few things about the twisted paths that minds can take.” He smiled. “Samantha and I shared that passion, you see. We always like to know what makes people tick.”
“Do you now...” Not really a question from Blake.
But Cameron nodded. “Our minds are interesting. So complex. Take Samantha, for example. I know the way she thinks. Her first kill as an FBI agent. It wouldn’t have been easy for her. She would have blamed herself. Would have wanted to punish herself. Why didn’t she save George Farris? Why didn’t she aim for his shoulder or his leg? In that split second, why didn’t she make another choice?”
“You aren’t helping,” Blake growled.
Samantha’s stomach felt hollow. Why didn’t I?
Cameron blinked. “Samantha had to protect herself. Self-preservation is one of the strongest human motivators out there.”
She could hear the clock ticking again. The tension in the room was uncomfortable. Too high. Too thick.
“Samantha hasn’t mentioned your name to me,” Blake said suddenly.
Cameron’s eyes tightened, just the faintest bit. “Then you must not know her very well yet.”
Hell. This mess was the last thing she needed. “I’m tired,” Samantha said, rising from the bar stool. I will kick both of their asses out. After her day, she wasn’t in the mood to deal with testosterone overload. “Thanks for the wine, Cameron, but I’m really done for the night.”
He nodded. “Understandable.” He walked to her and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “If you need me, just call.”
Right. “Thanks.”
“I can see myself out.”
He always did.
Cameron gave a little nod toward Blake. “Agent...interesting to meet you. I’m sure our paths will cross again.”
“Count on it,” Blake said, the words almost a warning. He stood near the counter, just a few feet away from Samantha. He showed no sign of moving.
But Cameron left. He strode toward the door, even locked it behind him as he left.
Her breath whispered out. “It’s been a long day...” Samantha began.
“Yeah, I know.” His expression wasn’t as hard. No more anger. Just... Blake. “My place is two streets over. I came by because I wanted, I needed to see for myself that you were okay.”
“I’m a lot tougher than I look,” Samantha said. “Promise.”
“I have no doubt about that. I was the one who was worried.”
“You don’t need to be.”
He moved closer to her, a gliding, stalking movement. Her shoulders tensed.