Page 49 of Play the Game

“Then we need a different solution, and I have it. You were right about me not coming back to Alpha Team. I’m going to request a transfer to central IT.”

“You want to sit behind a desk all day?”

He laughed. “You do realize that’s what I do now, right? And having dealt with them most of the afternoon, I can tell you, they could use my help to whip their soft asses into shape.”

I had trouble picturing Jason in the closest thing HEAT had to a corporate environment. “You want to sit behind a deskandmanage people. Sounds like fun.”

“I also already manage people. Well, I manage Alder.”

“You assign some tasks to her and help her with sticky technical problems,” I said. “But mostly, Alder manages herself.”

“Yes, because she’s an excellent employee, and I take full credit for that.”

I laughed. “You would.”

“Worst-case scenario,” he said, “and I do mean the worst thing that could happen, which I’m sure won’t happen, is that I hate it, so I resign and go work for my dad. My three-year obligation to HEAT is up. I can write my own ticket.”

“But you’ve built something here.”

“I’d like to think so.” He pulled me back into his lap and held me loosely. “This is the perfect solution.” He stroked my neck and made it difficult to think straight. “Why are you resisting it?”

“Because what you do now is your dream job, and I don’t want to ruin that for you.”

He took my face between my hands. “You’re my dream woman, don’t you understand that?” He kissed me softly. I curled into him, back where I belonged, in his arms. “And I lo—”

I pressedmy fingers to his lips. “Don’t say it. Not until this mission is over and you’ve gotten the transfer and we’re sure everything’s going to work out.”

“Feeling superstitious?”

“No, but...” I couldn’t explain the uneasy feeling I had, like there was a giant shoe about to drop onto our unprotected heads, but I’d learned to respect that instinct. “We’ll put it into words another day. For tonight, just show me. Make love to me, Jason Jensen.”

He stood with me in his arms and deposited me on the bed. I scooted backward, and he climbed onto it with me, laying me back on my pillows. He kissed me, deep and slow, and every worry melted away. “I thought you’d never ask, Tamela Sparks.”

* * *

A phone rang,waking me from a hard sleep. Jason’s warm weight was pressed into my back as he spooned me. I snuggled my backside closer to him while I waited for him to turn off his alarm, which he’d set to 2:00 a.m. so he could go relieve Alder.

“Yeah?” he said, and I realized it hadn’t been his alarm, but an actual ring. “Are you sure? How many?”

I turned toward him. He pressed a silent kiss to my lips, then slid out of bed.

“And what about the other two?” He was vaguely silhouetted by the moonlight as he picked up his clothes off the floor. “Yep, on my way. Text TJ. He can decide whether he wants us to wake the whole team.” He slid his phone into his jeans pocket.

I sat up, pretty sure my night of sleep was over, as well. “Alder?”

“Yeah. She found them. Pasco’s thugs. Four of them grouped together.”

“And the location?”

He shook his head. “Definitely North America, like we assumed. And the program has ruled out a wide swath inland from each of the coasts.”

“So, the middle of the country?”

“Yes.” He grinned and leaned in to kiss me. “And after my little slip-up Sunday night, we can rule out Ann Arbor.” He gave me another, longer kiss.

“Jase, get the hell out of here before TJ texts the rest of the team.”

“I’m going, but I’m not happy about it.” He winked at me. “See you over there.”

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