Page 3 of S.O.S. Perk

Better turn the conversation back to sparring.That,she could deal with.

“You want a match, Perkins?” she postured. “Just name the time and place. I’ll be happy to see who comes out on top.” There. That sounded…

Fuck. Like a proposition.

Sure enough, everyone around them who’d been following the conversation, snickered.

“Shit. Bunch of adolescent-brained cave-people,” Sloane muttered. Not that she wasn’t used to sexual innuendo. Working in a male-dominated industry, she’d heard it all. But this time,oddly, she didn’t feel like she was on the outside looking in. Something about this interaction felt…inclusive.

“Don’t worry, Agent Vessers. I know what you meant.” Perk didn’t have to, but he stepped in and put an end to the smirking with a not-so-subtle shake of his head. Sloane was grateful, even if it hadn’t been mean-spirited teasing.

Maybe she’d give Perk something in return.

“Uh, since we’re doing a civilian thing today, perhaps you should call me by my given name,” she offered. “All of you,” she added expansively.

What the…? How hadthatcome out of her mouth?

Perkins looked a bit dazed, but quickly recovered and doubled down by squeezing her hand; as if she couldn’t tell how pleased he was by the enormous smile that broke out like sunshine across his face.

“I’d like that a lot,” he told her.

She sighed. “It’s Sloane,” she managed, but that was all she’d give her…acquaintances. There was no way she’d trust them with the nickname she’d been given by her department members. It was…hateful. Brent, she figured, already knew about it, but thankfully he hadn’t ratted her out. Yet.

“Well, it’s nice to finally meet you, Sloane.” Brigid, Sarge’s wife and a detective with the Boston Police, greeted her from their other side. “Not that we haven’t known you for a while, but this is the first time we’ve hung out off the job. Don’t worry that we’ll take advantage, though. Nobody will call you by your first name during any joint ops in the future.”

It hadn’t even been on Sloane’s radar that they would. The group could be goofy and irreverent at times, but she’d never met a more dedicated bunch when it came to their search and rescue missions. Their professionalism on the job was exemplary, and had earned them their on-call reputation with the Bureau.

And speaking of working together, Sloane needed to find a small, private moment to speak with Del. She’d been handed some very interesting and sensitive intel just this morning; something his team might be willing to consider for a joint mission. She made a mental note to make it happen.

Coming out of the woods at Anna Jakes’ house almost seemed surreal. The last time Sloane was here they’d been investigating Anna’s ex-husband and his connection to large sums of money that had been embezzled from the town. There’d been no joy in the home at that time, with the specter of danger hanging over the woman and her son, but the atmosphere was completely different now. Anna and Ethan were both all smiles.

Entering the small residential cul-de-sac with Perk still in attendance, Sloane had everything she could do to keep her facial muscles neutral. Someone hadoverly-decorated the yard and the exterior of the house in honor of the wedding; young Ethan and Mizzay’s niece Rory, if Sloane had to guess. It was so frou-frou and over the top, it looked like the inside of a brothel, but nobody seemed to mind.

“What can I get you to eat?” Perk’s voice at her ear brought her back to the moment. There were at least five different food trucks parked in the paved circle.

“I can get my own food,” she answered.

He sighed, but in an amused, tsk-tsk kind of way, not with the pissy air Sloane was used to from her colleagues when she fended for herself.

“Iknowyou’re fully capable,” he told her patiently, “but I want to do this for you.”

“Why?” Sloane asked suspiciously.

Maybe now wasn’t the time, but with Perk being so nice to her, Sloane’s mind went back to her original misgivings. Whatdidthe guy want from her? In her experience, niceness always had strings attached.

“Why?” he repeated, his dark brows shooting up to be hidden under the longish fringe of his bangs.

Was his hair a bit too lengthy and shaggy?Yes.But it suited his youthful appearance.

“Yeah.” She crossed her arms over her chest protectively. “Why?”

“Because I like you, Sloane,” he informed her without hesitating.

She didn’t want to, but Sloane liked hearing how his voice almost caressed her name. Still, he—

Wait. What?

“You like me?” Sloane refused to acknowledge that her voice cracked.

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