Jason (Blue Halo Book 2)

“Tickets are all booked, and we’ll be up Friday.”

Jason leaned back in his seat, grinning with excitement to see his twin sister. She and her partner Mason didn’t get to visit nearly enough, especially with him living in Cradle Mountain and her in Marble Falls. The only reason he was okay with her being so far away was because he knew how capable Mason from Marble Protection was of looking after her.

His fingers brushed against the wooden desk in his office. “Logan and I will have all the camping gear ready to go for Saturday night. Remember, it’s cold here, so pack warm clothes.”

Weather in Idaho was far different from the weather in Texas. Luckily, Jason didn’t get affected by the cold too much. Sage did, though, so he hoped she packed well for her trip.

They were camping on some land owned by Flynn, which was right here in Idaho, only an hour out of Cradle Mountain.

“I’m so excited. Both to see you and to camp for a night. I haven’t camped since… gosh, it would have to be since we were kids.”

With it being so cold, they were only going for one night, but hell, a night camping with his sister was better than nothing.

He chuckled. “Don’t worry, the overwhelming smell of smoke, pine trees, and hot cocoa will come back to you.”

“And s’mores. We can’t forget the s’mores.”

Shuffling noises sounded in the background seconds before his sister chuckled.

Mason. It had to be.

And that was his cue. “I’m going to get going, sis. I’ll see you next weekend.”

She chuckled again, clearly distracted now. “Okay. I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Hanging up, he placed his phone down and clicked into his emails.

God, he loved his sister. They’d been close growing up. Being twins, it was impossible not to be. Same classes, same friends… even as adults they’d remained close. Then Project Arma had happened. It had affected his sister more than it should have.

His muscles clenched at the memory. The men who had taken Jason had taken her too. Only for a day, but that was all it took for her to almost die.

To almost die at his hands.

A sick nausea welled in his gut. The same nausea that rolled in every time he thought about it. He’d been drugged. Forced into a murderous rage, while she’d been right there in the cage with him.

He ground his teeth, his grip on the mouse tightening.

Never again would he be someone else’s victim. A pawn in someone else’s game.

A knock on the door tugged him out of his thoughts, sending his gaze up.

“You got a sec?” Logan asked.

“For you, always.”

His friend folded his big body into the seat on the other side of Jason’s desk. “I spoke to Grace about the camping trip. She’s looking forward to it.” There was an edge to Logan’s voice.

“But…?”

Logan sighed. “She’s a bit anxious about spending time with Sage and Mason after talking to the reporter.”

That was understandable. Grace had been working as a therapist for two of the women in Marble Falls. She’d then broken patient/therapist confidentiality by speaking to a reporter. Exposing Project Arma for all involved.

“Did you tell her that Sage and Mason specifically asked for her to come? That they know why Grace did what she did, and they want to tell her in person that no one is holding a grudge?”

With Grace’s permission, Logan had told the team in Texas everything. That she was threatened by the reporter. Told that if she didn’t share what she knew, he’d expose her own dark past, thereby putting her life—and her father’s—in jeopardy. It was an impossible situation to be placed in.

“Yes, I did. And I also suggested something else.”

Jason arched a brow. “Should I be nervous?”

Something lit Logan’s eyes. Amusement? “I suggested she invite Courtney.” A beat of silence passed as Logan watched him closely.

“Courtney?”

Logan lifted a shoulder. “I know you have a thing for her, so if you’d prefer she didn’t come, I’ll message Grace.”

A thing for her? Is that what the guys were calling it? It felt like a hell of a lot more than that.

“I don’t mind.”

Probably not correct. He did mind, but in the best way. There was only one downside—that his sister would see what he felt for Courtney. There was no way Sage wouldn’t. And the woman would harass the hell out of him.

He frowned at the thought. Yeah, that part wasn’t great.

“Want me to message Grace and tell her not to ask?”

“Nope. It’s fine.” His sister’s teasing was worth the time he’d gain with Courtney. So damn worth it. “My sister will be subtle with Courtney then won’t let me hear the end of it. I’ll survive.”

“Okay, good, because Grace is asking her this morning.” Logan looked down at his watch. “Now, actually. And her big vulnerable eyes will probably convince the woman.”

Jason was counting on it. “You know what, all this talk about Courtney has made me twitchy for a coffee.” Aka, Courtney. “Want me to bring one back for you?”

Logan stood too. “Coffee would be great.”

When he stepped into the reception area, Amy immediately looked up, her mouth stretching into a wide smile. “Hey!”

“Hey, Amy. I’m just popping over to The Grind to grab some coffee. Want one?”

“Actually, I was just about to go on my break.” She clicked a few keys on the laptop, fiddled with the phone, then stood. “Mind if I join you? I could use some coffee and fresh air.”

