by Autumn Reed
I shrugged. “Lucky guess.”
“Your turn, Jackson,” Theo said.
“I’m a member of Mensa, and I secretly enjoy the Outlander books.”
After we all voted, Jackson said, “I’m flattered that everyone thinks I’m a member of Mensa, but that was the fiction.”
“Outlander?” Knox asked. “Isn’t that kind of girly?”
“Read the first one, and then we’ll talk. Haley, why don’t you go next?”
“My dad taught me to drive when I was thirteen, and Jess won an art competition in eighth grade by submitting one of my drawings.”
Chase’s mouth dropped open. “She stole your drawing?”
I looked at him blankly, not willing to give anything away until after everyone voted. Chase and Theo ended up guessing correctly that it was true.
“Paranoid as my dad was, he taught me to drive when I was twelve, in case I needed to escape without him. And, Jess submitted the drawing to prove to me that I was a better artist than other kids our age. Don’t worry, she gave me the cash prize.”
Theo nodded. “Of course, you can draw. You’re Haley, you’re good at everything.”
“Not everything. Liam, you’re up.”
“I’ve participated in a threesome, and I own twelve pairs of shoes.”
Everyone fell silent, and it seemed like they were all watching me to see how I’d react. Hypocritical as it seemed, I felt sick at the idea of Liam with two women, and I took another sip of my drink.
As we went around the circle, my heart sank with every vote for shoes, four in the end. Still wanting to give Liam the benefit of doubt, I voted for the threesome.
Liam slicked his hair away from his face. “While I would consider a threesome under the right circumstances,” he said, looking pointedly at me, “I have never participated in one.”
“You only have twelve pairs of shoes?” Theo sounded outraged by the idea, and I laughed, more than a little relieved that the threesome was a lie.
“Knox’s turn,” Jackson said.
“Let’s see if I know my better, I mean, if I know my brother better than he knows me,” Theo slurred.
“If I didn’t work at Zenith, I’d restore historic homes, and I’ve never been to a strip club.” Knox said it with a straight face, but his voice was tinged with mirth.
Chase snickered, and Liam coughed, “Theo.”
Theo angled his face away from me, but I could have sworn I saw his ears turn red even in the dim light. Theo’s been to a strip club? That seemed so unlike him for some reason.
“It was for an assignment,” he muttered. “And, Jackson didn’t seem to mind.”
Jackson shrugged. “It was a high-class club, and the drinks were excellent.”
“If I remember the story correctly,” Liam said, “Jax wasn’t the one who was offered a lap dance by a busty blonde.”
Theo lunged across the hot tub, aiming for Liam, but he nearly lost his balance, and his hands landed on either side of me. His scowl turned to a goofy smile, and he leaned forward, puckering his lips, before Knox grabbed the back of his swim trunks.
“And, on that note, I think it’s time for us to say goodnight.” Knox hauled Theo out of the hot tub with him.
“I’m done.” I held up my pruney fingers.
Ensconced in the hot tub, I hadn’t realized how much the outside temperature had dropped until I stood from the water. The cold air assaulted my skin, and I was grateful when Jackson wrapped a large, fluffy towel around me, leaving his arms in place a second longer than necessary.
“Let’s go to bed,” he said in a low voice that I thought only I could hear.
“Why does he get to sleep with her again?” Theo grumbled, grabbing his own towel.
“Because we drew names out of a hat. Now, get moving,” Knox commanded.
“I still don’t see why we couldn’t have held a tournament.”
“Because, Haley’s not some prize to be won.”
“Well, duh,” Theo said as Knox practically dragged him up the winding rock staircase to the main floor of the tree house.
Liam followed, with Jackson and me in the rear, while Chase stayed behind to switch off the hot tub and cover it. I felt so happy and sleepy that Theo’s comments didn’t phase me.
I climbed the stairs to the second-floor bedroom, pausing near the top when I heard Liam say, “I can’t believe I got stuck on the futon. This is one step above camping.”
“Yeah, well, it wasn’t my first choice either,” Chase huffed.
