Page 519 of Tease Me


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“Where I was supposed to land. Where I’ve been heading for a while now.” He turned his head and met my gaze. “I’m out of HEAT. The subcommittee needed a sacrificial lamb, and I made X swear to me that I would be it.”

“Oh, TJ. This is so unfair.”

He shook his head. “Nobody gets promised ‘fair’ in this business, or hell, in this life.” He kissed my fingers. “But as far as I’m concerned, I’m getting something more than fair.”

“What will you do now?” I asked.

He gently climbed onto the bed beside me, taking care not to shift my position with his weight. He put his arm around me and kissed the top of my head. “Well, for starters, I’m going to ride herd on you to make sure you listen to the doctor’s orders so you’ll make that full recovery.”

I nestled my head against the crook of his neck. I wouldn’t mind that one bit. But he was evading my questions. “I’m asking for an honest answer.”

“I know. And I’m giving you one. But as far as my work, I already have something lined up. I’ve been asked several times to join the board of an organization that helps vets who are struggling. The founder is a good buddy of Evan Prescott, Bond’s Chicago cop boyfriend. And there is one other thing.” There’s a note of mischief in his voice.

I scooted up as best I could so I could see his face. “What are you planning?”

He shrugged. “A little side project. Derek and Chase, the Wilder brothers, have some government contracts to make protective clothing for the military. Those contracts can be used for other services, like outside consulting.”

“So, if you go to work for them, you’ll do some consulting for HEAT?”

“I’ll be a subcontractor, not a direct employee, but yes, HEAT and X and the members of my former team will still have access to me on a part-time basis.” He grinned down at me. “That means some time has opened up on my calendar. Do you have any ideas about how I could fill it?”

“I do.” I traced my finger down over his throat and down to the unbuttoned top button of his shirt. “But I should warn you, I realized something when you were holding me on the floor of the newsroom. Actually, I’d realized it earlier when I was still at HEAT HQ, but I decided to wait until all of this was over to tell you. When I collapsed and didn’t have the strength to say the words to you, I was so full of regret for not telling you when I could.”

“No time like the present,” he whispered, in his smooth, safe voice, and I knew I could tell him anything.

“I’m falling for you, TJ Russo. It’s only been two weeks, and we’re at the very beginning of our journey, but I want to explore this, see where the path leads.”

He nuzzled my cheek and whispered in my ear again. “And you want to see me naked again.”

“Yes, please. How soon can we do that?”

“I can’t make that call, but we can ask Bond. I’m sure she’ll have plenty of opinions on the matter.”

“She can have all the opinions she wants.” I tilted my head and kissed him. He held me carefully and kissed me back. “But if it’s more than a few days, I’m going against doctor’s advice.”

“I think they call it doctor’s orders, and for a reason.”

“You know me.” I nibbled his lip. “I have a problem with authority.”

He shook his head. “That’s not the way I remember it. But I’m happy to be reminded, the minute you get out of this place.”

“Deal,” I said.

A second later, the door to my hospital room cracked open.

“Are you up for visitors?” Bond asked.

“Sure,” I said, wondering if the plural meant that other team members had stuck around with her and Jensen. TJ eased off the bed and straightened my blanket over my lap.

One by one, every member of the former Alpha Team filed into the room, followed by Jayna. She had a bruised temple and an arm in a sling, and I burst into tears when I saw her.

“They said you were fine.” I snuffled as she leaned over the edge of the bed to hug me.

“I am,” she said. “I’m a little banged up, but it takes a hell of a lot more than that to take down the fourth estate.”

I glanced down at myself, cossetted into a hospital bed, in for a long recovery, but ready and willing to fight another day. “Agreed.”

“That’s good,” Jayna said, “because the owner of the newspaper is very insistent about something.”

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