Jason dipped his head. “Don’t mind at all.”

He waited for Amy to come around the desk and trailed behind her as they made their way down the stairs and pushed outside.

“Jeez, it’s cold here.” She wrapped her arms around her waist. “The cold of Cradle Mountain just smacks you right in the face like a bag of ice.”

Her thin blazer and pencil skirt probably weren’t helping the matter. “You don’t have a jacket you can grab?”

“I’m okay. I’ll just stick close to you. Your body lets off enough heat that you’re like a big furnace.”

He wasn’t sure if that was true, considering they weren’t touching, but if the woman said she was fine… “Glad to help.”

He sped up his pace, hoping that would warm the woman a bit. The Grind was only a street away yet still, he often wished it was closer. Right beside Blue Halo wouldn’t be so bad. Hell, in the building.

“I’ve been meaning to say thank you,” she said softly.

“For what?”

“You’ve been so helpful in showing me the ropes around the office. You’ve made the transition to Cradle Mountain super easy. And your team is just so lovely.”

He lifted a shoulder, crossing the road. “It’s been no problem. You’ve picked everything up really quickly.” A lot quicker than he’d expected.

Her chuckle was light and airy. “You’re too kind. I was a bit nervous moving here. You know, not knowing anyone, not having a job. It’s been so much easier than I anticipated.”

“What made you decide to move here?”

She’d already answered this question with his team in the interview process, but it seemed polite to ask himself.

“There was just something about Cradle Mountain that pulled me in. When I saw your job advertised, I thought it was fate.”

That was it? He hadn’t heard of many people moving to a new place based on a town “pulling them in”. Or maybe he was out of touch and it was more common than he thought.

“Had you been here before?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

Interesting.

He stopped as they arrived at The Grind. “Well, we’re lucky you saw the ad.”

He held the door open, and Amy stepped inside. He followed—but came to an abrupt halt as she stopped in front of him, turning and touching his arm. “I’m the lucky one. Thank you.”

“Okay, so I have fifteen minutes. Tell me your stuff and I’ll tell you mine. But first”—Courtney slid a mug onto the table—“like your mug?”

Grace peered down, reading the mug out loud. “How are men like coffee? The best ones are rich, hot, and can keep you up all night.” She chuckled. “Is this new?”

“Yeah, I saw it online the other week and poof, a week later it arrived.” Along with about a dozen others. To say the cupboards at The Grind were overflowing was an understatement. “Now, news?”

Grace wrapped her fingers around the mug. “Okay, so, I wanted to tell you about a camping trip that Logan and I are going on this Saturday night.”

“Ooh, camping, how romantic.”

“Hm, not that romantic. Jason, his sister, and his sister’s partner will be there.”

Okay, that might kill the romance a bit.

A tinge of jealousy coursed through her. The woman got to go camping with Jason? Lord, how had she managed that? “Maybe not super romantic, but fun. His sister and her boyfriend are from Marble Falls, right?”

“Yep.”

Courtney didn’t miss the way her friend’s eyes pinched at the corners.

Oh, the poor thing. She was nervous. After everything that had happened with that reporter, she didn’t blame her. Grace had told her the entire terrible story.

“I’m sure now that they know the danger you would have been in if you didn’t talk, they’ll understand. Not to mention, your father would have been put in prison. Heck, if Logan and his entire team can forgive you, I’m sure they will.”

“But the guys here trust Logan, so when he forgave me, so did they. Also, Sage and Mason haven’t spent as much time with me as everyone here in Cradle Mountain.”

Courtney leaned forward. “I think you’ll be okay, but if you’re that nervous, you could always skip it.”

“Sage and Mason specifically asked for me to come, so I kind of feel like I have to.” Grace took a sip of her coffee, seeming to consider her next words. “But I was wondering if maybe you’d come too? I know I’ll have Logan, but having a girlfriend there would make it just a bit easier.”

A little flutter tickled her belly. Okay, not a little flutter, a huge, gigantic, you-want-me-to-go-camping-with-who? flutter. “Really?”

“Only if you want. I’d love you to be there, but if you’d prefer not to, that’s completely fine.”

She was halfway between flinging herself across the table at her friend in gratitude and flat-out refusing. Camping involved peeing behind trees, right? And no access to showers?

“You can always think about it,” Grace said softly.

Damn, Grace and her puppy dog eyes. The woman could probably convince Courtney to be Thelma to her Louise. “This Saturday happens to be my weekend off. And usually, I try to move as little as possible. Like literally, just enough so that people don’t think I’m dead.”

Grace’s chuckle told her she thought Courtney was joking. She really wasn’t.

“I can make an exception this weekend though. I’ll come.”

The second the words slipped from her lips, her skin began to tingle in anticipation. Two days of Jason. An entire night sleeping in a tent beside him.

