“It’s a vacation.” Her jaw was tight. “The modeling agency hired me the day after I left college, and the only vacation I’ve taken since was to attend a friend’s wedding in Texas.” She stared down at her hands, clasped on the table.

“Most people don’t pick up a job during their vacation.” He kept his voice level. Non-confrontational.

She pushed her hair back, her gaze still averted. “I wanted to meet people. I like people. Working is the easiest way.”

“I see.” If he’d learned nothing else in his life, it was that telling someone they were full of shit shut down a conversation real fast. But…for fuck’s sake.

This was no vacation to Frankie. Aside from that hike when she’d been shot outside the PZ compound, she’d never even gone sightseeing. “Do you have any idea how long you’ll be in Rescue?”

“Um…” She bit her lip. “I’m not ready to go back to New York. Not yet. But I’ll have to, eventually.”

Not yet was good. Never would be better. He barely managed to resist reaching for her hand. “You said ‘have to’, not want to. Maybe you should pursue what makes you happy rather than what you think you’re obligated to do?”

Her head tilted. “Is this a case of “do as I say and not as I do”?

“You lost me.” Bull straightened. “I love my work.”

“Yes, you’re happy at work. But you want more than just work. I’ve seen your expression when Regan jumps into Caz’s lap, when your brothers are cuddling with their girlfriends. You want a family of your own. Why aren’t you going after that rather than working all the time?”

She was right. He did want what Caz and Gabe had. And…if he answered that honestly, he might scare her right back to the East Coast.

Instead, he smiled. “I’ll do just that when the time is right. We were discussing your happiness and… Let’s just say you don’t seem eager to return to New York.”

Her mouth tightened, and unhappiness flitted over her face again.

Leaning back, he looked deeper, studying her body language. She wasn’t fearful about what awaited her in New York. She hadn’t fled the city like Audrey had from Chicago.

But Frankie wasn’t here to have fun, either. If anything, she appeared…determined. Like when he and his SEAL team had reconnoitered a city, taking jobs, assuming personas, waiting until the mission was a go. Not knowing when that would be.

She was here for a reason, but pushing her for answers would force her to lie to him. It was time to take a leap of faith.