But she would never let her Master know it. He was a tad possessive.
“I believe you’re required at today’s mission. I think Mr. Bennett would be a tad surprised if you didn’t show up,” Penelope said. She put a hand on Damon’s shoulder. She’d discovered she could calm him down by touching him.
She’d had to do a lot of calming during their days at sea. When he wasn’t on top of her, he was pretty much coming up with all the ways the mission could go wrong and she could die. She’d had to promise to stay at the hotel in Berlin. Then he and Taggart had decided that Charlotte should stay with her.
Now she and Charlotte needed a bodyguard and they’d decided Jake was too indulgent.
“I’m merely saying I could be more helpful in the field,” Simon said with a frown. “Charlotte can handle this. For that matter, Penny is quite smart. I think she can bloody well lock her door and stay in her room.”
Ian frowned his wife’s way. “Leaving Charlotte in charge is a very bad idea. She could blow up the hotel while we’re gone.”
Charlotte smiled. “I would yell at him but he’s right. I can’t help it. It’s fun to cause trouble.”
“And he’s not watching me.” Chelsea shot Damon a grumpy look. She was nearly lost behind a mountain of computer equipment she was hooking up. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“I’ll make sure Simon knows he can let you die,” Taggart said.
Chelsea sent him her middle finger. “When I hack into the CCTVs, if I see you being horribly murdered on one, I’m just going to watch, asshole.”
Charlotte rolled her eyes. “You two make my life complete.”
God, she hoped her brother and sister got on with Damon. “I really would be all right here with Chelsea. I can help her monitor the CCTVs. I promise I won’t try anything crazy.”
Candice looked up from her computer. “I would feel better if we had a man with us.”
Chelsea rolled her eyes. “Why isn’t she at the airport?”
“Because Walt wanted to talk to her,” Brody replied. “And I don’t like the thought of her being on her own, what with that boyfriend of hers up and leaving like he did. She cried all day when she found out he left the boat in Helsinki. We have to protect her. That bastard in Finland knows what she looks like.”
Candice smiled the Aussie’s way. “At least there are some real gentlemen left. Like I said, I would actually feel better with two guards. I think you’re going to scare Walter off if he sees too many of you.”
“He won’t realize we’re not tourists. Now if you’re all done complaining about the plan, let’s go over it again,” Damon said.
The room groaned collectively.
“I just think it’s a little sexist,” Charlotte said. “You’re leaving the women behind. What if Walter Bennett would feel better talking to a woman? We’re far less threatening.”
“And far more unpredictable,” Ian said. “No. You stay, Charlie. After that shit you pulled with the van last time, it’s going to be a while before I let you go into the field alone again.”
Charlotte stood up. “We wouldn’t have Brody if I hadn’t pulled that shit with the van.”
The Taggarts squared off. “We damn near lost Damon because of it. And you and Penny are staying behind because Damon and I can’t think about a goddamn thing but our women when you’re in danger.”
Charlotte softened. “Oh, sweetie. See, you can learn.” She went on her toes and kissed her husband. “Fine. Penny, Candice, and I will get in-room massages. I didn’t even get to go to the spa on the boat. Oh, and let’s order room service. SIS is paying, right?”
Penny needed to calm her Dom down. She put a hand in his and nodded to Charlotte. “Why don’t you go ahead and call for tea? Simon takes his with milk and sugar. The least we can do is properly feed our poor guard. I’m going to say good-bye to this one.”
The men had to leave in fifteen minutes. She didn’t like the thought of Damon out there, but she had to get used to it. He wasn’t going to stop working anytime soon. She would spend every day they were apart worried that he wouldn’t come home, but she was determined to not waste the time they did have.
She led him back to the bedroom. He was dressed in khakis and a polo, ready to blend in with the rest of the tourists who would throng around Berlin’s sights. “Calm down.”
He stopped, staring down at her. “Is that any way to talk to your Master?”
Oh, he was on edge. She gave him her big sub eyes and bit her bottom lip. She’d noticed it seemed to do something for him. He’d kept her in bed for almost two days. She’d learned a lot about how to distract him from his troubles. “I’m sorry, Master.”
He sighed, his head shaking ruefully. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
She hated that word. She wrapped her arms around him, praying she didn’t have to hear the word “death” for a long while. “You’ll be careful?”
His heart beat against her ear. The steady sound had become her whole world. His hand soothed down her back. “I think it’s going to be all right, love. Carter is sure he can talk Walter into coming in. He called Candice because he got it in his head that they couldn’t touch him if he went public. We’re going to convince him there’s another way. He can talk to the press without giving away the information.”
“I just want you back safe.”
He tilted her head up. “I will be back before you can finish your tea. And dear god, don’t let Charlotte bankrupt me. I don’t think Nigel will let me expense personal masseuses.”
A long moment passed between them.
“I love you, Penelope.” He said it without prompting now. She’d read somewhere that it took a human being about eight times to memorize something, to commit it to memory. Damon seemed to be well on his way.
“I love you, too.” It was so easy now. He’d been tentative at first. His face would tighten every time she said it, ask her to say it again. Now he often said the words first.
He was educable, her Dom.
There was a knock on the door and Taggart’s voice came through. “Damon, we need to go.”
His eyes closed briefly and he put his forehead to hers. “I won’t be long. In a couple of hours this is all over, and we’ll get on a plane for London tonight. We’ll be back in The Garden before you know it. You’re living with me now, you know.”
She smiled. He couldn’t help but be a bit bossy. “Well, I better because I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
His arms tightened. “Your place is with me.”
She nodded. Her place was with him for as long as they had. She didn’t mention that if he kept it up, she might be a widow before her time.
Her arms wound around him. She wouldn’t think that way.
He kissed her again and then he was gone, walking out the door with Brody Carter, Taggart, Jake, and Jesse. He would stay close to the Aussie. The others would be in the area, staking the place out.
And she was going to spend the entire afternoon worrying.
There was nothing for it. This was the way her life would be from now on. She would kiss him and send him off and pray he came home to her. Women had been doing it from the beginning of humanity. They sent their warriors off with a heavy heart. Unfortunately, her warrior had a damaged one, but that wasn’t a fight she could win.
She stood by the window overlooking the magnificent Brandenburg Gate. The Platz surrounding it was mobbed with tourists out on a lovely summer day. The sun shone, making everything around it seem crisp and clean.