Becky hunched over her work desk at the team's secret headquarters, hidden deep in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. They'd been holed up in the seemingly abandoned airfield on the edge of the city ever since Xander Cage had led their team on a daring mission to save the world from corrupt CIA agent Jane Marke. Xander being Xander, he had plenty of safe spots to hang low, and Ecuador was one of them.
It had been three weeks since they'd taken up residence in the air hangar, and Becky still had trouble believing she was really there. In her old life, she had been the meekest of agents, too scared of field work to even go up for the field exam. Instead, she was content to create better and better weapons—bigger guns, bigger bombs, better amour, better tools. She was only 22, but she was a whiz with anything technological, and she loved it. She just wished sometimes that she wasn't such a nerd.
Even now, when everyone welcomed her as just as much a part of the team as every other member, she felt out of place. Everyone else was so… cool. Xander, of course, was incomparable. He was like an adrenaline god who bled Mountain Dew and breathed gasoline. His girlfriend Serena was stunning. Nicky had amazing fight moves. Xiang was a brilliant strategist. And Adele… well…
Becky glanced up from the weapon she was calibrating, sneaking a peek at Adele. Adele was leaning against the wall across the hangar, casually tossing a knife into the air and catching it with one hand. Becky's eyes trailed across her, taking in every sharp feature. Adele had such a fine face, with high, feminine cheekbones and breathtaking blue eyes—eyes that were even more vivid than her wild blue hair. Her mouth, lush and sensual, was usually quirked into a wry half smile, like she was secretly laughing at you.
Becky's eyes traveled lower, drinking in Adele's lean form. She was so slight, yet so powerful—lean and taut, a perfectly wound trap ready to spring. Her small breasts were perky, her stomach flat and trim. Becky had overhead Nicky and Torch comparing the female team members' assets and how they thought Adele had no ass, but Becky loved how her tight jeans stretched across her rear, cupping her tight butt. Her legs were long and sexy—they went on for miles. Sometimes, she imagined what it must feel like to be wrapped up in those legs…
Suddenly, she realized Adele was looking at her, and she jerked her gaze away. She could feel heat rushing to her face and knew she was blushing. It was an automatic response that she'd never been able to stifle—how easily she blushed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Adele ambling over, all smooth grace, and she desperately tried to focus on her weapon, to look professionally busy.
"Hey, Becky," Adele said as she drew near. Her voice was a husky mix of smoke and whiskey. "How's the gun comin'?"
"It's—it's good," Becky stammered. "It's a gun." She cringed, her heart beating insistently. "I mean… it's coming along. I've almost got it."
"Cool," Adele replied, tossing the knife again and catching it without looking. She leaned against Becky's desk, and Becky caught a whiff of her scent—leather and ginger and rose. "So, Serena and I were thinking of hitting the town tonight, going to some clubs, gettin' our… groove on. You wanna come?"
Becky looked up nervously. "Oh… I—that'd be fun, but I don't know…"
"Oh come on, Becks," Adele laughed. "You work all. The. Time. You need to live a little!"
"I… uh… I don't even have a clubby dress," Becky said. "I mean… a club dress. Clubbing dress? A dress to club in."
"Girlfriend, no worries," Adele insisted. "I'll hook you up. So. It's settled. I'll pick you up at seven."
Before Becky could reply, Adele had sauntered off. Becky watched her go, her stomach twisting nervously… but she couldn't hide the excitement starting to grow within her. Maybe tonight could be fun after all.