“It’s not really a date.” Yael shut down the computer. The fact she’d lied about having plans seemed underhanded now. After all, Laura had helped her move and was her closest friend.

Shane and his band of HRT brothers flashed into her mind. When they went their separate ways, he’d still have all his buddies. She mustn’t forget to treat her friends with the respect they deserved whatever else was going on in her world. Still, the need for peace and quiet called to her.

“Who is it anyway?” asked Laura archly.

Tim eavesdropped unabashedly while straightening the office chairs.

“No one you know.” Yael busied herself by turning off the PC which also killed all the background chatter and cut the cord to the FBI and, inadvertently, her immediate connection to Shane.

Alex liked the computers to be powered off unless one of them was there or running something specific so that they could monitor everything in real time. She cleared her throat. “Actually, it probably won’t happen now.”

Instead of looking annoyed, Laura grinned. “It’s that stud from the bar last week. The HRT operator who was all over you in Houston. I knew it.”

“He was not all over me.” Jeez. Yael couldn’t believe the way her friend twisted things.

“Please.” Laura kissed her cheek, her lips cool against Yael’s hot skin. “Alex said Livingstone would be back in town later tonight. I’m not going to risk spoiling a late-night bootie call because you got cold feet. The company is paying for my hotel so it’s no biggie.”

Tim stared at them intently. He pulled a self-conscious face when she caught his gaze.

Laura grabbed her purse and pulled out a deep red lipstick using a compact mirror to apply it perfectly. Yael realized how incredibly gorgeous and put together her friend always looked. She was wearing a cream satin shirt over a lacy cream camisole. She unbuttoned another button and swapped out her stud earrings for some dangly ones that sparkled in the overhead lights. Then she gave herself a spritz of perfume from a small bottle in her bag and fluffed her hair.

“How do I look?”

“Like a freaking movie star.” Yael looked down at her own long-sleeved Cure t-shirt and blue jeans. She wondered what Shane saw in her beside the obvious.

Laura lifted her chin and smiled into her eyes. “So do you, Yael. You are gorgeous and smart and cool as fuck with your shiny hair and pouty lips and cool tats and ‘stay the hell away from me’ vibe. Now get home and slip into something sexy and text your federal stud muffin to pop by when he gets back later. Make him understand he’s one lucky bastard that you even deign to let him in the door.”