Club Destiny 1 Conviction

by Nicole Edwards

  “The projects have been lined out, the budgets have been established, and now we need to work to get them underway. I have an extremely strict timeline in mind and need someone who can drive them to completion.”

  “How many other prospects have you interviewed?”

  Logan was surprised by her direct question, but he was skilled at what he did and managed to answer her without hesitation.

  “Up to this point, I’ve considered five in total, including you. I’ve interviewed two external candidates, but you’re the only internal candidate I’ve spoken with.” Logan gave her the information freely. He wasn’t sure where she was going with the question, but he was interested in finding out. “Is that enough?”

  When she smiled back at him, Logan’s heart kicked into high gear. The woman was gorgeous, and when she smiled, she lit up the room. He wasn’t sure if she had expected him to evade her question, but she seemed to be satisfied with his response. For some reason, that made him feel good.

  “I think that’s a decent start. From what you’re telling me, the others didn’t fare as well as I did in the consideration process? At least not the internal candidates?”

  Brazen and bold. He’d add those two adjectives to his list of things he liked about this woman. “That is what I’m telling you.”

  Logan had heard others describe her as honest and even ruthless. At this point, he’d have to agree with their feedback.

  “How many projects are we talking about and when you refer to a strict timeline, what is your estimate? I ask that because I would have to be able to see the project outlines, full timelines and speak to some of the staff before I could fully commit to any amount of time. As you’ve probably heard, I’m extremely inflexible in my deadlines; however, I’m immensely thorough before outlining my expectations. It’s crucial to set my team up for success.”

  “My timeline is aggressive, and I don’t mind telling you that up front. I’m looking for a full implementation within twelve months, and stabilization to take no more than one quarter after that. I expect the rollouts to be incremental, since we have multiple systems that must be integrated in order to accomplish the ultimate goal.”

  If the expression on her face was anything to go by, Samantha was a little surprised by his timeline. He wasn’t sure if she thought it was too much time or too little.

  “I admit I hadn’t expected quite that much time. And you’re stating that’s aggressive, so I’m curious as to the details of the project plan. I’m always up for a challenge, but again, before I can commit to any sort of timeline, I must have discussions with my team so I can better understand the requirements.”

  Logan definitely liked her, and he was even more convinced she was the right person for the job. Either that or she just knew the right things to say.

  “Jeff has had the opportunity to address some of the requirements, which he and the team have documented. I would expect you to take a look at the project plan, discuss with the programmers and your team and provide me with your final requirements.”

  “Since you’re talking more than a year, do you have the details of the relocation package?”

  Logan noticed the confused look on her face, and he suspected she was just as surprised by her own question as he was.

  Logan bit back the smile that threatened.

  Score.

  “Under normal circumstances, we’d consider corporate housing, but that is generally for six months or so. Since you’ll be living in the Dallas area for an undisclosed amount of time, we’ll provide you with a substantial relo package that should get you settled. Assuming you own your own home, we’ll offer to purchase it from you or we’ll pay the mortgage payments while you’re here, if you prefer. That’s about all of the details I have, but the recruiter will be able to provide you with the specifics.” Logan paused to see if she would comment. When she didn’t, he continued. “I’m also prepared to offer you a permanent relocation package.”

  “Permanent?”

  “Samantha, I realize you may need to discuss this with your husband before you make a final decision.” Logan finished.

  “Since I don’t have one of those, I’ll be making the final decision on my own.” She grinned sweetly. “I would like the opportunity to meet with my potential staff prior to making my final decision. Oh, and, please call me Sam. Only my mother still calls me Samantha, and that’s when she’s upset with me for something.”

  Logan hadn’t expected the flood of relief that came with her answer. He hadn’t even realized he’d set her up for an answer until after the words had come out, but there it was. Rather than dwell on his personal interest, which couldn’t make it any further than his darkest fantasies anyway, Logan decided to seal the deal.

  “I’d like for you to be in the position no later than June 1st. That gives you three weeks to tie up loose ends there, as well as come up here for a couple of days to speak with the team.”

  “Three weeks? Are you always that aggressive with your deadlines?” This time she laughed and Logan liked the sound of it. “Mr. McCoy –”

  Logan cut her off before she could go any further. “Please, call me Logan. There are no formalities here.” He responded, watching as she wrote something on a sheet of paper sitting in front of her. Whatever it was, she appeared intent on jotting down the information.

  “Logan,” Samantha began a little reluctantly, “as you may know, I have a couple of very large projects in the works here, and I’d like the opportunity to transition them successfully to my replacement, should I choose to accept the position.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less. The next step would be for you to come to Dallas, I would suggest you do this sooner rather than later and then you can hire your replacement and pass on your current responsibilities. I fully understand if you need a little extra time, but I will request that you do this as quickly as possible during the next few weeks.”

  “Yes sir. If James is in agreement, I’ll plan to be in Dallas on Monday, then I’ll return later in the week to interview and hire my replacement.”

