by Lea Hart
“Tough.” The way she was looking at him with mean squinty eyes didn’t bother him in the least. “You can make dinner for the guys, and that would be thank-you enough.”
There was a knock at the door, and TT popped her head in. “A super handsome man wants to talk to you. His name is Ryan, and he’s a dreamboat. If I wasn’t already interested in Kyle, I would ask him out for coffee.”
Grady stood and walked around his desk. “Thanks, TT.”
Sara stood and was about to follow him out when Grady stopped. “What?” she asked.
“Where are you going?”
“To see the dreamboat. You have made me mad, and I may want to trade you in.”
He crowded her against the wall and lifted his arms to cage her in. When he was satisfied that all she could see and feel was him, he relaxed. “I’m going to make you mad a lot. There is no way around it. But you’re never going to trade me in, so just forget about it.” Slowly he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to hers. He felt her resistance for a second or two, and then she opened for him. Slicking his tongue inside, he took a moment to enjoy her taste.
When her hands wrapped around his shoulders, he let himself off the leash. He lifted his mouth away a second before he lost control and took her against the wall. “You can take out your anger on me tonight in bed.” Slowly he swept her hair off her cheek and rubbed his thumb over her lips. “Honey, we are the answer for one another.”
Pushing him away, she straightened her dress. “We’ll see.”
He let out a bark of laughter and took her hand. “I deserved that.” She mumbled something. He couldn’t hear it and figured that was probably best. He’d bet ten to one she was plotting her revenge. “I’ll introduce you to my friend and hope like hell you don’t fall for him.”
“I make no promises,” she replied. She stepped in front of him and swung her hips down the hall.
It was a hell of a view, and he didn’t mind that she was mad at him. He figured that getting back on her good side was going to be as much fun for him as it was for her.
Grady and Sara walked into the lobby, and he almost started laughing. Ryan stood facing a woman Grady had never met. The look in his friend’s eye was hilarious. He appeared poleaxed by the presence of the woman standing in front of him.
TT blew in and started making introductions. “You all haven’t met. Grady, this is Ivy. She flew in from San Diego last night. She is the new Vice President of Operations and Rory’s second-in-command.”
TT’s eyes bounced between Ryan and Ivy, and she shrugged her shoulders. “You two look like you’ve met and you didn’t care for the experience. But I’ve only been gone for five minutes, so I can’t imagine what he could’ve done in that short amount of time.”
“I’m innocent,” Ryan stated flatly.
Ivy smirked, threw her hair over her shoulder and turned toward Grady. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Before things could deteriorate further, Grady responded. “Nice to meet you, Ivy. Welcome to SAI.”
“Oh, my God. I love your shoes. Where did you find them?” Sara said excitedly.
“This is my girlfriend, Sara Montgomery, by the way.”
The women shook hands and dismissed the men. Grady stepped over to his friend and clapped him on the back. “Welcome to Miami. Thanks for coming down.”
“No problem. Rorke gave me a call last week, and I told him that I was already set to come down and talk to you.”
“Thank God. I was worried he was going to make an offer before we could.”
Sara turned away from the group and put her hand out to Ryan. “I’m sorry that I didn’t say hello. I had a moment of pure shoe lust and I forgot my manners.”
Ryan tipped back on his heels and laughed. “No problem. I hear it’s not that unusual.”
“If you don’t have plans, we’d like to invite you over for dinner tonight. It will give you two a chance to catch up.”
“Thanks, Sara. I would love to come. I haven’t had a home-cooked meal in ages.”
Slipping her arm around Grady, she grinned. “We have a pool, so bring your trunks if you feel like a swim.”
“Sounds great.”
Grady noticed that Ryan was looking over Sara’s shoulder at Ivy with a strange expression. Something had gone on between the two of them, and he wondered what it was.
TT brought Ivy over and grabbed Sara’s arm. “We’re going to lunch, and we want you to come. Kyle is going to take us to his favorite place. He said he would be ready to go in fifteen minutes.”
