“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” I say a little too quickly not to be lying.
He raises an eyebrow.
“I like her,” I blurt. “I think she was the right pick to get this job done, but the list you created is elite, man. Possibly a little too upscale.”
This is the same thing she told me.
“Possibly, but I still want you two to try. It’s a long list. You’re bound to find the people we need.”
“We’ll keep on it.”
I get up and walk out when his phone rings, grateful I was able to catch him. I know he isn’t spending much time in the office since the baby was born. I’m also glad for the escape. I have a million questions I want to ask him, but I also want to point fingers and place blame. I’ll lay that accusation on his feet or even Wren’s or Flynn’s. Hell, Jude and Ignacio can get in line. All of those fuckers have brought that feral possessive love shit into the office and it’s leaking off of them. That has to be the only reason for me feeling any sort of way for Leighton. I don’t love the woman. That mess isn’t for me, but I’m also not eager to see the back of her either unless she’s on her knees looking over her shoulder and begging me to pound into her harder.
Fuck, my life. I should probably turn back around. Walking into the breakroom with a semi isn’t the best thing to do, but it’s one hell of a conversation starter. I’m already committed, however, and Flynn has noticed my approach. Luck must be on my side today because he hasn’t noticed the situation in my slacks. I’m able to face the coffee pot and get myself under control before I turn back around to face the small group of guys.
“How has it been?” Flynn asks as I settle in beside him.
“Can’t complain,” I say, keeping the smile off my face that Deacon noticed a little too quickly earlier.
“You’re back sooner than expected,” Wren says. He’s the one who created the itinerary for travel.
“Complications on today’s trip.”
Wren nods. “No luck with Nadir?”
I look up at him, analyzing his face, trying to figure out which way he’s leaning in regard to the female hacker. He gives nothing away.
“She wouldn’t even let us in the house.”
He smiles. “Doesn’t surprise me.”
“Trust no one, right?”
“That’s the motto,” he confirms before walking back into his office.
“How are things with Leighton?” Kit asks, his eyes curious.
Several of the other guys perk up with the question including Brooks who is smiling, clearly in a better mood than he was earlier in the week.
“What do you mean?” I lift my coffee cup to my mouth.
“Is she doing a good job?”
“Deacon did a good job picking her. She’s very thorough.”
Finnegan smiles, his red-topped head tilted a little to the left. “That’s one word for it.”
“I’m pretty sure the woman has an eidetic memory,” I say, not playing into his trap. “She did a lot of research on each person. More than what was supplied by BBS. She knows exactly which subjects to bring up in small talk, and she—”
“Looks amazing in a skirt,” Kit says.
“That, too,” I agree, also not taking his bait, but I barely manage to keep the growl out of my voice.
“So no hardships working with her?” Brooks asks, his question the only genuine one so far.
“Not really.” I shake my head.
Professionally, it’s been great. Other than her tardiness the first morning—and the longer I think about it, the more I’m convinced it wasn’t because she picked a man up in the bar—she’s been on time. It’s all the other shit that’s made it difficult.
Her scent, that light vanilla on her skin, the flex of her calves when she walks, the way her hair brushes her back, the column of her neck when she moves her hair over her shoulder… those are things that make life difficult.
“But no one has accepted yet?” I move my eyes to Flynn.
“None.”
“Are you broken?” Kit asks, his fingers cleaning a gun with expert precision even when his eyes are on me.
I huff a laugh. “I’m beginning to wonder the same thing.”
I failed at getting Leighton to join the team. Deacon managed that on his own, and now I’ve failed at getting both Miller and Nadir to work for BBS. That’s three strikes. I don’t know how many more my ego can take.
“You two must be lost!” Flynn says as he stands from the couch.
We all look, seeing Quinten and Hayden walk into the room. The newly married couple both have wide smiles on their faces and freshly tanned skin.
“We just got back,” Quinten says as he shakes Flynn’s hand, growling not so playfully when Flynn tries to kiss his bride’s cheek. “Had to grab a few things from my office before heading home.”