As the meal came to an end and plates were cleared, Ethan, Jordan, and Mark gathered near the living room, casually chatting about where they'd spend the night.
"I don't need anything fancy," Jordan said, stretching with a grin. "Just somewhere clean and close enough so I can check out the nightlife around here. I hear it's not bad."
The look on his face said more than his words. Ethan gave him a tired sigh. Mark just chuckled under his breath.
"Are we talking separate rooms or one shared space?" Mark asked, getting straight to the point.
Ethan shrugged. "I'm good either way."
But something in the way Mark looked at him lingered, a quiet hesitation.
Mark had no issue bunking with others. Years of cramped missions, roadside camps, and sleeping in surveillance vans had stripped away any sense of luxury.
Still, the idea of sharing a room with his employer felt… off. Professional lines blurred too easily in casual settings.
Jordan, ever the mood reader, caught it instantly.