“I would love to join you,” Sara replied. “Maybe we can ditch him after lunch and take Ivy shopping.” Turning to Ivy, she beamed. “I love the shoes you have on, and I need you to help me find a pair just like them.”
Ivy laughed and linked arms with Sara. “I would love to go shopping with you all. My mama taught me that shoes and religion are almost the same thing. She brought me up at the altar of the Nieman Marcus shoe department in Dallas, and I’m more than happy to share my spiritual journey with you.”
All three women laughed loudly and started talking a mile a minute. Grady enjoyed seeing Sara so excited and happy. He knew she hadn’t had any friends her age to hang out with in a very long time, and she needed them. He glanced down at Ivy’s shoes and laughed. They were sandals with little green fur balls as decorations. They bounced around her ankles every time she moved. If that’s what Sara wanted, then he would be happy to buy them for her. “Have fun, ladies. We’ll see you back here later on.”
Sara leaned up kissed Grady. “See you later, gator.”
Before she walked off with the ladies, he stopped her. He grabbed his wallet and pulled out a credit card. “Here, honey. Take this in case you find a pair of shoes you like.”
Pushing his hand back, she laughed. “I’ve got plenty of money.” She twirled around and joined the women as they walked down the hall.
Grady watched her walk away and shrugged. “What the hell?”
Ryan stood next to him and slapped him on the shoulder. “It’s not a bad thing. The shoes Ivy has on probably cost over five hundred dollars. Your girlfriend just saved you a ton of money.”
“I don’t want to save a ton of money.” Turning, he glared at his friend. “Really…five hundred dollars?”
“Yeah.”
Grady pulled himself out of shock and turned toward his office. “Let’s go and talk in my office. Then Joel is going to join us, and we can go out to lunch.”
“Sounds good,” Ryan remarked.
When they were settled, Grady studied his friend. “Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Ivy?”
“I met her last night when her car was broken down on the roady. I stopped and offered to help and she tried to brush me off. I was just surprised to see her in the office.”
“It seemed like more than that, but I guess it’s none of my business.” Leaning back, he pulled out a folder that TT had prepared for Ryan. “This is information about the office, what we do, and the comp plan we would like to offer you.”
Ryan opened the folder and flipped through the papers. He whistled when he read the last page. “Is this number correct?”
“Absolutely. I know it sounds like a lot, but it isn’t crazy. When Max started the company, he wanted to replicate what we did on the Teams in the private sector. He didn’t start the company to get rich off the work of the people he worked with. We are a company that believes in sharing the wealth and investing in the people we work with.”
“Damn. I had no idea. Don’t you want to ask me some questions before you offer me a job?”
“I worked with you, so I don’t need to ask you anything except…when would you like to start?”
“I’ve never interviewed for a job, but I’m pretty sure that there has to be more to it than that.”
“Not here. We work with Team guys and people who came from the SOF community, so questions are not really necessary.”
“I’m not sure
if I want to settle in Miami. That is my only reservation.”
“Why don’t you try it for a couple of months and then see how you feel? You can stay in my house because it’s empty. I live next door with Sara, so you would have it all to yourself.”
“You’re making an offer that I can’t refuse.”
“Is it working?”
Ryan leaned forward and put out his hand. “It is. Thanks for the opportunity.”
Grady shook Ryan’s hand and grinned. “Leaving the Teams was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Working with Joel and the guys allowed me to make the transition. I hope the same is true for you.”
“Me, too,” Ryan replied. “I haven’t enjoyed the last couple of months because I couldn’t imagine finding something that I would love as much as being a SEAL. What you guys have going on here gives me hope.”
Grady knocked his fist on the desk and grinned. “Let’s hunt up Joel and get something to eat. I have a feeling that you’re going to like it here.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Tuesday
Sam watched Sara open the door and sling her hand on her hip. “Wow!”