Grace sighed, relief washing over her features. Yeah, it had been important to the woman. “Thank you. Logan said the guys have a spare tent and stuff you can borrow.”

“Good. Because the last time I went camping was probably a good five or so years ago. I have nothing. Zilch.”

She remembered that trip well. She’d gone with her douchebag boyfriend of the time. He’d gotten drunk and thrown up in the tent before passing out. Whole lot of fun that was.

“Don’t worry, it’s been even longer for me.” Grace swirled her coffee. “So, how has it been with Jason?”

“If you mean is the guy still a dreamboat who makes my lady parts flutter, then the answer is yes. And I think my conversational skills are improving around him. I’d almost say I can talk like an adult.”

Grace’s smile widened. “I’m so glad.”

“There’s something else.” She bit her lip. “He kissed me on the cheek last night. I know, a kiss on the cheek isn’t much, but—”

Grace reached over, grabbing Courtney’s hand in a firm grip. “What? He kissed you?”

This was why she was friends with this woman. “Yep. And let me tell you, his lips are soft as a cloud. And the way his mouth lingered…”

Ah, hell, she was getting hot and flustered just thinking about it.

Grace gave a little squeak that had Courtney chuckling.

“What about you and Logan? Still the perfect couple?”

Over their coffees, Courtney listened as Grace told her every little perfect thing about her relationship. Her friend was happy, and Courtney was so incredibly happy for her. She’d been through a lot, been hurt in the most traumatic way. For a while, Grace had thought she wasn’t ever going to be able to have a romantic relationship with a man again. All that changed with Logan.

Way too soon, it was time for Grace to leave.

Courtney returned behind the counter. She’d just given a customer their coffee when the door to the shop swung open.

Courtney grinned, her belly warming at the sight of Jason. Her smile faltered, though, when the woman in front of him—the freaking gorgeous runway-model-looking woman—put her hand on his arm, leaning into him.

Jason didn’t pull away. And when he looked down at her, his eyes warmed, his dimples on full display as he smiled.

Courtney’s breath caught, and not in a good way. Her gaze remained glued to them until he looked up.

She jolted, forcing herself to look away. Grabbing a cloth, she began madly scrubbing the counter like it was the dirtiest thing she’d ever seen.

Even though her gaze was down, she felt their presence as they stopped on the other side of the counter. Courtney took her time looking up. The moment she did, she almost wished she hadn’t. The woman was even prettier up close. Bright blue eyes. Lush red lips. She wore a tight shirt under a blazer that gave Courtney a perfect view of a generous chest that just about jumped out of the top.

Stunning.

Courtney turned to Jason, forcing a smile onto her face that was about as fake as the woman’s boobs. “Hi. What can I get for you both today?”

The brunette turned her loved-up eyes on Jason, and another burst of jealousy shot through Courtney.

Stop, she chided herself. You’re not dating the man. If this stunning creature wants to touch him, it’s fine.

“Have you tried their iced lattes? They’re divine,” the woman said.

At least she was a fan of the product. Although, Courtney was a bit surprised she’d been here before. Joey or one of the girls must have served her, because there was no way Courtney would forget a face and body like hers.

When Courtney flicked her gaze across to Jason, she noticed that instead of looking at his companion, he was looking at her. Closely. Intensely.

The smile on Courtney’s face almost slipped. Why was he looking at her and not the walking boobs beside him?

“Everything’s divine here.”

Was he… talking about her? A small light flicked back on in her chest.

“I’ll have my usual,” he said softly. “And one of Logan’s usuals, as well.”

She gave a small nod, words somehow failing her right now. Dragging her gaze away, she looked back to the woman—whose smile was tighter now.

“I’ll have an iced latte.”

“Coming right up.”

While she made the drinks, she tried not to look at them, she really did. But often, too often, and without her permission, her gaze slid over.

Argh. The woman was now leaning into him, saying something while laughing. Fortunately, Jason wasn’t looking at her. And it really was fortunate because if he had been, she had no doubt he would get a big shot of breasts.

It wasn’t until the third time she looked at them from beneath her lashes that Jason’s gaze clashed with her own. He winked at her.

Holy crap on a cracker. Was he actually seeing her? Even with that stunning woman beside him? Her history of shitty boyfriends had just about trained her to believe that when a beautiful woman walked into the room, she became invisible.

Finishing the drinks, she slid them across the counter.

“Thanks, Courtney.” He gave her his card, and when she gave it back, his entire hand slid over the back of hers in the process.

There was no way that wasn’t intentional.

He winked at her a second time before turning toward the door.

The woman gave her a look that was chillier than the tip of Cradle Mountain, and it had Courtney pausing. Who was she? Where was she from? And what was she to Jason?