Page 43 of Power Play

Her teeth sink into her lower lip. “I like that theory. I'll allow it.”

“Thanks.” I chuckle. “You'd rather it be hard and fast?”

“Sex or the bottle you're about to throw?”

“Sex.” This is a terrible idea, but she started it. It's an excuse I can still use as an adult, right?

“Not that I remember that well,” she mumbles. “But yeah, fast for sure. The quicker it's done the better.”

My hand tightens around the bottle so it doesn't tumble to the floor. “I don't get that joke.”

She tosses her head back with a laugh only to wince and grip her head between her hands. “Stop stalling and toss me that bottle. I need it.” Her movements stiffen. “Wait, you wouldn't happen to have a cigarette on you, would you?”

“One of the guys might, but—”

“Bring the bottles.” With a smile, she unfolds from the pretzel she'd scrunched into. Snatching her hat off the bad and tugging it down low, she heads to the door. “Hurry. I'm scared for my safety if this is as fast as you move.”

Leaning against the living room door, I wait as I watch Randi shuffle around the room, asking each of the beta team agents for a smoke. A younger guy cautiously pulls a pack from his pocket and slides it into her hand. With her intentions clear, I tell one of the agents to go on ahead and secure the kitchen employee entrance. T shoots daggers from where he's sprawled out on the couch, no doubt needing a few minutes of sleep before room service arrives.

I slide both bottles into my pockets before raising my hands palms out. “She'll be fine. I'll go down with her.”

“That doesn't make me feel better. I’m just as concerned about you two killing each other as an outside threat.”

Randi snorts. “Wise man, but we're good. For now. But if he does kill me, I won't hold it against you, T.”

“Yeah, because you'll be dead.”

“Right, so I’ll haunt him, obviously.” I laugh at the sarcastic scrunch of her tiny nose. “Come on, Trouble.”

Tank groans. “This is a terrible idea. I'm going with you.”

“Now you're insulting me,” I say, all humor gone. “Stay here, wait for the food. You know you ordered yourself something on the side. We're all starving.”

“We skipped lunch,” he snaps back. Yep, the man needs to eat. No one wants to be around this guy when he's hungry and tired. Terrible combo. He's my best friend and even I don't want to be near him when he's like this.

“Damn. That's my fault, isn't it?” Her eyes flick around the room, gauging the rest of the team. We all look worn the fuck out. It's obvious to her too, if the cringe she's sporting means anything. “When I'm stressed, I forget to eat. Old habits, I guess. How does this work? You guys eat when I eat or only when you're off?”

“We rotate while on shift usually, but today was a—”

“Complete mess,” Randi cuts in.

“Anomaly.” Tank’s stress lines fade into a somewhat smile. Damn, what is it with this woman? How in the hell is she able to get to this softer side of him? “We'll figure it out, get into a routine. Now that we know you need a reminder of when to eat, that helps us. We didn't say anything today because we figured you didn't want to stop.”

Randi shoves both hands to her hips. “Let’s set up some rules. First, if you don't know something, ask. I don't like that you guys were starving today because you didn't ask. Second, no more of this ma'am bullshit from any of you, even in public. I swear I feel the gray hairs multiplying every time one of you says it, and I already spend way too much money on covering that shit as it is. Got it?”

Something flares in my chest at the stubborn and commanding tone in her voice. Maybe she can do the VP thing. If she can own Tank, how much harder can running the country be?

A random thought pushes through my thoughts. What if she's this commanding in bed? My lips tug down in a frown. Hopefully not. Watching her own the room is hot as hell, but alone, I want her begging for it.

The two of them continue the rules discussion as I walk to the door, discreetly adjusting myself to hide the semi I'm sporting. These next four years will be torture if I'm like this every time I'm near her. Good thing she's with Birmingham and the job or I’d pin her against a wall the first moment we were alone. Or even if we weren’t. Hell, that would be hot, the risk of being caught. Past girlfriends worried about their reputation or someone seeing too much to be… adventurous.

“Ready?”

I cut my eyes to her at the touch of humor in the single word.

Shit, how long has she been there and I failed to notice? That's not good. If I can't keep my focus, I can't keep her safe. Which is my motherfucking job. Shit.

I have to maintain distance whether my dick has other options or not. Her life depends on it.

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