Fire Burns Hot ((An FBI/ Romance Thriller~ (Book 5))) (31 page)

Callen was right. It was the best damn present ever!

~ Chapter
Nine ~

Ethan Blackhawk was glad to be home. He didn’t even dress in his office. He hopped into the back of the Lincoln and had his driver get him there as soon as possible. In the back he slipped into his dress clothes and
prepared to reunite with his wife and brother.

There was nothing like being home.

Nothing at all!

Although he was only gone a few days, it was still like being apart from his family for months. Now it was finally over and he could be near them again.
The best part of coming home was the easy comfort of the ones he loved. But tonight, the best part was going to see his wife’s face.

After
the car had come to a stop, his driver opened the door for him. “Jimmy, is my tie straight?” he asked the man.

“It is Director Blackhawk and Mrs. Blackhawk will be impressed as usual.”

“Park the car and head in and have dinner.”

“Thanks Director
Blackhawk.”

Ethan entered the building and took in the lights and the ambiance
, and he grinned. His wife had her hands all over this little event, and it was completely evident. The little white lights reminded him of the tables at their wedding.

Once in the ballroom, he shook a few hands and watched his wife give her speech. Generally it was his job, and he only missed it by minutes, but it was fun to watch her in action. Her hand was holding Callen’s
, which meant the three of them were officially coming out of the closet completely to the staff.

It didn’t bother him either way. He loved his family and they came first. His brother looked really good in his
tailor-made suit. Maybe he could convince him to dress more like him and less like Elizabeth, just to make her insane.

As she stood under the twinkle lights,
the room flooded in sparkling candles, his heart skipped in his chest. Elizabeth had her hair pulled back in a sexy knot at the nape of her neck. Ethan took in her attire and his blood surged through his body. Elizabeth once again outdid herself. Her attire spoke of the woman she was beneath the tough outer façade.

Blackhawk only hoped that they did her justice.
Both brothers were in the same exact suit, the only difference were the ties. Ethan’s had stripes and Callen’s was solid. Standing together they’d look like a well matched set. The three definitely appeared to be a couple and looked like they belonged together. The matching suits only added to what the three knew. Together Callen, Ethan and Elizabeth were a strong unified front.

As she finished the toast, he moved closer to the dance floor.
Ethan knew when his brother spotted him, and he grinned. It was time to give Elizabeth an early gift. Tonight he’d get to hold his wife and maybe sneak in a dance or twelve.

Everyone began milling around,
as he stepped into the clearing floor. Ethan watched as his brother pointed towards him. Her eyes met his and everything stopped. There was no music, people or commotion. In that moment, there was only Elizabeth. It was much like the first day he ever saw her. Life began then and renewed now.

Elizabeth
began walking towards him, and he crossed to her. Immediately, he opened his arms. The last few feet were a run and she threw herself against his body. Ethan wrapped her in his arms and just took in the miracle that was the woman in his life.

“Ethan!” she
whispered, holding onto him. The tears finally came. She had been waiting for days for him to return, and now he was home.

Th
e kiss said it all, and Elizabeth tried to remember there were people around them, but it just didn’t matter.

Ethan was home and her heart was complete.

There were whistles and wolf calls from their agents as she kissed her husband, and slowly he pulled away and stared into her face. “God, I missed you more than anything in the entire world, Lyzee,” he whispered, his forehead resting against hers.

People were walking past him, patting him on the arm and welcoming him home, but his focus was on one person alone.

“I love you, Cowboy. Don’t ever leave me again,” she said, softly. “Not even for a minute.”

“I won’t if I can get out of it,
baby,” he promised, taking her left hand in his, and let her lead him back over to his brother.

Elizabeth hugged Callen and kissed him. “You knew the entire time,” she
reprimanded, laughing.

“Yep.”

“I’m so going to kick your ass later,” Elizabeth threatened.

Ethan hugged his brother. “Wow, you clean up really good. Really great suit
, bro,” Blackhawk said, fixing his brother’s tie. “Tell me that you didn’t have dad do this, because that’s one hell of a hot mess,” he snickered. “Obviously, you both need a lesson in tying.”

“I missed you, Ethan,” said Whitefox, feeling complete again now that his big brother was back. “I had to have dad help
. I don’t know how to tie one of these things,” he said, running his hand down the red silk.

The three walked over to the table, and Julian and Tori slid over a seat. Obviously they too knew he was coming.
Elizabeth crossed her arms. “You both knew too? Was I the only one that had no freaking clue?”

Everyone laughed.

“Oh, I will have payback,” she stated, taking her seat as the waiters began bringing their dinner out.

“I’ll get you a drink, Ethan. You want more,
angel?” asked Whitefox. “

“I think I’ll just have sparkling water, I had two glasses already,” she
replied, her eyes meeting Tori’s, as they shared a look of amusement. Yeah, Elizabeth was going to have the last laugh tomorrow night. Then she’d see how the men liked not being part of the secret.

“Okay,” said Callen, going to go get
them more drinks.

“Welcome back, Director,” stated Tori, having another beer.

Blackhawk grinned. “It’s just Ethan tonight. I’m just another person enjoying a night with my family,” he said, as Elizabeth leaned against his body. “But thank you, it’s nice to be home.” He dropped a kiss on his wife’s neck.

Julian grinned. “I’m surprised you let your wife run around while you were gone,” he stated, unabashedly.

