Page 57 of The Run Option

“Thank you,” Jason replies while tracing circles on my upper arm. “I’m a lucky man.”

MJ watches us and I can tell she’s studying our interactions. She has been since we met. But somehow, it hasn’t made me uncomfortable. She has yet to voice her observations though, so my happy little bubble might burst by the end of the night.

We can’t afford for anyone to be suspicious of us. Thankfully, Immigration bought our story when we told it a few days ago. It likely helped that Jason is a celebrity of sorts. So now we just need to maintain our image. I hope that we’re doing a good job.

“Just one look at Willow lets us know you’re lucky,” Shepherd jokes from the other side of the couch. He’s been great to hang out with. It’s nice to have someone to help me tease Jason, plus it’s easy to see that under his teasing, he loves and looks up to his brother.

“You’ve made it abundantly clear she’s out of my league, Shep,” Jason says with a warning look. “Now quit flirting with my wife before I drown you in Coach’s pool.”

I laugh at his threat. “Only one of us can have a giant ego after all, so you should stop boosting mine,” I say to Shepherd. He gives me a wicked grin in return.

I let out a squeal. Jason has slid his arm behind my back to tickle my side.

“What was that about my ego?” he asks while tickling me.

I try to push his arm away while laughing.

“Say I’m the most humble man you’ve ever met,” he demands while torturing me.

Through breathless laughter I repeat his words, desperate for reprieve. He finally stops and I collapse against him, breathing heavily.

“I can’t believe you gave in so easily!” Shep admonishes.

“I didn’t see you trying to help me! You could have pulled me away,” I reply and Jason chuckles, the sound vibrating the spot on his chest where I rest my head. My stomach flips when Jason presses a brief kiss to the crown of my head.

“He knows better than to try and touch what’s mine.” His voice is low. I doubt anyone else heard him, but oh, I did. Heat pools low in my abdomen. I should probably have some aversion to being called his…and yet I don’t.

“BOOM!” A loud yell makes me jump. I look in the direction of the sound, my heart still pounding from Jason’s words. Jasmine, one of MJ’s family members if I’m remembering correctly, holds a chess piece high in the air. “Check!” she declares with a flourish of the piece.

I smile at her extravagance, and notice out of the corner of my eye that, yet again, Shepherd is watching her and MJ’s brother Grayson play. He’s likely tried to be subtle about it, but he’s failed miserably so far. I’m not sure if he’s interested in the game, Jasmine, or both, but he’s definitely interested.

“You know you’re still going to lose, right?” Grayson asks with a grin.

Jasmine rolls her eyes. “Yes, but I got further than the last time! I have to celebrate the small victories.”

“Emphasis on small,” Grayson adds. Jasmine throws the piece at him, but he catches it, making her roll her eyes again.

“I’m going to ask Sloane to play. She’s nicer than you.”

“MaybeI’llask Sloane to play. She’s the only one who can beat me.”

“Only because you get so distracted making gaga eyes at her that she switches the pieces around!” Jasmine huffs and I can’t help but giggle at their exchange.

“A win is a win,” Sloane says from close by, where she’s lying on her stomach and reading a book.

“That’s my wife,” Grayson says with a grin. Except, Sloane is not his wife yet. Apparently he’s not keen on waiting until their wedding to throw around the title. I learned that very early on in our introduction.

“This might be a good time for you to jump in,” MJ says to Shepherd. “I assume that’s why you’ve been watching them all night, because you like to play chess.”

Sebastian chuckles at MJ’s wording, and I smile because she saw the same thing I did.

“I don’t think now’s a good time,” Shepherd says with a good-natured laugh. “I’m not sure I can keep up with their competitive nature.”

Jason shoots him a look. “You’re a freakish chess prodigy who’s already head of the team at school. I think you could keep up.”

“Don’t let Grayson hear that. He’s always itching for someone to truly challenge him,” Bash says.

“Did I hear something about a challenger?” Grayson bellows in the tone of someone who’s in the middle of a gladiator pit instead of a living room.

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