Defended & Desired
Page 10
Strange how the desire she’d let go of so long ago seeped back in to her soul when she least expected it. Years ago, she’d set aside the traditional image of a husband and children as though putting a nostalgic picture facedown in a drawer and shutting it away. At twenty-three, she had emergency abdominal surgery that saved her life—and left her without a hope in hell of ever conceiving a child. She’d absorbed that, grieved, made her peace with reality, and promptly dove into her professional life. Now her projects were her babies. Most days that was enough.
But for most men, it wasn’t.
“What about Trey?”
Devon froze. Then she forced herself to act nonchalant, though she couldn’t look Allison in the eye. “What about him?”
“Are you really going to sit here and pretend your boss isn’t hot?”
Devon lifted her eyebrows. “Good thing Logan’s not in the room.”
Allison flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and came to sit beside Devon on the couch. “A fact’s a fact. Trey is a good friend of Logan’s. He’s a great person. A genuinely decent guy.”
Exactly the type Devon didn’t believe existed. Her experiences with men hadn’t been stellar, her choices and judgment clearly flawed.
“I know him well enough to say, without hesitation, he’s safe.”
Devon sighed. “That would be nice for a change.”
Then again, while she agreed he was trustworthy, he was not safe for her deprived libido. The way he’d kissed her in the server room, and the way he’d stared at her lips ever since, had prompted some ultra sexy late-night fantasies. While she was tired of fantasizing, and of her vibrator for that matter, becoming involved with Trey could be a hazardous mistake. He was her boss, and besides, she might not be in Denver much longer if her upcoming second interview went as well as the first.
Allison gave her shoulder a squeeze, then returned to the carpet and started picking up Sammy’s toys, tossing them into a red bin. “Like I said, Trey’s a good guy, solid. Logan met him ten years ago. During one of Logan’s last covert-ops missions, a man on his team was killed in the crossfire.”
Devon winced. “I’m sorry to hear that. Logan rarely talked about his time in the Army Rangers, before Stone Security.”
Allison nodded, but said nothing further about the incident. She picked up several more of Sammy’s toys and continued, “Logan traveled back to the states with the casket to contact the man’s family. The only address he had led him to a group of bounty hunters in Las Vegas.”
“Makes sense,” Devon said. Since it had never come up in conversation, she made a mental note to ask Trey how in the world he went from running a bounty hunter operation to owning a billion dollar bodyguard business. He was a fascinating man, and she’d barely scratched his surface.
“The Sorens were the closest thing to family that Logan’s guy had. Trey worked hard, with Logan’s help, to create a memorial to honor their fallen brother. Trey bought the cemetery plot and basically paid for everything, no expense spared. Logan even teared up a little telling me the story.” The wistfulness on Allison’s face showed her respect and reverence for her husband. “If I’m not mistaken,” she added thoughtfully, “Trey’s bounty hunter business inspired Logan to hire his former military friends and begin his security system and bodyguard businesses.”
“Then Trey bought the bodyguard business from Logan. It all comes full circle.” Devon appreciated stories like this, reminders that there just might be a greater plan for people’s lives. And maybe fate actually knew what it was doing. A comforting thought.
“Yes, and when Logan sold the business, he added one proviso. He made sure you came with the package.”
“What? Me?”
Allison grinned. “If you hadn’t noticed, the Sorens aren’t your typical captains of industry.”
Flattered by the news and amused by Allison’s observation, Devon thought of the two sets of brothers, as well as Trey and Adam’s…unconventional approach to solving business disputes. “Oh, I noticed. But what does that have to do with me?”
“You know what you’re doing. You can walk into a room and take charge. People respect you, and Logan knew the guys needed someone with your expertise in the security field.”
Devon’s shoulders slumped. “I wish you’d told me this before I agreed to an interview somewhere else. Now I’ll feel like I’m abandoning them.”
Allison glanced at her wryly. “The company went public this week. Logan loaded his portfolio with IPO shares. Their projected profits, along with stockholder investments, ensure they’ll have a long, healthy, rich future. I wouldn’t worry.”
Devon tapped her chin in consideration. “How rich?”
“You work for a team of billionaires.” Allison narrowed her eyes. “Oh, now you’re suddenly interested in Trey?”
“Who said I wasn’t before?”
Allison snapped her fingers. “I knew it! Logan said you’d be into him, and I agreed. Trey is the perfect guy for you.”
Annoyed, Devon crossed her arms. “Attraction doesn’t equal a relationship. Besides, it’s pointless to get involved with someone now, if I take the job in Phoenix.”
“Phoenix?” Allison’s face fell. “Then you’ll be leaving?”
“If I take the job. I haven’t completely made up my mind.” Though if they presented her an offer, she would probably take it.
The disappointment in Allison’s expression touched a chord of distress in Devon, because the fact that she’d have of leave all her friends, and the place she’d come to think of as home, hadn’t sunk in yet.
“Keep me posted, okay?” Allison asked.
“I will.” Devon stood and hugged her friend. “I get an invitation to Logan’s birthday party next weekend, right?”
Allison smiled. “Of course. I’ll drop it at the front desk of Soren Security. In the same envelope with Trey’s,” she added with a conspiratorial glint in her eye.
“You aren’t going to leave this alone, are you?”
“Not a chance. I have a good feeling about you and Trey.”
