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His teammates called out their agreement and lifted their glasses as well. TJ stepped from the edge of the crowd into the center and turned toward Red. “Bond, it’s good to have you back safe.” He looked at me. “Prescott, we owe you a debt of gratitude for making that happen.”
Team members called out their support. “Hear, hear!” “To Prescott!” “To Bond and Prescott!”
So I was off their shit list, after all. That seemed like a good reason to celebrate. Following their lead, I downed my drink in one long swallow. It stung and burned all the way down and left a horrible aftertaste of medicinal hot peppers on my tongue.
“Truly atrocious,” Red told Jensen. “The normal warnings apply.”
“She always threatens to have him suspended without pay if he puts any of us into the sick bay with his drinks,” Sparks told me. “So far, it’s only happened once or twice.”
I pressed my hand over my stomach.
“She’s joking,” TJ said. “So far, we’ve gotten lucky.”
“A lot of that going around,” Penn said. He winked at Red.
Something twisted in my gut, and it wasn’t from Jensen’s terrible cocktail. Given the way they’d found us at the cabin, I was past being embarrassed that everyone in the room knew more about my sex life than my closest friends. But in that moment I realized what they must all think of me, the same thing I’d thought of the Wilder brothers before I’d found out who they were. As just another player on Red’s roster. Just another stud to serve at the lady’s pleasure.
Only I was less than that to her. I was just a one-night stand. One she’d enjoyed enough to want to extend the offer for a few more days, but still a disposable lover. It absolutely should not bother me, but for some reason, it did.
I clutched my stomach and hightailed it out of the room, desperate to find the nearest bathroom. Despite his spotless record of near-but-not-quite-poisoning, Jensen was about to claim his first victim. I hoped they weren’t serious about punishing him, because I knew damn well my sudden illness wasn’t his fault. It was the result of my own stupidity. When had I become some sort of sentimental sap? It was all too clear to me that despite our agreement, I’d developed feelings while the lady had been having a good time. I’d been waxing poetic while the good doctor had been getting her rocks off.
And not only did her entire team know the truth about our private night, but the best sex of my life had been reduced to a joke.
* * *
Samantha
One minute,we were all commiserating over Jensen’s latest terrible drink recipe. The next, I was running after Evan, hoping his pallor and obvious abdominal discomfort didn’t mean our fun drinking ritual had finally turned toxic. He entered one of the first-floor bathrooms and clicked the lock into place. I paced back and forth in the gym, several feet away from the room. Just because I wasn’t embarrassed by digestive tract issues didn’t mean he wouldn’t be.
TJ came to the door of the common room. I shook my head to indicate we didn’t need any help. He nodded and pulled the door shut behind him, enclosing the increasingly raucous team. When Evan emerged a few minutes later, his color was better and he no longer clutched his abdomen. Good signs, but I still wanted to examine him to be sure there wasn’t need for concern.
“Let’s go to the medical suite,” I said.
When I stepped toward him, he held up his hands and stepped back. “I’m fine. I need to speak with TJ.”
I glanced at the team room. “Okay, but that can wait five minutes.”
“Samantha, I’m fine.”
When he didn’t use his nickname for me, the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees around us. At least he hadn’t called me Dr. Bond.
“Sorry,” he said. “Dr. Bond, no need to worry about me.” Evan left me and walked towards the team room.
I was in the deep freeze. I recognized the technique for going head down to get the job done. I’d seen it plenty when I’d been deployed. Hell, I’d spent most of my days as a field surgeon doing it myself. But Evan’s behavior here, now, when we were safe and sound and had even discussed adding on to our one night together, made no logical sense. Which meant it had to be a reaction to emotions. The one area where all the medical expertise in the world would do me no good.
Fuck me.
Evan cracked open the team room door, and in short order, TJ exited. Neither of them glanced my way as they crossed the gym and entered TJ’s office, closing the door behind them. I watched them through the glass panels in the wall for approximately five seconds, the amount of time it took TJ to close the blinds. A few hours ago, I had been the one building a bridge between two stubborn men. Now I was left on the shore while they went on their merry way together.
Okay, I sounded like I was jealous of them both, which was ridiculous. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was getting tripped up by the irrationality of emotions myself.
I leaned against the wall and stared at the closed office door. How long could their talk possibly take? And when it was over, whether Evan liked it or not, TJ would tell me everything, because despite the misgivings I’d had about my place with HEAT over the past couple of days, I was still a part of team leadership, for now.
After five minutes, TJ opened his door and poked his head out. I straightened.
The common room door opened and Jensen and Alder emerged as if they’d been summoned. Which they probably had, by text. “Yeah, boss?” Jensen said.
TJ inclined his head. “IT room.” He glanced at me and furrowed his brow. “Bond, in my non-professional opinion, you could use some sleep.”
