Page 6 of Securing the Odds

“Oh.” Her cheeks turned even pinker, and he wondered what she was thinking. “I have a gym membership, but I never use it.” Yeah, he knew. “Where do you go?”

“Total Fitness.”

“That’s where I have a membership. Maybe we can go together some time?”

He’d give his right nut to see Tammy hot and sweaty in a sexy workout outfit. “When this is all over, it’s a date.”

She smiled, and so close, it was a sight to see. Reaching her eyes, they sparkled with a hint of mischief, and again, he wondered at her thoughts.

The car behind them honked, and he glanced out the front window to see they were holding up the line. “Sit back, beautiful.”

Her eyes widened fractionally at the endearment but did as told, and he pulled forward to the speaker box.

It wasn’t until they were cruising down the street almost to his house that she spoke again. “I will admit, your fries do smell good.”

The take-out bags were on her lap, and she was eyeing them longingly. He grinned while turning back to the windshield. “Am I tempting you to the dark side, Ms. Reed? If you’re a good girl, I’ll share.”

Glancing back, he found her staring at him. Her lips were parted, and her lids were at half-mast. Fuck, his dick couldn’t take much more of that.

He lost her eyes and that sexy-as-fuck look when he slowed to pull into his drive. “You live here?”

He scrutinized his four-bedroom split-level house. “Not what you were expecting?”

She shook her head. “I was expecting something a little more bachelory.”

“Bachelory?” he laughed.

She shrugged, looking sheepish. “You know, a one-bedroom apartment, sparsely furnished, maybe with dirty socks and beer cans scattered around.”

Jake gave himself a mental pat on the back that he hadn’t been home enough the past two days since his housekeeper cleaned to make his usual mess. After all, he was—as Tammy pointed out—a bachelor.

He let them in the house and went to the kitchen, depositing the take-out bags on the counter. “You want a tour now or after we eat?”

“Let’s eat before your food gets cold.” Grabbing up the bags, she headed straight for the kitchen table.

He made for the fridge, opening the door and inspecting its contents. “I’ve got water, soda, and,” he gazed over his shoulder with a smirk, “beer.”

Tammy laughed. She had a great laugh. It was his first time hearing it and made a note to himself to make it happen more often.

“I’ll take a water.”

Jake grabbed two waters and shut the fridge door. Tammy had pulled their food out of the bags and was squeezing dressing from a packet onto her salad. He took a seat, pulling his phone out of his back pocket and setting it on the table.

Tammy speared a forkful of salad. “Who are we calling first?” she asked before putting the bite into her mouth.

He watched her chew, watched her tongue pop out to lick away some dressing at the corner of her mouth. His dick was misbehaving again, straining his jeans. One would think he was sixteen rather than thirty-six.

Pulling his eyes away, he cracked open his water and took a long pull before answering. “I think we should try his sister first. I’ll call her after we eat.”

Mouth still full, she nodded, and he took a bite of his burger. It was cold, but he didn’t give a shit. He’d eaten worse. Way worse. MREs may be nutritious, but they tasted like shit. And he would know, he’d eaten his fair share during his eleven years in the service.

“I don’t think I ever heard the story of how you and my brother met.” Tammy uncapped her water and took a sip.

Jake smiled, setting his burger down and wiping his hands on a napkin. “It was about five years ago and one of my first jobs in the private sector.” Her nose scrunched—so fuckin’ cute—and he explained, “One of my first jobs since getting out of the service.”

Her eyes grew wide and her mouth formed a littleO. “I didn’t know you were in the service. Which branch?”

“Navy. I was a SEAL for ten years.”

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