Page 68 of Play the Game

“To the Alpha Team!” all of us repeated.

We sipped our VX Cherry Bombs. It was so strong, chockful of high-end tequila, Kentucky rye, Cherry Heering, and Italian mint liqueur that it burned like a four-alarm fire going down. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Pasco open his mouth wide and tilt back his head. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Before I could yell a warning, he took a big gulp.

He gasped, coughed, and bent over, sucking in air and trying to catch his breath.

Li slapped his back to help open up his airways. “Yeah, you don’t ever want to do that with one of Jensen’s bar concoctions.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Pasco wheezed. He looked up at me with watery eyes. “Jensen, that is tragically terrible.”

“Like nectar of the gods,” Kessler said.

Pasco laughed. “What have I gotten myself into? You people are truly insane.”

Conversations kicked up, and someone turned on the music, and the Alpha Team celebration party was officially underway. Tam slipped behind the bar with me.

“Mint chocolate chip?” she whispered.

“Bring back any memories?”

“Only of broken promises.” She glanced sideways at me. “Whatever happened to that ice cream, anyway?”

I grinned but couldn’t look at her because I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to keep from kissing her. “I think I know. I’ll tell you soon.”

“You’re a tease, Jason Jensen.”

I poured us each a Tanqueray and tonic and lifted my glass to her. “And you’re the love of my life, Tamela Sparks.”

* * *

Tamela

I leanedback in my lounge chair, adjusted my bikini top, and stretched out my toes in the green grass. I swatted at a bothersome gnat, then settled back to bask in the sun.

“Are you sad it’s grass and not sand?” Jason reached over and took my hand.

I glanced at the barn behind us, which had been returned to its former state now that the HEAT builders had removed every trace of operations, as if the Alpha Team had never been here. Then I turned to see the large house with its beautiful screened-in porch. When we’d been staying here with the team, I’d had fantasies about making love to Jason on the porch. In the past week, I’d lived out that fantasy many, many times.

“I don’t miss the sand at all,” I said. “I have very, very happy memories of this place.”

He kissed my hand. “I’m happy to help you make more.”

“I’m counting on it. Are you sad you didn’t join your parents in Singapore?”

“Ugh. I don’t want to know what they’re up to together.” He turned toward me and grinned. “And I wouldn’t miss crashing your vacation for the world.”

“So, when I go back to work next week, you’ll still be banned from the building. What are you going to do with your extra week?”

“Let’s see. The team will be back in DC, which means you’ll be going back to your apartment in DC.” He grinned. “Which means I’ll be staying in your apartment in DC.”

“Not even going to wait for an invitation?”

“You don’t remember? You said I have an open invitation the first time we got drunk together and I fell asleep on your couch.”

I laughed, remembering the image of him curled on cold white tiles, telling me how good they felt. “Actually, you passed out on my kitchen floor.”

“But I got up the next morning and made you breakfast.”

I smiled. “Which is what earned you that open invitation. If you come with me, you know I’ll expect breakfast every morning.”

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