Chapter 10
Irina looked up as Jack strode back into the room, wrapped in his robe. He looked magnificent, Irina thought to herself. Yesterday's dark circles were gone and his eyes were bright. Another asset of the US Government returned to working order, she thought to herself glumly.
Room service was laying out their breakfast. Jack paused with irritation as he saw that they were not alone, and glared at the hotel waiter until he hurriedly departed. He glanced at Irina, but her expression was still shuttered, not revealing any of her thoughts. His confidence, so high a few moments ago, wavered. Could he have misinterpreted what had happened last night?
He wasn't very good at this, he realized. He cleared his throat, and plunged ahead before he lost his nerve. "I've remembered Irina. Last night. All of it." He saw her face register surprise, then become wary.
Watching her carefully, Jack realized that, while he had so many questions for Irina, only one really mattered for now. "Why did you help me?" he asked simply.
Irina swallowed. She had become so good at shielding her emotions from him, she wasn't sure if she could answer him now that he had given her a chance. Would he understand? Would he believe her? So much depended on this one moment. On the truth. Not looking at Jack, she whispered, "I didn't want you to go through that alone."
"As you did?" he said gently.
She nodded, still not meeting his eyes.
He reached over, and cupped her chin in his hand so that she would look at him. "Thank you," he said quietly, and lightly brushed her lips with his. He saw her eyes open wide with surprise and relief.
"Thank you," he repeated, "for everything." As his lips moved back onto hers, with greater urgency, she was left in little doubt about what the "everything" referred to.
A low chuckle rose in Irina's throat. He pulled back and cocked an eyebrow at her.
"There were some compensations," she admitted, eyes twinkling.
"Some?" he growled, pretending to be insulted. "Perhaps you'd like to try again?" Then, correctly interpreting the look in her eyes, hastily amended, "Irina?"
"I think," said Irina, steering him towards the bed, "I might like that very much."
Irina looked up as Jack strode back into the room, wrapped in his robe. He looked magnificent, Irina thought to herself. Yesterday's dark circles were gone and his eyes were bright. Another asset of the US Government returned to working order, she thought to herself glumly.
Room service was laying out their breakfast. Jack paused with irritation as he saw that they were not alone, and glared at the hotel waiter until he hurriedly departed. He glanced at Irina, but her expression was still shuttered, not revealing any of her thoughts. His confidence, so high a few moments ago, wavered. Could he have misinterpreted what had happened last night?
He wasn't very good at this, he realized. He cleared his throat, and plunged ahead before he lost his nerve. "I've remembered Irina. Last night. All of it." He saw her face register surprise, then become wary.
Watching her carefully, Jack realized that, while he had so many questions for Irina, only one really mattered for now. "Why did you help me?" he asked simply.
Irina swallowed. She had become so good at shielding her emotions from him, she wasn't sure if she could answer him now that he had given her a chance. Would he understand? Would he believe her? So much depended on this one moment. On the truth. Not looking at Jack, she whispered, "I didn't want you to go through that alone."
"As you did?" he said gently.
She nodded, still not meeting his eyes.
He reached over, and cupped her chin in his hand so that she would look at him. "Thank you," he said quietly, and lightly brushed her lips with his. He saw her eyes open wide with surprise and relief.
"Thank you," he repeated, "for everything." As his lips moved back onto hers, with greater urgency, she was left in little doubt about what the "everything" referred to.
A low chuckle rose in Irina's throat. He pulled back and cocked an eyebrow at her.
"There were some compensations," she admitted, eyes twinkling.
"Some?" he growled, pretending to be insulted. "Perhaps you'd like to try again?" Then, correctly interpreting the look in her eyes, hastily amended, "Irina?"
"I think," said Irina, steering him towards the bed, "I might like that very much."