Page 5 of S.O.S. Perk

Perk watched Sloane closely, satisfied. Her mouth said one thing, but her posture said something entirely different. She’d actually, inadvertently leaned toward him as she’d spoken.

And what was with the insistence that she wasn’t gorgeous? Where could that idea have come from? The woman was stunning. Maybe not in a traditional sense, but she had such compelling features. Her caramel-colored eyes tipped up slightly at the ends, poised just the right amount of distance apart above well-defined cheekbones. Her hair, although chopped short at chin length, was lush, and auburn. His favorite color. And he could tell she’d unsuccessfully tried to tame some waywardcurls,whichhe would be sure to mess up if he ever got the opportunity.

Her nose was a tiny, upturned button, and if he wasn’t mistaken, she’d used some kind of concealer to cover over a smattering of freckles that resided there.

Such a delicious face, he could stare at her for hours.

Then there was the jacked body he’d glimpsed beneath her regulation suits. Sure, she tried to hide her cut, defined curves, but each time her jacket gaped, he caught a glimpse, and his hands itched to mold over the material that covered that lush musculature. Today’s shirt, a drastic change from her normal button-downs, only served to tickle his imagination further as to what he’d find underneath her layers.

But back to dating…

“What if,” he began, stroking his smooth chin, because, yeah, he had a hard time growing an actual beard. “we meet up somewhere. Like,nota date, but as a couple of buddies sharing a meal?”

Hewouldget under her skin. He just needed time.

Sloane’s frown lines deepened, and his fingers itched to move across her face to help ease her worries.

“I don’t see any need for that, Perkins,” she clipped. “It’s not as if we’refriends or anything. I rarely socialize with work-related people.”

Of course she didn’t, because Agent Vessers was all “by the book”. But Perk could tell he was making inroads withSloane. “Well then, it’s a good thing we’ve just completed our job together, isn’t it?” he continued innocently. “Because now, the barrier of which you speak, no longer exists. What if…” he tipped his head to maximize his charm-advantage, “…you were to tell me where you stop for lunch every day, and I happen to pop in?” He threw her another dimple-shot, hoping to sweeten the pot.

“You’re hard to discourage, aren’t you, Perkins,” Sloane huffed.

“I want to get to know you, Sloane. Is that so difficult to fathom?”

“Kind of,” she mumbled, but he heard her loud and clear.

It was time to probe into what was making her so reluctant. “You have friends, right?”

“Of course I do,” she answered easily.

That was good. Her quick response meant it was true.

“Okay,” he reasoned. “What if we make a time and place to meet up, but instead of just the two of us, you also invite a friend.”

“Why?” Sloane asked, not giving an inch.

That was a no-brainer. “So you feel safe.”

Sloane snorted. “You think I have a problem feeling safe with you?”

Perk knew he needed to tread lightly.Agent Vesserswould have no problem with self-confidence inanysituation. Ofthathe was sure. But Sloane…? Her civilian identity was a different thing altogether. He had a feeling that somewhere along the line, the more vulnerable Sloane had received a blow or blows to her feminine self-esteem that colored her take on everything.

“Okay. How about this?” Perk chose to roll with her concerns. “You said you’d agree to spar with me, right?”

“Yeah,” she returned somewhat suspiciously.

“Good. Several times a week we head out to Wiley’s barn.” Perk named the town south of here. “He has a big gym, and we use it to keep our skills sharp. What if I gave you a call the next time we’re headed there, and you can join us?”

“Do you have a day in mind?” she asked, her curiosity clearly winning out over her thorniness. Her competitive spirit wouldn’t allow her to miss an easy opportunity to show him up.

Perk shook his head, sad that he couldn’t answer in the affirmative. “Sorry,” he apologized. “We never know we’re going until at least the day before. Sometimes our schedules are slammed at work, so we have to wait until a majority of us find a lull, which is always more or less spur of the moment.”

Sloane tipped her head, understandingly. “That works for me as well, since I’m in the same boat. I never know when I’ll get called out, so…will you keep me in the loop?”

“I will,” he assured her. “You’ll be added to the list.”

“What list?” she asked curiously.

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