“This sounds really dangerous.” She looked at the map in front of the conference room, her body nicely sore from the previous night.

Jethro looked over from the end of the table, where he was poring over some documents. “It’ll be fine. Wolfe and I have both done this before.”

Wolfe nodded, studying satellite images of the hills he planned to parachute into from way too high.

Jethro stood. “We need to leave in five minutes to catch the military transport.” With a nod to her, he exited the conference room, shutting the door and leaving them alone.

“Please be careful and promise you’ll come back,” Dana said.

Wolfe put the papers down and reached for her, settling her on his lap with an easy strength that zinged butterflies through her abdomen. “I promise I’ll be careful and will return.”

She played with his dark shirt. “I understand how you’ll get into the hills, but I didn’t quite catch how you were gonna get out.”

“Well, if all goes well, a friend of Jethro’s in a helicopter is going to get us out of there.”

She bit her lip, searching for the right words. “I trust you to come back.”

He tugged her ponytail back and kissed her neck. Then he lifted his head, his dark gaze serious. “The second Gary gets wind that we’ve blown up his heroin, he’s gonna be out for blood. So I need you to stay with my team and Roscoe until I get back. Promise me.”

“I promise.” She kissed him, marveling at the firmness of his mouth. “I’ll miss you.” His plan was to return to D.C., and then go to the cabin he’d rented to wait for Gary to show. In other words, he would use himself as bait and keep her safely away from danger. “This plan had better work.”

“It will.” Wolfe kissed her, going deep and taking possession. Then he stood and placed her on her feet. “Try not to do anything dangerous until I get back.” He kissed her again and then turned, striding out of the room and heading straight for the elevator with Jethro. Seconds later, they were gone.

She pressed her lips together to keep from calling him back. They could never live normal lives with Gary out there waiting to strike, so she understood Wolfe’s need to get this mission behind them. Roscoe padded in as if sensing she needed support, and she dropped to the chair to hug him, burying her face in his fur.

Pippa came in afterward with a tray of cupcakes. “I bake when I get nervous, and so, here.” She slid the tray across the table.

Dana straightened her back. Enough wallowing and giving in to fear. Sugar was another matter. She took a cupcake and bit into it, smiling at the delicious blend of vanilla and nutmeg. “This is amazing,” she said around a mouthful.