Afraid Jackson would catch me eavesdropping, I finished climbing the stairs. Penny was asleep at the foot of the bed, and I tried to be quiet as I dug in my bag for my toiletries and pajamas. After rinsing off and brushing my teeth, I crawled into bed and turned to face the wall.
I heard Jackson enter the room and rustle around in his bag before softly closing the door to the bathroom. While he took his time in the shower, I debated what to do once he emerged. The cowardly part of me was tempted to feign sleep and hope he would be out of bed before I awoke in the morning. The more confident part reminded me that I’d kissed him back in the hot tub and liked it. A lot.
When the water shut off, I made the snap decision to turn over, tired of being apprehensive around Jackson. The door opened, and light filtered from the bathroom long enough for our eyes to meet. And, for me to see the outline of his mouth-watering body clad in a pair of snug boxer briefs.
He flipped the light switch, and with the room bathed in utter darkness, Jackson slid under the covers, his fresh, soapy scent permeating the air. Once he was settled, his hand inched up my arm and shoulder until it rested against my cheek.
“I want to kiss you again, but I’m afraid you’re too much of a temptation while in my bed, even if it’s a temporary one.”
My pulse thundering, I blurted the first words that came to mind. “What if I kiss you instead?”
Jackson remained silent for so long, I started to pull away, but his grip tightened on my face to hold me in place. He must have shifted toward me, because I felt his breath against my lips when he said, “I can probably handle that.”
I barely had to move my head to meet his mouth, and in the dark, I suddenly understood what he meant about temptation. Every slight brush of our lips was so intense, I felt an almost desperate need to melt into him.
He withdrew too quickly, and I immediately felt the loss of his touch. Neither one of us spoke, so I eventually rolled onto my back and attempted to steady my heart rate. I heard shuffling under the sheets before feeling his hand reaching for mine, our fingers intertwining with an ease that surprised me.
I smiled, then sobered as I heard muted voices drifting from downstairs. Feeling happy and guilty, I repeated my birthday wish over and over until I fell into a dreamless sleep.
Playing the Field
“I come bearing gifts.” With a garment bag draped over one arm, I held up a bag of bagels with the other.
Kara stood in the doorway to her apartment dressed in a robe, a towel wrapped around her hair. “Come in. Would you like some coffee?”
“No, thanks.” I followed her into the bedroom, where several dresses were laid out, and hung my garment bag on the doorframe.
“Did Logan move in?” I asked, noticing that one nightstand had an e-reader, the other a paperback about Winston Churchill, and both held phone chargers.
“Practically. He sleeps over almost every night.”
“I’m curious—what are the sleeping arrangements for your overnight team assignments?”
“The guys usually share rooms, and I have my own.”
“Does Logan ever sneak in?”
She laughed and held each dress up to her body, silently asking my opinion. “I wish, but it’s too risky. And, honestly, we’re usually so focused on our task that by the end of the day, we’re exhausted.”
“That one.” I pointed to the magenta sheath with a black skinny belt. “When I went with several of the guys to San Franc
isco last December, it was pretty laid-back. We even did some sightseeing.”
“Yeah, that would never fly with Scott. Did you bring your makeup?”
I handed her my bag and took a seat on the edge of the bed, grateful she offered to do my makeup. I always admired how put-together she looked, and since I was still getting used to applying eyeshadow, I could benefit from her experience. I watched as she dug through the few cosmetics I owned and selected a brush and shade. Sitting patiently, I breathed through my nose while she gently applied it to my eyelid.
“From everything you’ve told me about Scott, I’m surprised you decided to join Team Falcon in the first place.”
“Can I trust you to keep a secret?”
“Of course. You know all the skeletons in my closet.”
“Not all.” I knew she was referring to my relationship with the guys and the matter of which, if any, of them I was interested in.
“I know, I know. But, that’s a conversation for another day.” As much as I had come to trust Kara, I still wasn’t ready to share the truth. And, we didn’t have nearly enough time to go into the details this morning. We were due to meet Liam and Jackson in an hour for the Stanford Alumni Fundraiser Brunch.
