Page 24 of Securing the Odds

“Thank you.” A huge grin split his face when he added, “Sidney’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

A resigned sigh sounded from Jake. “I’m not getting rid of you, am I?”

Grin still in place, Decker said, “Nope.”

Tammy feltfloaty and cracked her eyes to find herself in Jake’s arms as he carried her up the stairs. “Did I fall asleep?”

Jake bent his head and kissed her forehead, chuckling, “Yeah, some time during Rambo.”

She wasn’t surprised. Any movie that had no dialogue was too boring to stay awake for.

Lunch with Deck had turned into hanging out at Jake’s with Deck which had progressed into dinner with Deck and then finally movies—plural—with Deck. The three of them had sat on Jake’s couch eating popcorn through Tombstone—which she’d enjoyed—and then Rambo—which, evidently, she had not.

Decker hadn’t been kidding when he’d said they wouldn’t be getting rid of him.

Over the course of the day and into evening, Tammy had discovered Jake and Decker—or House and Gumby as their military buddies called them—met and became friends years ago when their SEAL teams had joined forces on a mission.

A mission that was classified and, as Tammy had been informed, they’d need to kill her if they told her.

She was pretty sure they’d been joking.

They did share with her the origins of their nicknames, though. Decker was called Gumby because of his ability to get out of tricky situations and restraints.

“And House?” Tammy had asked from her position on the couch.

Decker had been the one who answered. “House, as in, don’t bet against it because the odds are you’ll lose.” He threw Jake another grin. “You want to win, have Jake at your back.”

When Decker had inquired about Tammy’s black eye, Jake had filled him in on their activities of the past two days, leaving nothing out, including his feelings toward her asshole ex. Feelings Tammy had concurred with wholeheartedly.

Jake laidher on the bed then disappeared, coming back a minute later. When she felt his fingers at the waistband of her jeans, she opened her eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Changing you into one of my tees.” He was inching her pants down her hips.

“Let me stand up. It’ll be easier.”

“But not as fun for me.”

She giggled. “Whatever you say,House.”

“Don’t start,” Jake threatened.

“Or what?”

“Or, I find every ticklish spot on your body and torture you for hours on end.”

“That’s cruel and unusual punishment.”

He tossed her pants on the floor and slipped her shirt off over her head. “It’s either that or bamboo shoots under your fingernails.”

That had her giggling again. “I think I’m slap happy.”

“You can get back to sleep in a minute. You’ve had a busy couple of days.”

“Yeah, I will admit, being threatened by bad guys, getting in a bar brawl, and staking out then capturing my ex are not usual activities for me. But I’m not that tired anymore.” She punctuated her sentence with a yawn, making a liar out of her.

Jake raised a brow, yanking his shirt over her head then pushing at her shoulders after she’d slipped her arms through the sleeves, coaxing her to lie back down. Once her head hit the pillow, he draped the covers over her.

She closed her eyes, becoming drowsy listening to the sounds of Jake getting ready for bed. The last thing she remembered was the bed dipping and two strong arms circling her.

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