“I told you that you wouldn’t recognize me.” Sara laughed.
“I didn’t actually think it was possible.” Sam slowly circled her and whistled. “The press is going to eat you up. You are the very picture of innocence.”
“That’s what I was going for. I think the yellow flowers on my dress really sell the whole thing. I made some new friends, and we went shopping on Sunday.” Lifting a leg, she showed off her shoes. “I’ve been introduced to the shoe department at Nieman Marcus, and I’ve fallen in love. It might end up being the most significant relationship in my life.”
Grady strolled in and snorted. “That’s all she’s been talking about since Sunday. If I wasn’t a confident man, I might have reason to worry.”
Sam laughed and studied both of them. “You clean up well. If I didn’t know better, I would think the two of you are a power couple.”
Sara straightened Grady’s tie and grinned. “I think he’s the most handsome man in the world.”
“The way you two are looking at each other is making me a little sick. It’s too gooey for my taste. I feel like I’ve walked into a Lifetime movie and I can’t find a way out.”
“Someday you are going to meet someone, and all of this mushy gushy love isn’t going to make you sick,” Sara said. “Your man-whore days are numbered. I can feel it, Sammy.”
“Bite your tongue, young lady. Those are not words that ever need to be spoken out loud,” Sam replied.
“Whatever.” Sara grabbed her purse and walked toward the door. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Sam gave Grady a longsuffering look and noticed a lack of sympathy. “At least pretend that it bothers you.”
“Sorry, man. No can do. That curvy ball of fire makes me damn happy, and I can’t pretend otherwise.”
Throwing up his hands, Sam followed Sara. “You two deserve one another.”
***
“Why do we have to go to SAI in a government car?” Sara asked, as she settled herself in the back seat.
“Because if someone takes a shot at you, then I will be held responsible. I hate the paperwork, so we’re playing by the rules.”
“Grady could’ve driven us. He’s an expert driver, and he’s been trained in… What is it called, honey?”
“It’s just some off-road driving skills that we picked up. It’s not that big of a deal.” Grady glanced at Sam and shrugged.
Sam understood that it wasn’t something that needed to be discussed further, so he changed the subject. “I have some good news for you. The man who gunned down Sal was killed in prison. So that means you will not have to be a witness in the trial. That gives the Outfit one less thing to worry about when it comes to you.”
“It’s not often someone being killed is good news,” Sara responded.
“Yeah, but in this case, it is. The hit man was a nasty piece of work, and nobody is going to miss him. Let’s talk about what happens today. You have three interviews scheduled. One with a local station and two with national coverage. We’ve provided the graphics and background, and we’re hoping they are going to air in the next couple of days. We also have been talking to a network about more extensive coverage. That won’t happen right away, but it could provide the right amount of pressure down the road.”
“What would the timing be for a trip to Chicago for a meeting with the Outfit?” Sara asked.
Sam looked out the window and thought about what it would take. “Today is Tuesday, so the soonest we would see it would be tomorrow. But I’m guessing Thursday. If we asked for a meeting, it could happen as soon as Friday or Saturday.”
“Hank is on standby,” Grady said. “He has researched a couple of locations, and the team is putting together a plan. We’re assuming that they would ask for it at one of their regular hangouts. Lucky has pulled all the info, and they are making tentative tac plans as we speak.” Grady smiled. “We’ll be covered from the moment we land in Chicago. Dane’s going to fly us in the SAI plane, and we’ll be met by Hank and a couple of men.”
“Did you think of letting me know what your plans were?” Sammy asked with more patience than he thought possible. “The FBI has some skin in the game, and they’re going to want to have some say in how it all goes down.”
“Understood. But all security measures will be handled by men I know. The FBI can do whatever they want as long as Sara’s safety is in my hands and the Team’s.”
“Boys, don’t get into a pissing contest,” Sara said. “We need everyone at the party for this thing to work.”
