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4
Kris
The boys were buzzing with excitement. When Liam called us last night to tell us that Sam was coming, a huge weight lifted off of our collective shoulders.
When I saw her yesterday, I thought I was dreaming. She was stunning, just as beautiful as the day I met her. Our encounter was brief, but one of the most memorable meetings of my life. Sweet, hilarious, sharp as a tack. Even after all the heartbreak that Jessica put us through, I thought ? for the briefest moment ?that maybe it was meant to be when I ran into Sam at that bar. That the old adage of everything happening for a reason was actually true.
If we hadn’t been deployed literally the next morning, I would have stayed.
One of the biggest mistakes I’d made was not asking her for her phone number. When I got back, I did everything in my power to track her down. But with only the memory of her face and her first name, it was next to impossible. The boys gave me grief about it for weeks ?good naturedly, of course ? but I knew I deserved it.
Now she was back and just as divine as ever.
“She’swayhotter than the duchess,” Adam pointed out, taking a quick sip from his flask before tucking it away. He usually kept his habit under tighter wraps. He must have been stressed.
We were in my office, awaiting Sam’s arrival. There was a lot of work to be done, so we all came in earlier than usual to get sorted. That, and we were all understandably eager to see her again.
“Her eyes are beautiful,” Charlie commented, wearing a dreamy, dopey smile. “But Duchess Arianna has blue eyes. We’re going to have to make sure they both wear reflective sunglasses to keep people from spotting the difference.”
Liam didn’t say anything, but that was par for the course with him. Not much of a talker, never had been. I once spent a whole week pinned down in a foxhole with him, not a single word exchanged between us. I knew him well enough to know that it wasn’t because he was rude. We got along very well, as a matter of fact. He just wasn’t the sort to waste his breath on small talk.
Even still, I could tell how taken he was with Sam. We’d served together for so long, saved each other’s necks more than once, that I knew him like the back of my hand. The same went for Adam and Charlie. They were practically drooling over her by the time I showed up yesterday.
I cleared my throat. “Don’t even think about it, guys. Sam’s off limits.”
Charlie frowned. “Where’s that coming from?”
“Yeah,” Adam said, “It’s been ages since you know who. Your history aside, I feel like we could go for it with her.”
“She’s off limits because she’s going to be our employee,” I said firmly. “We can’t mix business with pleasure. Besides, we don’t know if it’s something Sam would be comfortable with.”
“There’s no harm in asking,” Charlie noted.
I shook my head. “And what if it weirds her out and she decides not to go through with the job? We’d be back to square one trying to find a suitable body double. We’re cutting it close as it is. Do I make myself clear?”
“What are we clear about?” came a soft, sweet voice.
I turned to see Sam stepping into the office. My heart stopped and my mouth dropped open.
She was dressed in a pair of tight black yoga pants that made her legs look deliciously long. She was in a simple lilac workout top that highlighted the fullness of her breasts and the tight cinch of her waist. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, which swayed gently as she approached.
Sam smiled at us demurely. We must have been staring a little too hard because she said, “Liam told me to come dressed for a workout. Something about training?”
I glanced at him, amused.
You sneaky son of a bitch.
“You’re going to need to learn some basic self-defense,” I said. My mouth was terribly dry. “Liam will be in charge of your instruction.”
“Wonderful,” she said. “I can’t wait to get started. I’m looking forward to working with all of you.”
“Before you get started, I’d like to have a word with you,” I noted quickly. “In private, if that’s alright?”
Sam’s lips parted slightly, like she was trying to figure out what to say. She nodded eventually. “Sure, okay.”
Liam was the first to move toward the door. “I’ll meet you in the gym,” he said before leaving.
“I’m glad you’re joining the team,” Adam said with a charming smile.
