Page 63 of Mated to Team Shadow

I wrapped my arms around her. "Go ahead, darling," I said after breathing in her scent. "Be as jealous as you want. We can take it. We're SEALs, and we are up for any challenge, obtain any mission objective."

"Any?" she said.

"Yes," said Ryker. "Including getting our mate home."

Jeanine pulled away. "Now wait a minute. You make it sound like you have plans for me. I have a job. And a life."

"Yes," said Ryker. "We have a lot of talking to do."

Jeanine

One year later

"Okay," I said staring at my iPad, "the last client paid us, and the new client put down a good deposit, so we're in good shape."

We're in the Caribbean again, even though I vowed never to come back. But we're in the U.S. Virgin Islands, miles from the island that brought us together. Not that I minded Dominica, I'm sitting on a lounge chair at a gorgeous luxury resort. Hurricane Maria left its mark throughout the island, and the rebuilding lent to upgrading systems. The hotel chain who hired Shadow Security sent us here to install a new security system, and we traveled here just as we did for the past year, to take up temporary residence until our next job.

The past year saw lots of changes. The first few months were stressful as my guys, as I call them now, disengaged from military service. The higher ups didn't like it, and the service may recall them to active duty, but officially Team Shadow now was Shadow Security Service.

Gunner pulled the iPad from my hands.

"You are looking stressed," he said. "I don't like that. And the guys won't like that."

"What am I supposed to do? How can I work from here?"

"And why can't you? We have an international phone plan. Why can't you make sales calls poolside?"

That was another change. Following Team Shadow's rescue, the Navy insisted I signed a ton of legal agreements with words like "non-disclosure," and "Miss Lee will not divulge," sprinkled through it. The biggest story in my life was a national security secret. My boss was furious with the cover story Special Ops gave me and fired me for misappropriating company funds for my "vacation." And since the world of newspapers was a surprisingly small one, getting a job in my former field was, as the guys say, a no-go. Fortunately, I found I had a talent for sales.

"Jeanine?" said Gunner.

"Because it's too romantic and my thoughts wander. When are you guys going to finish the work? You promised me a vacation. Some alone time? You've all been so busy."

Gunner took both of my hand and kissed them.

"We're almost done. Just another day or two."

"A day or two!"

"You tell us all the time that establishing a new business is hard work. Do some shopping.

"Why?"

"Buy a new dress."

"No. I don't need a new dress."

"Are you sure?" He smiled.

"Gunner, what are you going on about?"

"Nothing," he said.

"You're hiding something."

"Nope," he said. But he smiled, which tipped me off. Gunner's face hides little.

Gunner's phone chimed, and he looked at it.

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