“Damn SEALs,” Sam muttered.
“Damn Delta operators,” Grady responded.
“Let’s talk about where we’re going to lunch after all of this is over,” Sara suggested. “I think we should go to Versailles. I’m in the mood for Cuban food, and Agnes and Gladys said they would meet us for lunch, so I have to tell them where to go.”
“You choose. This is your day, and it’s the first step in your road to freedom,” Grady said.
“I could go for some Cuban food,” Sam announced from the front seat.
“It’s settled, then. I think we should invite everyone from SAI as well. Since they’re letting us have the interviews at the office.”
“Good idea, honey.”
Sam glanced into the mirror and watched them look at each other with sweet, mushy expressions. Jeez, they had it bad. Not that he wasn’t happy that Sara had found happiness. The kid deserved it after the year she’d had. But seeing it up close made him feel a little uncomfortable. It was an intimate view that he wasn’t interested in seeing. He slid his eyes back to the road and concentrated on the plans for the next couple of days. This thing was a long shot, but it was the only shot they had.
***
Sam stood in the back of the conference room and watched Sara answer the reporter’s questions with ease. Grady stood behind her with his arms crossed and appeared exactly like who he was. An SOF operator who meant business. Between the two of them, they were hitting it out of the park. He didn’t expect Sara to be as comfortable as she was or as well-spoken. He figured the kidnapping would’ve robbed her of her poise. But it hadn’t. Or she was holding it together really well until she had the time to fall apart later.
The reporter asked her last few questions and then closed the interview. All in all, he couldn’t have asked for more. He watched Sara stand and shake everyone’s hand and then walk out of the room with Grady. She had one more interview, and she probably needed a break.
Joel came up next to him and clapped him on the back. “How’s it going?”
“Great. She has one more and then we’re done. The final one should be short, since it’s with the local news station.”
“One of the reporters asked to interview a couple of the men, and we refused. This is not about the company, and we don’t need our faces
splashed across the news. We like to operate anonymously.”
“Understood.” Sam stepped away. “Let me make sure that they haven’t grabbed any footage that we don’t want them to have.”
“Thanks, man.”
After he was done checking with the reporters, Sam went in search of Sara. He walked down the hall and found her in Grady’s office. What he saw cracked his hardened heart. Sara rested her head against Grady’s chest as he held her and spoke to her. Stepping away quietly, he walked down the hall and leaned against the wall. He slipped his phone out and started to check his messages. They were close, and he had the analysts keeping a watch on the activities of the top men within the organization. The two hit men were still in Federal custody, and he didn’t see why he should let them out in the near future. There was no reason to believe that Solly D would retaliate, but he wasn’t one to take chances. As he stared down as his phone, a pair of red sandals came into view. Whoever wore those shoes had to be hotter than the sun that sat over Miami. As he lifted his eyes slowly, his gaze drifted over an amazing set of legs, nice round hips, a small waist and a smile that could change a man’s mind about a lot of things. As he locked eyes with the woman before him, he felt a small river of hope run through his veins. “Hello.”
“Darlin’, you are too good-looking to be standing out here in the hall.”
The soft cadence of a Texas drawl washed over him and settled his nerves. “I figure someone has to hold up this wall, so I volunteered for the job.”
A loud crack of laughter escaped the beauty before him, and all he could do was stare at her amazing mouth. She had what his mother called a rubber band smile. Wide, expressive, and deadly. It lit up her face like a damn firecracker. “I’m Sam Barton, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He stood up and held out his hand. When she slipped hers inside his, a feeling of happiness bloomed in his chest. What the hell?
“It is lovely to meet you.”
Her eyes roamed over him with frank curiosity, and it wasn’t difficult to tell that she liked what she saw. “I’m working with Sara on her interviews.”
“You must be that handsome FBI agent she was talking about the other day. You are as good-looking as she described. My goodness, you have pretty eyes.”
