Mindy clasped Devon’s hands, sharing the excitement. In the year and two months she’d worked for Soren Security, she’d befriended the aloof and spectacular Devon Leigh. The woman could give someone a sidelong glance and have them cowering in a corner. She was a ball-busting, take no prisoners personality, but since she and Trey had married, Devon had no problem showing her softer side around the office.
Mentally taking a time-out from her career dilemmas, she gave the photos a closer look. The sweetly hopeful look in the children’s dark eyes reminded her of the few times she’d caught Trey looking at Devon that way, before they were an item, before they’d married.
Mindy blinked away emotional tears while she admired the photos—and the miraculous way the universe worked. “Devon, your children are beautiful.”
“I knew you’d understand how much this means to me, how much they mean to me.”
“I’m so happy for you and your new family.”
Devon’s gaze sharpened. “Okay, what’s wrong?”
“What? Nothing.”
“If you were trying to convince me, you failed.”
Mindy covered her face with her hands. “Oh, Devon. I don’t know what to do about Isaac.”
Devon arched an eyebrow. “I do.”
Leave it to Devon to take charge and give solid advice. Mindy lifted her chin. “Really?”
The woman nodded. “Give in to it, gorgeous. You and Isaac—I saw that coming ages ago.”
“You did?”
Waving her hand like it was a foregone conclusion, Devon shrugged. “I knew he was in love with you back at the office pool party, months ago.”
“But how—?”
“Trust me.” Devon winked. “Don’t you doubt that man’s devotion to you for one second. He’s talked about nothing else but you since he got back.”
Shock hit her chest. “He has?”
With a firm nod, Devon said, “His sales team has already taken bets as to when he’ll propose.”
“No.” Mindy gasped. How could everyone else know this but her?
“I wouldn’t mislead you, girl. Not when love is at stake. Trey’s not going to punish either of you. My husband just wants the drama to be over so people can get back to business as usual.”
“That’s the problem,” Mindy whispered. “Isaac is so dedicated to his job…how will he find room for me?”
Devon’s eyes held a wise gleam. “I’ll let him answer that.”
Just as she spoke, Trey’s door opened and Isaac stepped out. “Trey wants to talk to you next. Alone.”
She wished she could read Isaac’s expression, but he wore a poker face she couldn’t penetrate. Clenching her hands, she returned to her CEO’s office, deathly afraid to learn the full ramifications of how badly she’d botched the job in Russia. Especially Marcus’s reaction to her no-show.
“Please sit down, Mindy.”
Unsure what to do with herself, she launched into an explanation. “Sir, Marcus Markov wants to come see you.”
“Yes, Isaac told me that.”
“I described you to him, explained how you’d taken your family business from the streets of Las Vegas to the high rises of Denver—”
“Mindy. Stop. I appreciate all your efforts during the trip. Cade put a big burden on you, took you way out of your comfort zone, and from what Isaac tells me you were the star of the show.”
No, that wasn’t the truth at all. “I disagree, sir. Isaac made the trip a success. He was so supportive. Honestly, he did everything. I would’ve accomplished nothing without him.”
“Interesting.” Trey eyed her silently for a moment. “He said the exact same thing about you.”
She choked on her disbelief. “He did? Are you sure?”
“In fact,” Trey said with a smile, “he told me that you two need to pursue more contacts like the Markovs. Because he said you are a perfect team, and he couldn’t imagine returning to Russia with anyone else but you.”
“Really? He said that?” Her jaw might’ve hit the floor.
“When he finally stopped signing your praises, I told him you two needed to get a room and get this mutual admiration thing out of your systems.”
Unnerved by her boss’s observation, she wasn’t sure how to respond. “Then will Isaac and I work together in the future?”
“Definitely.” Trey sent her a frustrated look. “And you guys really need to have a heart to heart conversation. In private. God knows I don’t need all these pheromones pinging off you two disrupting the production of my other employees.”
Embarrassed, her cheeks burned with a blush. “Yes, sir. I understand. I promise—”
“Mindy, go to Isaac. He’s waiting for you in the hall.”
“Oh. Thank you, sir.” Nervousness engulfed her sense of relief, leaving her self-conscious and uncertain what to expect.
Holding her breath, she walked out Trey’s door.
Isaac opened his arms and she rushed into them. “I didn’t get your messages, Isaac. So I thought what happened in Russia didn’t mean anything to you.”
He kissed her neck. “Then you weren’t avoiding me?”
“Never,” she whispered.
He brushed the hair from her eyes and cupped her face. “Mindy, you need to understand something. I’ve been in love with you since the day I met you.”
Her chest heaved and tears welled in her eyes. “You have?”
His eyes turned clear and confident as he gazed down at her. “Yes, I have.”
“I love you, too,” she said and met his lips as his head lowered.
Belatedly, she realized that this probably wasn’t the ideal place for such declarations. But Isaac kissed her passionately anyway. Then he bent her over his arm to deepen the kiss, and she met his thrusts with her own raw passion.
Claps and cheers rose up from the floors beneath them. Immediately, she shoved against his chest and he brought her upright. She glanced down at five floors of workers staring up at them from each level of glass railings.
Unconcerned about their audience, he kissed and sipped her lips. “I heard my sales team has a running wager on when I’d ask you to marry me.”
As excitement swirled through her, she smiled conspiratorially. “I heard the same rumor from Devon.”
“Well.” His dark eyes peered into hers with heart-wrenching adoration and enough love to last a lifetime. “I bet they didn’t expect me to do it today.”
When Isaac dropped to one knee in front of her, she could barely breathe. Her heart lurched and her vision went fuzzy at the edges. All she could focus on were his soulful dark eyes.
“Mindy, will you marry me?”
He withdrew a ring box from his pocket and opened it. The flash of the largest diamond she’d ever seen nearly blinded her. There it was, the glittering proof of his love, of the forever with him she’d always hoped for.
“Yes!” She flung herself into his arms.
Kneeling on the floor with him, she felt his warm hands brush tears from her cheeks. “You’ve had my heart for a long time. You’re the only woman I want to share my life with, my hopes and dreams with.”
As he slipped the ring onto her finger, she nodded. “Until I met you, I didn’t think everything I wanted in a man actually existed.” A thought occurred to her and her excitement soared. “Can we have our honeymoon in Russia?”
With a firm nod, he gazed at her with absolute love in his eyes. “When we go back, I’ll give you your own palace, and make sure, for the rest of your life, you know how much I treasure you.”
And because it was Isaac who would share all her dreams, she knew their adventures had only just begun.
About the Author
A Barnes & Noble Nook best-selling author, Kristi Avalon is passionate about writing romance novels. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing love triumph over adversity, as characters change and grow into better people because of each other. And, of course, happily ever after!
Kristi holds a master's de
gree in English from John Carroll University. When she's not escaping into fiction, she works as a technical writer, and loves sharing a glass of good wine with great friends. She lives in Northeast Ohio with her heroically patient (and handsome!) husband, an enthusiastic Australian Shepherd, and a cranky cat. She loves hearing from readers! Contact her at www.facebook.com/kristiavalon or [email protected] .
For more information, please check out her website: www.kristiavalon.com .
Other Books by Kristi Avalon
Billionaire Bodyguard Series
Billionaire Bodyguard – A novel featuring Logan & Allison
Defended & Desired – A novel featuring Trey & Devon
Bedded by her Bodyguard – A novella featuring Isaac & Mindy
Taken & Tempted – Coming Fall/Winter 2013, featuring Cade & Kylie
Bedded by Her Bodyguard (Billionaire Bodyguard Series) Page 12
