A SEAL's Pleasure by Tawny Weber

brief. He knew he hadn’t won the war. But he was still taking this as a tactical victory. And like any good victory, he planned to parlay it into a bigger win with carefully orchestrated, strategic steps.
    Ready to get started, he stepped farther into the room and turned his attention to Irish.
    â€œCommander,” he greeted with a modified salute.
    â€œRomeo,” Mitch responded, rising to shake his hand. “Thanks for making the trip. How was the flight?”
    Knowing his commander was asking about more than the condition of the travel from the East Coast to West, he glanced at Mitch, shrugging to indicate that the mission was proceeding according to plan. He’d spent the past thirty hours in Little Creek being briefed in the use of the new bomb gear.
    Satisfied with his report, such as it was, Mitch nodded, then tilted his head to indicate Gabriel be at ease.
    â€œCan I get you a beer?” Irish offered.
    â€œSure.” Free now to indulge in the next stage of his plan, Gabriel stepped into the sunken living area and gave Tessa a smile. The kind he’d offer a friend’s mother or an elderly shop clerk. Nonthreatening, nonsexual and friendly.
    Instead of taking a seat next to Tessa on the couch, or even in the chair opposite, where he could stare directly at her, he took the chair to her right.
    Damn, she had a great profile.
    He watched with appreciation as she gave a deep sigh, the move pressing her breasts tighter against the sheer fabric of her blouse. Then, as if she couldn’t stand it any longer, she turned her head and gave him a cool look under arched brows.
    â€œHere ya go, Romeo,” Irish said.
    Gabriel reached out to take the bottle, but he didn’t take his eyes off the black-haired beauty staring at him.
    He couldn’t read her gaze. He knew he hadn’t imagined the interest he’d seen there earlier, and he didn’t doubt for a second that she could wield indifference with deadly accuracy.
    Which meant she was hiding the interest.
    His smile widened.
    Operation Romance was working just fine. He’d gotten her attention the other night with his opening salvo of a kiss. He’d issued his terms. Now the fun could start. Keeping her off balance enough that she didn’t lose interest, but not letting things get so out of hand that he couldn’t resist giving in. He’d wait her out, see how long it took before she couldn’t resist talking to him.
    â€œOh, Gabriel, these look amazing.”
    It wasn’t Livi’s gushing exclamation that freed his attention. It was that her words seemed to flip a switch for Tessa. With just a flick of her lashes, the brunette angel dismissed him to turn her gaze toward her friend. His lips twitched as the message came through loud and clear.
    Shoo
, those lashes said.
Just shoo.
    Damn, she was cute the way she thought she had the upper hand.
    â€œTessa, aren’t they decadent looking?” Livi said as she set a tray on the glass coffee table. “My mouth is already watering.”
    â€œThey look great,” Tessa acknowledged, accepting the plate Livi offered and sending Mitch a teasing smile. “I didn’t know you were craving éclairs, though. I thought you were on a kale kick.”
    â€œBalance. It’s all about balance,” Livi said with a wave of her hand. “I had this sudden craving for cream-filled pastries last night, but there were no good bakeries open at midnight. I finally settled for hot cocoa and whipped cream, but it wasn’t the same.”
    â€œYou should have told me you were in the mood for something besides seaweed,” Tessa said. “I’d have stopped at the little bakery by my place that you love.”
    â€œThat’s okay,” Livi said as she handed Mitch his plate, along with a kiss. “Mitch said he’d get them for me.”
    Hurt flashed in Tessa’s eyes but was hidden away with another whisk of those lashes.