Vivian Arend - High Passion

“No problem. Bonus? I got to have all the covers for most of the night.” He winked, then pushed her toward her seat. “Tonight I get to warm you up, right? Or you know, you could crawl in between us.”

“Stop flirting and finish eating,” Tripp warned as he lowered a steaming cup of coffee in front of her. He tapped his wrist and stared meaningfully at Jonah. “You’re going to be late.”

Jonah glanced at his watch before jerking upright. “Shit, you’re right.”

He took a final sip of coffee before abandoning his cup on the table and rushing from the room.

Alisha smiled and drank deeply. The sleep had been welcome and needed, but now caffeine was as necessary as breathing. She looked up to find Tripp staring at her. “What?”

“I want you to tell me what happened.” Tripp held up a hand. “Once Jonah’s gone, though. Otherwise he’ll get distracted, and we’ll never get him out of here on time.”

“Let me get breakfast, then I’ll explain.”

Tripp settled into silence. Alisha filled a bowl with cereal and fruit, relaxing as much as possible to plan what she should share.

Jonah flew into the room, darting over to kiss Alisha before stopping beside Tripp’s chair. “Have fun tying things up today. I’ll bring supper home with me.” He turned briefly to Alisha. “Enough for three, so if you need to come back, you do it, understand?”

“Thanks, Jonah. You’re the best.”

He blinked happily, then kissed Tripp quickly and raced away. “I’m late.”

Tripp grinned after him, with a goofy expression that made Alisha laugh. He pulled his attention back and shrugged. “What can I say, the guy’s got a heart of gold.”

“He’s sweet,” Alisha agreed. “Sorry for taking you from your bed last night. Twice.”

Tripp leaned in, all amusement gone. “So spill. What happened to send you running for shelter? Not that I mind—get that straight right off the bat. I’m glad you asked for help.”

“And I appreciate that I could turn to you more than you know. I had an unexpected intruder in my apartment. Someone I don’t like much, but that part’s not important.” She shook her head. “I wasn’t going to take a chance on him breaking in twice in a row.”

“That would be a shocker.” Tripp stared. “It was after one o’clock when you caught him. You out with the girls for the night?”

She slowed. “No. I was over at Devon’s until then.”

Tripp grinned again. “I knew it. About time you two faced the facts. Only—” Confusion crossed his face. “Why didn’t you call him for help?”

That was a loaded question. Fortunately there was a logical possibility. “Coming here meant there were two guys at my beck and call if I needed you. Sounded like a smarter move to me. Plus you had the garage to hide my car in.”

Tripp wasn’t smiling anymore. “Sounds as if this guy really scared you.”

“Would you want to discover someone in your bedroom who wasn’t invited?” she demanded. “Yes, it was scary, but get real. It could have happened to anyone.”

“Don’t snap at me. I’m just giving you a heads-up. I bet Devon will be pissed you didn’t call him. Not if you two have been fooling around. He’ll feel as if you don’t trust him to protect you.”

“You’re such a girl at times,” she complained. “Going on and on about the feeling shit.”

That made his smile return like she’d hoped. “You calling me a pussy?”

“Always.” She rose to her feet and came around the table to hug him. “But I’m glad you’re you. I’ll deal with Devon.”

Tripp nodded. “You plan on staying here tonight? You’re more than welcome if you need it, you know you are.”

She helped clear the table. “I’ll be fine. And I will talk to Devon, if that makes you happier.”

Tripp shrugged. “Not me who’s going to be unhappy in the first place.” His eyes lit up. “Damn, when did you two hook up? I wonder if I have time to call Xavier and double my money. I think you might have won me a tidy sum.”

Oh God. “Tell me you guys didn’t start a betting pool.”

He tossed her a wink as he headed down the hallway. “Hey, Marcus even got in on this one, only he figured you two would cave sometime in the first year.”

Idiots. She loved the lot of them.

She followed Tripp to the Lifeline building, working up the strength to face the team for the first time while the news broke. Maybe they could keep her and Devon’s relationship, or whatever they were calling it, under the table for a little longer. That would work.

Alisha slipped in the door ahead of Tripp and headed to the lockers to grab a climbing belt. She jerked to a stop as she rounded the corner, Devon far too large and in charge as he buckled up his belt. He smiled, the cocky expression melting to concern as he paced forward and tilted her chin upward. “What happened? Did you sleep okay?”

“There were complications.” She made to step away but he didn’t release her, instead leaning closer to brush his lips past her cheek. Light. Friendly.

Not possessive or very loverlike at all, but a world removed from how they usually acted around each other.

And suddenly, she didn’t give a damn about hiding from anyone. Tripp was right; she should have called Devon last night. Should have let him know right away she was frightened. She slipped her arms around his neck and gave him a real kiss. Bold as brass. A claiming and an apology all wrapped up in one.

He swept her into his arms in a flash, bodies pressed tight. Lips crushed together, brief, yet intense. Then he let her go and carefully placed her feet on the ground.

Alisha smiled at him. “Good morning to you, too.”

Devon nodded. “You’ll tell me what’s going on later, right?”

“You can tell me what’s going on now,” Erin interrupted from behind him. “Because I don’t think I’m seeing straight.”

The pilot dodged around Devon to stand in front of Alisha, disgust on her face.

“I’m sorry if you find kissing disturbing,” Alisha apologized.

“Girl, it’s not that.” Erin stomped to her locker and grabbed a pair of gloves. “You’ve got some shitty timing, you two. It’s only one week to Thanksgiving. You couldn’t have waited until after?”

Oh hell . Alisha snickered as Devon rolled his eyes.

“You lost the bet, did you?” Alisha asked.

“Over one hundred bucks I’ve put into that pool by now.” Erin leaned in closer. “You’re not just jerking us around, are you? Like you’ve actually done it?”

Devon laughed out loud this time and gently pushed Erin past him. “Shut up, Erin. Our fucking is none of your business.”

The pilot blew a raspberry and left the room. Devon turned to Alisha and tucked her against his body, stroking her cheek. “Well, there’s the first reaction from the crazies. Ready to face the day?”

“Tripp already knows, so he shouldn’t be too bad.”

“Great. Define ‘not too bad’?”

Alisha smiled and bit the bullet. “Hey, can you come home with me after training today? I need to talk to you. Need to ask a favour.” She might as well dive in full force and see what kind of situation she had. Because Tripp was right in another way. If she hadn’t ended up in Devon’s bed this past week? She would have called him first.

Through all the teasing and fighting of the past years, he was the one she normally would have turned to, and he deserved to know she trusted him that much.

“Where the hell are you guys?” Marcus pounded on the table in the staff room. “I hauled ass to get back here for this, and I haven’t even been home yet. Let’s roll, people.”

Devon kissed her quickly, then set her free, and they both grabbed what they needed for the upcoming session.