Tell Me You Need Me (Search and Seduce #1)(15)

He’d had women open up to him from day one in a ploy to pin him down, but it was the one who wouldn’t let him in who’d hooked him from moment one.

And he was sure now that she liked him. And damn it, he liked her—she was perfect for him. Well. Almost. He had to break past her aversion to romance first.

But…what if he couldn’t?

He shook his head. No, he still had time. He could wear her down and show her having a relationship built around more than sex wasn’t so bad.

“You about ready?” East walked in, fully geared up, just like Gage was. Camo, painted face, pack strapped to his back, tools and weapons at the ready.

Enough about romance—Gage was looking forward to today. He’d rather be out in the field, but while waiting for the next mission, he’d busy himself taking a new Search & Rescue team through difficult drills. Come hell or high water, they’d be ready. And if they weren’t? He’d be there with them to pick up the slack.

First order of business: take the recruits through a mock rescue. The guys would go out, follow the clues East and Gage had set up, then finally find the mock victim. Gage and East were in camo in order to stay hidden while following and watching the team’s performance. The team in training was in bright orange so they’d be easy to spot while they completed the mock rescue.

“You’re going to cover the first quadrant,” Gage said. “I’ve got the second. Boys should find the checkpoint in a few hours.”

Going into bear country on a ten-mile hike of unforgiving terrain was exactly what he needed. At least he hoped it’d be enough to take his mind off Chloe.

East smiled. “Still thinking about her, huh?”

Shit, was he that transparent?

“Just getting ready.” He gave the zipper on his pack a final tug.

“Uh-huh. So you’re still not getting any.”

Technically he was getting plenty. He just wasn’t getting what he wanted. Which was worse, because it left him wanting a hell of a lot more. Christ, he could still taste her. Feel her smooth skin and the hint of peaches as he ate the most perfect fruit slices he’d ever had.

“You’re her friend. Why is she so damn stubborn?”

East shrugged. “She doesn’t do commitment.”

“I gathered,” Gage grumbled. “But it’s not like I’m asking for a ton of time. Just more than a weekend.”

And if that worked, maybe more. But he couldn’t present the idea of a long-distance relationship to Chloe when she gagged over the notion of a single date. But if she’d go on one date, they’d know how well they worked together in and out of the bedroom.

So fine. He’d wear her down and give her a bit of sex in exchange for romance.

“Anything longer than a weekend could be considered a lot of time to her,” East said. “Besides, what’s your end game here?”

“To get to know Chloe better.”

“Yeah, but you’re leaving as soon as the next mission calls.”

“I always leave.” Gage hesitated. “But I could come back more often. Stay for a bit longer when I do. Circumstances depending.”

East raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? What kind of circumstances?”

“Chloe.”

“Oh, I thought you were going to say you could work here. Like maybe training full-time. We could use a head of S&R for emergency services in North Carolina. You could be stationed here in Beaufort.”

Gage almost laughed. East had never been the subtle type, but he ought to know better than to try to tempt Gage with something he’d never wanted in the first place.

“No thanks.” He didn’t stay anywhere too long—it was in his DNA to be in the field. Physically doing something, helping. As soon as the next mission came, he’d be long gone. What kind of man would he be if he only took missions locally? What if someone needed him four states away? He’d never be able to sleep at night if someone died after he hadn’t gone there himself.

“I’m here until the next mission,” he said. “Don’t get any ideas.”

“Well then why are you trying to date Chloe if you’re always going to leave?”

“People make things work. A lot of couples work around jobs that keep them busy in other states. Just think about military families when someone’s deployed.”

The difference was he could come back to Beaufort—and Chloe—on his down time. He’d have someone to come home to. If she’d ever go for it.

“But none of this really matters right now,” Gage went on. “She can’t seem to stay around me for longer than a couple of hours, so—”

“So you figured you’d use your layover to test it out,” East finished. “And convince her of your grand plan while you’re at it. Tactical approach.”

Why was he saying that like it was a bad thing? It was smart—and yes, tactical. So what?

“Either way, more time equals more commitment,” East finally said. “Staying or going, it all comes back to you asking for something neither of you ever thought was an option. Hell, something neither of you wanted to be an option.”

Until he’d almost dropped off the side of a cliff. “People change.”

“Yeah. You happen to tell her what inspired you to change?”