Elizabeth laughed, taking the glass of sparkling water from Callen, and taking his hand in hers when he sat, connecting all three of them together. “You’re pretty ballsy when you think I don’t have my gun,” she answered.” How do you know it’s not tucked into the back of his pants?”

Julian snickered.

Blackhawk stared at the two people he cared and loved for deeply. “I left her in excellent company. I’m sure Callen was all over her and making sure that no men came anywhere near her.”

“Remind me to tell you about the bouncer and the issues at the strip club,” replied Callen, nonchalantly.

Ethan nearly choked on his beer, and that caused Elizabeth to laugh outrageously.

“
You will be later!”

Everyone laughed more.

“No business at the party,” added Elizabeth, grinning at Tori.

“Agreed,” said Whitefox, knowing his brother was going to lose his damn mind when he did find out.
Sue him, but he liked catching the man off guard and rattling Mr. Cool’s cage.

“Can I say something that’s probably completely
inappropriate and probably something I should just keep to myself?” asked Tori.

Julian looked over at her. “Uh maybe you should slow down on the beer, if you’re
thinking about stating anything THAT personal to your bosses that it needs a forewarned statement,” he said, laughing.

“Shoot,” said Elizabeth, as she thanked the waiter for her dinner.

Callen and Ethan sat relatively close to her, each one of their legs touching hers, as they began eating. It was a way of connecting them all.

“When I first suspected there was some triangle going on, I thought it was completely bizarre.”

“Uh, Tori,” warned Julian, no longer laughing.

All three
stared at her, waiting for what she was working up to say.

“But now I completely get it and see how it works. You three make a really
amazing couple,” she finished and looked over at Julian. “I think I can retain control with two beers.” She stuck out her tongue. “I’m not a wussy girl.”

Ethan, Elizabeth and Callen
laughed. It wasn’t what they were expecting, but they were pleasantly surprised and grateful.

“I happen to agree,” said Elizabeth, cutting into her chicken and hoping her stomach would allow her to consume it. Although,
she had an idea and it would probably work. If she just ate the salad she could blame the skirt.

“Callen, want my chicken?” she asked, smiling at him sweetly.

“Are you okay, baby?” asked Blackhawk concerned.

She laughed. “Uh, did you see this skirt? I can’t really eat a lot of food while wearing it. There is no room for any give.”
Then Elizabeth paused. “Unless you don’t care if it tears off in front of all the men in this room and they see what’s underneath.”

This time
Julian choked on his beer.

Tori winked at her
, because Elizabeth successfully evaded again. Yeah, there was a reason she was the boss.

“Okay
give me it,” said Callen, not wanting to see that happen, until they got home.

“Why does he get your chicken?” asked Ethan, lifting a brow. “What happened to fair
in the field of battle?”

She laughed. “Okay boys, have at it,” she leaned back and they did rock, paper, scissors to
crown a winner.

Callen won reg
ardless. “There’s your answer. I always win, and she was trying to spare you humiliation in public.”

The lights dimmed and Ethan made his move. “Elizabeth, will you dance with me?
” he inquired. “Since Callen is busy eating,” he sneered and winked at his brother.

Julian laughed, and watched as Ethan led Elizabeth to the center of the dance floor.

No one else was dancing, but everyone was watching their bosses glide together effortlessly.

Ethan held her close to his body, his mouth by her ear as he whispered all the things he missed about her the past week. When he was finished, she laid her head on his shoulder and just closed her eyes, allowing him to lead her in the very slow dance.

There was no doubt in her mind that she loved Ethan so very much.

Julian took it as a sign that they shouldn’t be dancing alone. “Tori, come dance with me,” he said, holding out his hand, and was surprised when she actually took it.

“Okay, Julian,” she went with him.

Out on the dance floor, he held her against his body, and she fit perfectly. “Thank you for not making me drag you out here,” he laughed.

“I’m well aware that you would have done just that and in heels, you might have actually won that one. I know when to pick my battles.”

“You smell really great tonight,
sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear, and then ran his lips along her throat and to her shoulder.

Tori shuddered at the intimate touch of lips to her flesh. “Julian, what are you doing?” she asked, her voice catching in her throat.

“I’m trying to seduce the most beautiful woman in the world,” he whispered, tugging on her ear with his teeth. “Is it working?” he asked, holding her pressed to his body.

“I think so,” she said, feeling dizzy. When she regained her senses, Tori looked into his eyes.
“But going back to my place and falling into my bed would be a big mistake.”

The hurt was there, that she was still pushing hard against his efforts. “Okay Tori. I promise tonight we won’t fall into your bed.”

She relaxed and ran her fingers over his cheek. “Thank you, Julian,” she said, kissing him.

This was complete and total torture. What the hell was he thinking making that promise to her
, when he knew he had no plans of keeping it? Damn it!

When the song ended, he kissed her on the lips. “Why don’t you grab us a couple of drinks, I need to do something,” he said, reluctantly
, letting her free from his body.

“Okay,” she watched him hurry away. Tori felt like she did something horribly wrong, and her face must have shown it.

“Come to the ladies room with me?” inquired Elizabeth, as she touched her arm.

Tori just nodded and let Elizabeth slip her arm through hers
, as they walked there together.

When Ethan arrived back at the table, he
took a seat beside Callen, who had a new beer for him.

“Where’s she going?” he asked, clinking his bottle against his brother’s.

“The place all women go to talk about men in a place like this,” he said, snickering. “Where we have no hope of eavesdropping on the conversation.”