Stopping a good three meters away, Harry soaked up Elise’s appearance before she became aware of his presence. Her heavily lashed eyes were slightly tilted in the fine-boned oval of her face with its high cheekbones and naturally arched brows. That kissable mouth of hers fairly taunted him.

She intimidated most men. Not him. Underneath that gorgeous face and figure lurked the heart of a true warrior—a fellow competitor. The only person who challenged him on every level.

“Hello, Elise.”

Chapter 3

Elise glanced to the right without moving, her body too heavy to make the physical effort. A large pair of men’s shoes attached to well-muscled legs had planted themselves half a meter apart on the brown carpet.

Slowly, she lifted her chin, her gaze traveling up an excessively tall torso to meet a pair of amused gray eyes and smiling mouth with a crooked incisor.

A small spurt of surprise parted the heavy fog inside her. “Harry Benson, as I live and breathe. When did you get back?”

“Two days ago.”

“Have you debriefed?”

“Yesterday. Finished my reports last night.”

She lifted a brow. “That was fast.” Usually, agents had more lag time before they returned to the office. “New assignment?”

He nodded.

“Solo?”

Again, he nodded. His perceptive eyes took in her person, and concern filled his gaze.

“Och. Congratulations. Where are you off to?” she asked before he could probe into her affairs.

Harry had a way of reading her that even Nigel missed. Elise could handle anything, except Harry’s sympathy. She glanced away, and her gaze landed on the work stations in closest proximity to the lifts.

“Your old neck of the woods,” he replied.

“Scotland?” Surprise lent her the strength to glance up again.

“Yes.” He took a seat beside her, the cushion sinking under his weight.

Jitters skittered through her body. Harry was going to probe. The man couldn’t help himself; it was what made him such a valuable asset in Nigel’s arsenal of agents. Elise couldn’t hold out for long if he did. Harry’s tactics at extracting information were positively lethal.

She hadn’t pulled herself together enough to handle an interrogation, and her exhaustion had muddled her brain so badly that she couldn’t figure out what game Nigel was playing. For that, she required better headspace than the swirling confusion cycling inside her after massively failing her tests.

“Why are you sitting out here?” Harry asked, behaving more like a friend than a coworker.

Elise supposed he was both, though she preferred to keep him at arm’s length. Too much history existed between them and too much attraction as well.

“I’m between appointments,” she informed him.

“I thought you had another six weeks of medical leave before you reported back for duty.” The faintest tinge of confusion colored his voice.