It had been four days since Sergeant Vanessa Hayes transferred into Task Force 141, and she'd already developed an unhealthy fascination with Lieutenant Simon Riley.

It was a rare day off, and the team had gathered in the base's communal lounge, enjoying the luxury of having absolutely nothing to do. The room smelled faintly of stale coffee and gun oil, the television murmuring the soundtrack of whatever game Soap and Gaz were currently arguing over.

Simon occupied one end of the couch, his wife comfortably settled across his lap. One arm rested around Y/n's waist while his other hand absentmindedly traced patterns along her thigh. He'd pulled his skull-patterned balaclava off earlier, leaving his face bare, his short blond hair slightly mussed from the couch cushions.

John Price watched from a nearby armchair, a half-empty mug of tea balanced on the armrest, an expression of quiet, long-suffering amusement on his face.

Simon's hand shifted, his thumb stroking lazily over Y/n's thigh through the fabric of her trousers. He tilted his head just enough to press an absentminded kiss against her shoulder, the movement so natural, so unthinking, that anyone watching would have known he'd done it a thousand times before.

Vanessa sat opposite them, pretending to scroll through her phone. Her long blonde hair was pulled back neatly, her legs crossed, her posture deliberately relaxed. But her attention wasn't on the screen.

She'd spent the last four days attempting to catch his attention—volunteering to partner with him during training, laughing too enthusiastically at his dry remarks, finding any excuse to ask for his assistance. And she'd discovered that Simon Riley barely acknowledged anyone outside his immediate circle.

Except his wife.

Every affectionate touch, every quiet smile, every effortless display of devotion made the jealousy in her chest burn a little hotter. As Simon's lips lingered against Y/n's shoulder, Vanessa's thumb stilled over her phone screen.

She watched him press another kiss, just below the first, and decided it was time to stop waiting for him to notice her.

After all, how difficult could it possibly be to steal the attention of a married man?