“Okay,” she sighed. “I’ll save my prying. Falcon wasn’t my first choice, Coyote was.”
“Really?” I tried to imagine Kara as a member of the fierce all-girl team, but it didn’t compute. “What happened?”
“They didn’t want me.”
“Why not?” I felt indignant on Kara’s behalf.
“Officially, they claimed they already had someone with my skill set, but I think it really had more to do with a personality conflict. I went through training with one of the girls and we didn’t get along, but I thought we’d moved past it. Or, at least, I had.”
“So, you ended up on Team Falcon?”
“With a leader whose ego is the size of Texas.” Kara pulled my eye taut before running liner against the base of my eyelashes. “Did you consider joining Jaguar after completing your training? They’ve clearly accepted you as one of their own.”
“I can’t imagine working in the field, and when Patrick explained the role of a strategy specialist, it sounded perfect.”
“I think it’s a good fit for you.”
I smiled, pleased Kara approved. I was coming to find that I valued her opinion; she was level-headed, honest, and understood the challenges of being a female at Zenith.
When she finished my makeup, she moved on to her own, and I took mental notes as she applied her eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara. I was slipping on my heels when there was a knock at the door. Knowing Liam and Jackson would be waiting on the other side, I eagerly offered to answer it.
I opened the door and stood spellbound, overwhelmed by the sight of Jackson in a suit, his dark curls more defined than usual.
He leaned close when he passed me to greet Kara, whispering, “You look beautiful.”
Liam appeared in the doorway a moment later, and I felt my stomach do a somersault. He always looked amazing, and this morning was no exception. His navy pinstripe suit was perfectly tailored, and the pale blue shirt and paisley tie set off his gray eyes. He smiled devilishly and kissed my cheek. “Good morning, gorgeous.”
Standing a few feet away from Kara and Jackson, Liam scanned me appreciatively, his eyes dipping to the hint of cleavage revealed by my navy cowl-neck dress. I wondered what Kara was thinking, but she seemed too preoccupied talking with Jackson to give us much notice.
“I’m looking forward to tonight.” Liam’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
“So am I. I haven’t gone stargazing in a long time.”
“We both know that’s not what I was referring to.” He lowered his voice, clearly intending to remind me of my agreement to spend the night with him.
“Chase, Theo, and Knox are in position,” Jackson said. “Time to go.”
Thirty minutes later, we pulled onto campus in a company car, passing wave after wave of students dressed in cardinal-colored T-shirts and hats. Jackson wasn’t exaggerating when he mentioned it would be crowded—a field next to the stadium was full of students tailgating in anticipation of the football game. Fortunately, we had designated parking near the Alumni Center.
Knox stood just inside the entrance to the building, his face an unreadable mask. His voice in my ear, speaking through the earbud to the team, was the only indication he noticed our arrival. “Phoenix landed.”
When Liam placed his hand on my lower back, I tore my eyes away from Knox and smiled sweetly at my date. I needed to focus on the assignment; even though I wasn’t actively participating, I didn’t want to be a distraction. But, seeing my guys dressed in suits was definitely distracting for me.
Guests mingled, and I scanned the lobby for potential targets, wondering if Wilson had already spoken with any of them. When I finally spotted him, he was laughing with a woman I recognized from Theo’s presentation. She was older, the perfect depiction of a sweet, grandmotherly type, and I despised him for preying on countless women just like her.
“Wilson and Briggs at registration.” Knox confirmed my sighting.
“Spears?” Jackson asked, and I barely saw his mouth move. Was he secretly a ventriloquist?
“Wilson spoke to her earlier,” Chase said from his hidden post within the building.
Liam left us to talk with Briggs, and it wasn’t long before he returned, a jubilant expression on his face. “Count Briggs out.” I wondered how he could be so certain, but Liam was the expert.
