her knees gave way with a light tremble.
But instead of doing the expected, his lips veered off to press against her ear. His warm breath sent shivers coursing through her, but it was the dark, husky words that had heat curling in her belly.
“And I rarely miss an opportunity.”
As they moved determinedly on toward the check-in desk, Kensington could only muster up one thought.
Point, Mr. Andrews.
* * *
Whatever sexual innuendo had threaded through their travel to Rome, all evidence of it had vanished two hours later as she and Jack sat with the head of the Italian Special Forces assigned to the Tierra Kimber case. Dante Ferrero had the swarthy good looks of his countrymen, set off by a blazing pair of blue eyes that, Kensington was quite sure, had set the hearts of his fellow countrywomen on fire since his youth.
Despite the man’s attractive features and intense focus, she couldn’t help comparing him to Jack. Where Dante’s appeal was nearly blinding upon first notice, Jack’s was more subtle. And far more predatory.
He had a masculine grace that was unexpected in a man with such a large frame. And where it would be easy to assume Jack’s power lay in his ability to use blunt force, it was actually his more subtle approach—and shockingly sharp intellect—that were the real weapons in his arsenal.
The man was lethal.
And she suspected far too many enemies had learned that lesson a moment too late.
Pulling herself from her reverie, she flipped once more through the briefing packet Dante had given each of them. She needed to shake off whatever fanciful notions had gripped her and get her damn head in the game. Jack Andrews was just a man. A powerful one, yes, but a man all the same.
So why couldn’t she keep herself from adding up the various attributes that continued to intrigue her beyond measure?
Focusing on work—the age-old remedy for pushing problems to the back of one’s mind—she turned to Dante. “Mr. Ferrero, you and your team continue to maintain Ambassador Pryce is using his position to move diamonds and, based on this dossier, likely drugs, as well. Those are serious charges. I must ask again why you simply don’t have him removed from his position. The Italian government is well within its right to do so.”
“The benefit of getting to the bottom of the corruption outweighs the potential political embarrassment.” Dante paused briefly, as if weighing his words, before adding, “The highest leaders of the Republic are in accord on this matter.”
“But what if he’s innocent?”
Dante smiled, but the gesture never reached the icy blue of his eyes. “Ever the optimist, Miss Steele?”
“I prefer to think of myself as practical and pragmatic. I rarely have reason to be optimistic in my line of work.”
The smile broadened and she sensed an underlying approval in his response. “As Mr. Andrews and I discussed yesterday before your trip to Italy, we’ve let the ambassador know you both will be joining his security detail. He has no reason to think this is anything beyond routine.”
“And he asked no questions?”
“Your reputations precede you both. Ambassador Pryce is delighted to make your acquaintance.” Dante nodded slightly. “Yours in particular, Ms. Steele.”
Jack’s grip on the papers tightened before he leaned forward. “The ambassador does understand we’re there as hired employees.”
“Of course. But Ms. Steele’s reputation is quite...distinguished.”
“As an expert in her field, no doubt.”
Jack’s ready defense opened another soft spot and Kensington fought to keep the discussion on point. “If Pryce knows what my firm is capable of, he must be curious as to why we’ve been hired, too. Especially as it’s really Mr. Andrews who’s been given the job.”
“Not at all. As I said, the ambassador and his staff have been informed the matter is routine and that senior-level intelligence is being added to his security detail. I think you would call it a ‘special assignment.’” Dante hesitated—if she’d not been watching him so closely she’d have missed it. “Again, I must stress, he is delighted you will be there, Miss Steele. Your grandfather’s reputation in international circles is well-known and well respected. Further, the details of your beauty have not been exaggerated. Pryce will be delighted to make your acquaintance.”
Although she suspected Dante believed he was delivering a compliment, Kensington fought the urge to leap across the desk and throttle him. “I’m hardly here as an escort to the ambassador, Mr. Ferrero. Rather, I’m a paid operative who can either save his ass or put it in a sling. I understand the latter option’s not been made clear to the ambassador, but I certainly I hope it’s crystal clear to you.”
Dante nodded. “As clear as the waters of Lake Como.”
“Excellent. I’m glad we understand each other.”
While the flash of male posturing—and the clear frustration lingering in the tight lines of Dante’s mouth—wasn’t lost on her, she’d learned early how to make a hasty retreat. She suspected the good inspector wasn’t immune to concern for his team member, so she’d start there. “How is Marco? We’d like to speak with him if we may.”
“It can be arranged but it’s possible you won’t get many details at this point. As of this morning, his medical team has confirmed that he continues to lapse in and out of consciousness.”
“Have you accounted for the ambassador’s whereabouts on the morning of the attack?” Jack waved the slender file Dante had shared. “Nothing’s been updated here since late last week.”
“Yes.” Dante pulled another piece of paper from a slim folder on his desk. “We also have been monitoring both him and his key staff members for the past three months.”
“Is that why the assignment’s changed since your original outreach?”
Dante’s eyes widened at the question. “I’m sorry, Miss Steele. I don’t understand your meaning.”
“The request you put to both my firm and Mr. Andrews’s firm was to provide security detail to a high-ranking diplomat. Yet here we are, tasked to find intelligence on the same diplomat. None of that was in your original request.”
“Are you suggesting there is a problem?” The clipped tones were cold. Why was this the piece that pushed him over the edge? Any hint of politeness had vanished from both his tone and manner.
Deliberately ignoring the censure, Kensington pressed on. “I’m suggesting you purposely withheld information as our firms bid on the project. I’d like to understand why.”
Dante sat back, the dismissive move screaming his meaning far louder than his words. “Perhaps Mr. Andrews hasn’t found the proper partner for this assignment.”
Before she could respond, Jack stood. “I’ve found the right partner. No need to worry about that.”
Dante never moved from his seat.
