Page 6 of The Heart

It makes me want to rip it off him, and by the blushes of the women around him, so do they.

Then my eyes trail over to Sebastian. He’s not quite a ladies’ man, not like Luke. In fact, his brawn makes him a little intimidating. But that doesn’t mean people aren’t staring at him with lust-filled glances. Because he looks fucking drop-dead gorgeous in that tailored suit.

He’s found himself what looks like a glass of bourbon, and is standing around with a group of men who are brandishing the same beverage. He shaved his stubble for tonight, and his brown hair has grown out just enough that he actually had to fix it for this evening. Well, Luke fixed it, and I can’t decide what I enjoy more. This polished version of my brute of a man, or the sleepy, disheveled Sebastian that Luke and I get in the mornings. My eyes trail down to how his suit jacket does nothing to hide the massive arms beneath. I can’t help but daydream a little about the abs, chest and back hidden under there, all covered in tattoos. Those strong arms that can toss me around our bed as if I weigh nothing.Arms that have no trouble pinning me down while Luke…breaks me from my daydream.

He’s staring at me from across the room, taking in my outfit as he slowly makes his way through the crowd and over to Sebastian, leaving a very disappointed group of women staring after him.

He places a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder, but our eyes stay locked for what feels like minutes. His mouth twitches in the most adorable way, trying to hold back his smile. Trying to hide his unsteady breathing. In those eyes, I feel nothing less than…loved.I always do. It’s plastered all over his face, and I feel myself blush as if this were the first time we’ve seen each other in ages. And it’s only been a few hours.

He likes the dress.I’m feeling a little breathless.

“What the fuck are you wearing?” I hear Sebastian’s voice in my ear and my eyes snap to his. The deep blue is striking, even from here. And he looks pissed.

It’s fucking hilarious.

“It’s just a dress,” I say into my comm piece, before doing a slow little turn with my drink so that he can appreciate the open back.

“Fuck,sweetheart. We’re going to have a conversation about this when we get home. A very long, verythoroughconversation,” he growls out through clenched teeth. His tone immediately hits me in places it shouldn’t when we’re in public. I’m trying desperately to hold back my arousal for this man, mostly due to the fact that I’m not wearing any underwear. The dress may hide my weapon, but it didn’t hide my thong line. So, off it went.

“Hey lovebirds, you’re not the only ones on this channel. Don’t make me throw up all over the shrimp cocktail,” I hear Colton say and quickly find him across the room, leaning casually against the ballroom doorway, that teasing grin plastered all over his face.

The comm line crackles again, and I hear Jace chime in, “Hey Fisher, if that made you want to throw up, then how was it that just last week you managed to–”

“Hey, hey, hey.Open line,remember? And if I recall, you were there for that too,” Colton stares pointedly at the younger man, shutting him up immediately. Everyone knows those two frequent some club back at home. I can only imagine what they must get up to.

Actually, scratch that. I don’t think I want to imagine it.

“Oh, what happened, Fisher? You finally lose your virginity?” Luke teases.

“Not possible, someone would have to put up with his chattering long enough for that to happen,” Sebastian snarks out, chuckling into his drink.

“Laugh it up, old man. You’ll go gray before I do, in all the places that matter,” Colton retorts, casually striding through the room, doing his job while they’re having this ridiculous conversation. Colton is only three years younger than my guys, but for some reason, this always finds its way into the conversation.

“You keep that man-bun so it’s easier for someone to grab from behind? Or do you just like spending more time alone in the shower to wash it?” Jace contributes, his eyes scanning the room and exits.

“I don’t know, which one do you want to help me with tonight so I can decide?” Colton quips back.

My god.

I’ve often thought that we should probably work on our professionalism, but with this group? These aren’t just our employees, not anymore. After all the jobs we’ve done together, all the stakeouts, the trips across the country staying in places ranging anywhere from roach motels to presidential suites, they’re more than that.

They feel more like an extended family. One I never had as a kid. I love every second of it and every single one of them.

We’ve gotten to know the other teams as well, either from working with them this past week, or on ops we’ve done together in the past. I take a sip of champagne to hide my chuckle, looking around at the lot of them. They’re used to our bullshit, and most of them are either laughing into their jacket sleeves, rolling their eyes, or trying their best to be stoically professional.

Then I think about poor, twenty-two year old Ava Jones, listening to all this from the van. She’s probably wondering what in the fuck she’s gotten herself into.

Welcome to my life.I shake my head as the guys continue their constant slew of inappropriate, testosterone-fueled insults.

We generally behave better back in the office, but there’s just something about being in the field that makes everyone… hyper.

Ava has been pretty quiet since she started working with us, most likely trying her best to be professional and studious at her new job. But tonight, the op is over. Which means it’s Bar Night. I’m sure one evening out with all the guys will break her out of that shell and destroy any lingering insecurities. If there’s anything these men are good at, it’s being so absurd that it can make anyone feel welcome. Let’s just hope they don’t scare her off.

It’s nice to finally have another woman around.

“Sorry to break up whatever the heckthiswas,” Ryan says, his voice breaking through the chaos going on in all our comms. “But we’ve got someone in the ballroom who’s not on the guestlist.”

CHAPTER TWO

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