We followed Jackson and Kara into the banquet hall. They were seated at a nearby table with another potential target, and Liam and I took our places across the table from Marilyn Spears. I made small talk with the man next to me, but I couldn’t keep my eyes from wandering to her. How much of her beauty, and her considerable cleavage, was natural?
A waiter set a plate before me topped with breakfast delicacies—a mini quiche, home fries, a huge cinnamon roll, and fresh fruit. The food looked delicious, and I nibbled at each item while continuing to keep an eye out for Wilson and his targets. When a woman approached the podium, I finally spotted Theo near the stage, arms crossed and a serious expression on his face. I did a double take, not used to seeing him in a suit. He almost looked like a different person.
“Welcome, alumni and guests, and thank you for attending our annual brunch. As many of you know, the university relies heavily on private donations. In fact, we were the first school to raise more than a billion dollars in a single year.”
She continued speaking, but I stopped listening when Liam’s hand found mine beneath the table. I looked over to Jackson, surprised to find him whispering in Kara’s ear. When she covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, I smothered feelings of jealousy. They were playing a part, just as Kara probably assumed that I was with Liam. Besides, Kara was in a relationship with Logan.
The more I thought about it, the worse I felt. Could I be a bigger hypocrite? I was dating the five of them at once, and yet, I couldn’t handle seeing one of them with another girl, even when I knew it was pretend.
“Still no sign of Freeland.” I jolted when I heard Chase’s voice in my ear.
Liam gave me a questioning glance, and I smiled, thankful he wasn’t a mind-reader. With Freeland MIA, that left four potential targets, and we knew Wilson had already talked to at least two of them. Would he approach the others, playing the entire field, and leave us guessing?
Applause broke my concentration, and I quickly joined in, hoping I didn’t stand out for my lag in participation. Liam leaned closer and spoke into my ear. “You okay, gorgeous?”
I smiled and nodded. The last thing Liam needed to worry about was me. And, with the conclusion of the speeches, he now had the opportunity to approach Marilyn.
“Wilson on the move,” Theo said.
“On it,” Chase confirmed. With everyone milling about, I had trouble determining Wilson’s position, and I was grateful for Chase’s abi
lity to be omnipresent. The communication line was silent as we waited for Chase’s update, and it wasn’t long before he said, “Wilson exited the building.”
As far as we knew, Wilson had only spoken with Marilyn and Briggs, and Liam was confident Briggs wouldn’t buy into Wilson’s scheme. Which meant that Marilyn was our best shot. Since Liam needed to get her alone, I decided it was a good time for a restroom break.
“Marilyn on the move,” Theo said.
I could still hear their commentary from within the stall, and their voices seemed magnified in the smaller, quieter space. I hoped none of the other women could hear it, but I had no way of knowing.
Seconds later, the door to the restroom opened, and a pair of heels clacked across the tile floor. Emerging from the stall, I steadied my hands under the flow of water as Marilyn approached the sink beside me. I debated whether to stay silent or talk to her, but I knew the guys were running out of time to make their move. I didn’t want to jeopardize the mission, but if there was any way I could help, I would.
After wiping my hands with a towel, I covertly switched on the microphone feature of my earbud.
“I love your purse,” I said with a friendly smile, openly admiring her designer handbag.
“Thank you. It was a gift.” She evaluated me for a moment. “You were sitting across from me at the table, right? Your date is the handsome young man in the pinstripe suit?”
Maybe this was going to be easier than I thought. I just needed to make her believe Liam and I weren’t romantically involved. “Yes. That’s Liam, but he’s not my date.”
“Ohhh?” She encouraged me to continue.
“He brought me as a favor since I’m interested in attending Stanford. He’s an old friend of the family, nothing more.” Wow, that lie had rolled off my tongue so easily, even I was surprised.
“Is that so?” She paused in the middle of applying her lipstick.
I switched the microphone back off, hating the thought of Marilyn flirting with Liam while I reminded myself that trapping Wilson was the goal. If we were successful, didn’t the end justify the means? The more I was exposed to the “inner circle” of Zenith, as Jackson called it, the grayer everything became.