  Logan couldn’t help but feel the excitement in the way she seemed to be accepting the position, even if she didn’t realize she was. “Samantha, I appreciate you taking the time to entertain this offer, and as I have informed James, I believe this is a mutually beneficial opportunity. I hope you’ll consider it.”

  “Mr. McC—, I mean Logan, you have my word that I’ll do what it takes to ensure this is the right step for the company as well as for me. I’m flattered that you’ve considered me for the position, and I look forward to meeting you in person while I’m in Dallas next week.”

  Logan looked forward to meeting her more than he probably should, but he couldn’t entertain that idea. “Have a great weekend, Sam and I look forward to meeting you as well.”

  And that was probably a bigger problem than he ever anticipated.

  Sam watched the screen turn black. She was momentarily dumbstruck. For the last thirty minutes, she’d put on the most noteworthy performance of her career thus far. And she had been totally out of her element, but somehow she’d put on a professional smile and muddled her way through the important details.

  She was still taken aback by the attraction she felt for the man she had just spent half an hour staring at. Right or wrong – and it was oh, so definitely wrong – she was surprised at her reaction and she couldn’t push back the anxiety that overtook her. She was anxious to get to Dallas. And for the first time in years, it wasn’t just work related.

  Chapter Five

  ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~

  “Good morning, Mr. McCoy.” Deanna O’Brien’s cheerful voice greeted Logan as he made his way toward his office.

  Glancing at his watch, Logan noticed it was only six thirty, yet somehow his assistant managed to beat him into the office. Come to think of it, Deanna always got in before he did on Monday mornings. He suspected she liked to get everything outlined for his week before he made it in. For that, he
appreciated her.

  “Good morning, Deanna. How was your weekend?” As busy as his schedule always was, Logan tried to be as personable as possible. Especially when it came to the woman who kept his schedule flowing as smoothly as it did.

  Deanna had worked for him for the last seven or eight years, following him through several promotions. Since day one, they’d gotten along brilliantly, sort of like a brother and sister relationship, even involving some friendly banter expected between siblings. He genuinely liked her, and he was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

  “Maybe a little short, but good. I was able to get some much needed cleaning done at the house and was able to take the kids to the pool for a little while yesterday. It was such a beautiful day. Tommy and I actually had a date night on Saturday, too. Definitely a fantastic weekend.”

  Logan laughed. Deanna was known for her ability to talk. She was also known for her always upbeat attitude. How she juggled fifty or so hours in the office with a husband and three kids was beyond him.

  For himself, he had all but given up on having a family. At thirty nine, Logan didn’t think those things were meant for him. That didn’t mean he didn’t respect those who did have the family thing going for them, because he did.

  “Glad to hear it.” Before stepping into his large corner office, illuminated by the rising Texas sun, he asked the question that had plagued him all weekend. “Any word on Ms. Kielty’s arrival?”

  Although Logan said there were no formalities in the office, he knew Deanna liked to refer to each person formally, and with her, he managed to do the same.

  “Yes, sir. I spoke with her on Friday and I was able to book her hotel room for her. She arrived yesterday afternoon and will remain through Wednesday. Would you like to be notified when she arrives this morning?”

  Yes. “No need. I’m sure I’ll see her at some point this morning.” Logan hadn’t been able to get the woman out of his head since the moment he hung up with her on Friday. He had even begun to wonder if he was making the right decision in hiring her.

  His reaction to her was too sudden and too intense – especially since it had been a single, video conference call – and he knew deep down hiring her might lead to something he wasn’t quite ready for. Or maybe she wasn’t quite ready for him.

  Shit, this was probably really bad. He could almost see the HR violation looming overhead.

  When Deanna nodded, Logan proceeded to his office. Shutting the door behind him, he headed for the coffee maker on the counter. He’d already been up for two hours, and as usual, he was anxious for his morning caffeine fix.

  As he waited for the coffee to brew, he logged into his computer. It would require considerable restraint for him to make it through the day without getting distracted. Somewhere in the building, he was certain there was a woman he desperately wanted to talk to. He was also convinced his thoughts were straying toward the very unprofessional, and he had yet to meet her face to face.

  Logan knew how to keep business separated from his personal life, yet for some reason, he had the damnedest time when it came to Samantha Kielty.

  Logan forced himself to engage in his email. He would worry about Sam later. He had some business to attend to which included several back to back meetings.

  ~*~*~

  Sam felt as though she just walked into a museum or something. Standing in the large, open foyer, she took in the modern decor, the warm tones on the wall, the oversized plush rug that sat perfectly straight in front of what appeared to be a security desk. The sounds of people talking, greeting one another after the weekend was comforting.

  She watched as swarms of people came and went from the coffee shop located just inside the main doors. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and breakfast pastries had her remembering she had bypassed breakfast on her way out of the hotel.

  The differences between the posh Dallas offices and that of her small San Antonio branch were vast. This was the hub of the company, scattered with thousands of people amongst the three buildings, each with three floors. That was probably the biggest difference between here and San Antonio, with the fifty or so employees in total. Hell, there were probably as many people at the coffee shop at that moment as there were in the entire office back home.

