Page 75 of Operation Heartbeat

His lips quirked. “That perfume really was something.”

She issued a low groan. “I told you I bought it thinking I might get back into the dating scene. The perfume gave me a boost of confidence, whether or not it worked the way the advertisement claimed it would. Like a guy taking a shot before a date.”

His smile widened. “I love the way you think.” He leaned in to study the stars glimmering in her eyes. “And I loved the way it smelled on you.”

A flush rose into her cheeks. Her eyes hooded, and she dipped them down to her plate and then back up to Con. “Maybe we should test it out again. You know, purely in the name of research.”

“Spoken like a true professor.” His feelings for Sophie were like nothing he’d experienced before. They felt big. Too big to be a simple case of lust.

“Actually, I have something to talk to you about.”

She paused with her fork midair. “I’m listening.”

“All the Blackout teams have their own computer specialist.”

She tipped her head in interest. “And yours doesn’t?”

“No. For some reason, Charlie pulled the short straw on a handful of things.”

“I’d say you won the lottery with that amazing house for your base.”

He nodded. “That’s true. It was seized from a big drug lord during a tax evasion lawsuit.”

She chuckled. “And you get to enjoy it!”

He snorted. “I spoke at length with my commander, and he is in agreement that we could use someone like you working with us on a permanent basis.”

Those beautiful eyes rounded with surprise. “You’re offering me a…job?”

“Kit says we need someone.”

“Okay,” she said slowly.

“I can see I took you by surprise.”

“You did. Ryan, I thought this was only a short gig. I thought that after I deciphered the cryptograms, I’d be back in the classroom.”

He eyed her. “If we spend more time together, we could…move to the next level.”

“Is this about a relationship?”

He shifted his shoulders. He wasn’t out of his element in most areas of his life, but he didn’t know how to navigate these unfamiliar waters. “You’ll get away from Princeton. You said this is more exciting. You can also get away from your ex.”

She took a bite and chewed for a moment. “You mentioned someone suggested that your team needs someone like me.”

“Kit.”

“Isn’t she qualified for the job?”

“She’s great. But she isn’t available to us right now.”

“Why not?”

“She’s pregnant.”

Her eyes shot wide again. “Byyou?”

He didn’t know whether to be offended or not, but in the end, he chuckled. “No. It’s not my child. She’s with one of the guys on Alpha team.”

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