“We’ll see,” Devon replied vaguely.
Allison walked her to the door. “Yes, we’ll see you next Saturday—with your date.”
Devon chose not to mention that Trey was coming over to her house Friday. And they’d be alone. Together. All night.
But for most men, it wasn’t.
“What about Trey?”
Devon froze. Then she forced herself to act nonchalant, though she couldn’t look Allison in the eye. “What about him?”
“Are you really going to sit here and pretend your boss isn’t hot?”
Devon lifted her eyebrows. “Good thing Logan’s not in the room.”
Allison flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and came to sit beside Devon on the couch. “A fact’s a fact. Trey is a good friend of Logan’s. He’s a great person. A genuinely decent guy.”
Exactly the type Devon didn’t believe existed. Her experiences with men hadn’t been stellar, her choices and judgment clearly flawed.
“I know him well enough to say, without hesitation, he’s safe.”
Devon sighed. “That would be nice for a change.”
Then again, while she agreed he was trustworthy, he was not safe for her deprived libido. The way he’d kissed her in the server room, and the way he’d stared at her lips ever since, had prompted some ultra sexy late-night fantasies. While she was tired of fantasizing, and of her vibrator for that matter, becoming involved with Trey could be a hazardous mistake. He was her boss, and besides, she might not be in Denver much longer if her upcoming second interview went as well as the first.
Allison gave her shoulder a squeeze, then returned to the carpet and started picking up Sammy’s toys, tossing them into a red bin. “Like I said, Trey’s a good guy, solid. Logan met him ten years ago. During one of Logan’s last covert-ops missions, a man on his team was killed in the crossfire.”
Devon winced. “I’m sorry to hear that. Logan rarely talked about his time in the Army Rangers, before Stone Security.”
Allison nodded, but said nothing further about the incident. She picked up several more of Sammy’s toys and continued, “Logan traveled back to the states with the casket to contact the man’s family. The only address he had led him to a group of bounty hunters in Las Vegas.”
“Makes sense,” Devon said. Since it had never come up in conversation, she made a mental note to ask Trey how in the world he went from running a bounty hunter operation to owning a billion dollar bodyguard business. He was a fascinating man, and she’d barely scratched his surface.
“The Sorens were the closest thing to family that Logan’s guy had. Trey worked hard, with Logan’s help, to create a memorial to honor their fallen brother. Trey bought the cemetery plot and basically paid for everything, no expense spared. Logan even teared up a little telling me the story.” The wistfulness on Allison’s face showed her respect and reverence for her husband. “If I’m not mistaken,” she added thoughtfully, “Trey’s bounty hunter business inspired Logan to hire his former military friends and begin his security system and bodyguard businesses.”
“Then Trey bought the bodyguard business from Logan. It all comes full circle.” Devon appreciated stories like this, reminders that there just might be a greater plan for people’s lives. And maybe fate actually knew what it was doing. A comforting thought.
“Yes, and when Logan sold the business, he added one proviso. He made sure you came with the package.”
“What? Me?”
Allison grinned. “If you hadn’t noticed, the Sorens aren’t your typical captains of industry.”
Flattered by the news and amused by Allison’s observation, Devon thought of the two sets of brothers, as well as Trey and Adam’s…unconventional approach to solving business disputes. “Oh, I noticed. But what does that have to do with me?”
“You know what you’re doing. You can walk into a room and take charge. People respect you, and Logan knew the guys needed someone with your expertise in the security field.”
Devon’s shoulders slumped. “I wish you’d told me this before I agreed to an interview somewhere else. Now I’ll feel like I’m abandoning them.”
Allison glanced at her wryly. “The company went public this week. Logan loaded his portfolio with IPO shares. Their projected profits, along with stockholder investments, ensure they’ll have a long, healthy, rich future. I wouldn’t worry.”
Devon tapped her chin in consideration. “How rich?”
“You work for a team of billionaires.” Allison narrowed her eyes. “Oh, now you’re suddenly interested in Trey?”
“Who said I wasn’t before?”
Allison snapped her fingers. “I knew it! Logan said you’d be into him, and I agreed. Trey is the perfect guy for you.”
Annoyed, Devon crossed her arms. “Attraction doesn’t equal a relationship. Besides, it’s pointless to get involved with someone now, if I take the job in Phoenix.”
“Phoenix?” Allison’s face fell. “Then you’ll be leaving?”
“If I take the job. I haven’t completely made up my mind.” Though if they presented her an offer, she would probably take it.
The disappointment in Allison’s expression touched a chord of distress in Devon, because the fact that she’d have of leave all her friends, and the place she’d come to think of as home, hadn’t sunk in yet.
“Keep me posted, okay?” Allison asked.
“I will.” Devon stood and hugged her friend. “I get an invitation to Logan’s birthday party next weekend, right?”
Allison smiled. “Of course. I’ll drop it at the front desk of Soren Security. In the same envelope with Trey’s,” she added with a conspiratorial glint in her eye.
“You aren’t going to leave this alone, are you?”
“Not a chance. I have a good feeling about you and Trey.”
“We’ll see,” Devon replied vaguely.
Allison walked her to the door. “Yes, we’ll see you next Saturday—with your date.”
Devon chose not to mention that Trey was coming over to her house Friday. And they’d be alone. Together. All night.