  With a few minutes to spare, Sam opted to join the rest of the caffeine deprived, and stood in line to order a small coffee before she headed up to the third floor, where Deanna, Logan’s uncommonly hyper assistant, had instructed her to go. Since her stomach was still churning with nerves, she decided to skip the temptation of blueberry muffins though.

  Her last conversation with Deanna had been on Sunday, shortly after she arrived at the hotel. The brief phone call lasted for nearly half an hour as Deanna gave her an overview of what was what within the Dallas offices.

  According to the overly charming woman, many people were overwhelmed on their first visit and Deanna wanted Sam to be fully prepared. She was thankful for the assistant’s foresight, even if the other woman insisted on calling her Ms. Kielty.

  With coffee in hand, Sam headed for the staircase on the north side of the front entrance. As she took the stairs slowly, realizing she was a few minutes early still, she was relieved to be back at work.

  The weekend had been one of the longest in recent history. Long and frustrating. She hadn’t been able to keep her mind off of her conversation with Logan. Ok, so not necessarily the conversation, more so the view, but that was all in the details.

  In an effort to bring the job opportunity into perspective, Sam spent most of Saturday at her parents’ house. After sharing the details with her father, a corporate man himself, she hadn’t felt any more prepared for this trip than before she spoke to him. But, he urged her to keep an open mind, and somehow she managed to do just that.

  Saturday night, Sam spent hours tossing and turning in her bed, her mind whirling with images of Logan McCoy. The instant attraction she felt toward him was utterly inappropriate, yet she hadn’t been able to erase him from her thoughts.

  After a particularly restless night, Sam had woken with a renewed sense of determination. She needed to get her social life in gear, and lusting after the boss, regardless of how appealing the man was, would not be a good way to start.

  Hell, random sex with a complete stranger would be better than… ok, maybe not, but at this point, she would give anything for just a fraction of time to focus.

  By the time she reached the third floor, Samantha realized she should have taken the elevator. As active as she was, even after her hour workout in the hotel’s fully equipped gym that morning, she felt a little winded. And quite frankly, the stress snacking she’d indulged in over the weekend had her wondering if she ought to go back to the gym after work too. She wasn’t generally prone to eating junk food, but the way her mind continued to dwell on images of Logan, she had been forced to deviate from her regular, rigid diet. It hadn’t helped.

  The third floor of the Dallas office was less flashy than the entry of the building, but not by much. The floor was lined with chest high cubicles held together with standard grey lined walls but that was where the similarities with the San Antonio office ended.

  Samantha oriented herself with her directions and headed toward the northwest corner as Deanna instructed.

  Her heels clicked on the tiled floor as she ventured down the long, narrow corridor making her feel like she was announcing her arrival. Unfortunately, there was no way for her to reduce the amount of noise she was making, so Sam held her head high and continued on.

  Halfway to her destination, her eyes took notice of two men walking her way. Based on her erotic dreams over the weekend, she was pretty sure the taller of the two men was Logan McCoy. This man had the same dark eyebrows slanted in thought, the same strong jaw line and short, black hair that rested just on the top of his shirt collar.

  Her body heated, and her stomach flipped repeatedly. Definitely her soon to be new boss, and there went her hope that his rugged appeal had b
een a trick of the computer screen.

  What she hadn’t expected was for him to be so big. She estimated him to be approximately six and a half feet tall, with a large build that complimented his height perfectly. Based on the well-defined forearms that she could see beneath his rolled up shirt sleeves, Logan McCoy was extremely active.

  Despite his size, he had a confident, almost graceful stride. She held her head high and continued on her path, trying not to trip over her own two feet as she held her breath.

  As she passed him, their eyes locked on one another, and he gave her the same crooked, devilish smile she had seen during their call on Friday. Her body shuddered, and she prayed that it was only an internal reaction – wouldn’t that be a fantastic way to greet your new boss for the first time.

  Hi, I’m Samantha Kielty and apparently my body has a thing for yours.

  She gave a polite smile and continued making her way to the area Deanna had said to go. She forced herself not to look back, but she felt the heat of someone’s eyes on the back of her neck. She came upon the admin’s desk and noticed the very petite, pretty, blonde woman sitting in front of her computer monitor, staring intently at the screen and talking into her headset. When Deanna noticed her, she gave a bright white smile and held up one finger letting Sam know she would be just a minute.

  Sam positioned her bag on her shoulder and walked over to the window behind Deanna’s desk, staring out at the rolling hills that went as far as the eye could see.

  It was a lovely view with the soft, green grass blowing gently in the morning breeze, also something remarkably different from the San Antonio office where the views were of the surrounding concrete jungle, just square buildings and parking lots.

  “Good morning, Ms. Kielty. I’m so glad you made it. Did you have any trouble finding us?” Deanna’s voice was light and gentle and extremely friendly.