Eliza Jane - Tempted

This year, I’ve hired a black belt from the local karate school to teach my old class to the first years, I’ve upped Vera’s responsibilities to handle more of the affairs with the students, and I’ve taken over all of McAllister’s work. I’ve emailed him occasionally when I can’t figure something out on my own, but for the most part, I’m handling it.

I’m working on securing a deal for a new long term partnership rather than one case at a time. It would be nice to have the steady work, and steady income coming in. There’s a total of thirty-nine staff members here to pay, not to mention the mortgage and utilities for the school. I’m hoping a major deal like this could free me up from having to constantly hunt for new cases. Plus I’m not willing to take on some of the shadier things that my dad was willing to do, so I’ve already had to turn down some work from his old contacts. I won’t put Taylor or anyone else in a position to do something illegal ever again. That’s why this securing this deal is so important to me. I open the latest email from Geoffrey, the director of a firm that works directly with the British military that I’m hoping to partner with.

TO: Colt Palmer

FROM: Geoffrey James

SUBJECT: Wiltech partnership

Mr. Palmer,

I appreciate the information you provided on the various skills you employ on your staff. I would like to propose we work together on a trial basis – I have a case you could work now, and if all goes well, we can discuss the long-term arrangement we’ve spoke of.

I’d like for you to come to London, meet with myself and a senior officer to negotiate the details. In addition, you can actively work the case I have in mind from our headquarters in London. We anticipate it shouldn’t take longer than a few weeks.

Let me know if this arrangement is suitable to you.

Best,

Geoffrey

Wow. A few weeks. In London. I hadn’t planned on being away from here – my duties, and of course, Taylor and keeping an eye out for Reis, but if I can secure us a long term contract, it’ll be more than worth it. I won’t have to constantly worry how to keep paying for this staff. About of the bills and invoices come through our office manager to me, and I would’ve never imagined how expensive it is to keep this place up and running. Gas and electric bills, school supplies, food for the cafeteria, and of course salaries for the teachers. McAllister always insisted on giving all of the students a free ride here, so he could easily recruit students to work the cases he wanted, but I’m considering changing that practice in the future. Tuition would help to cover some of the costs.

If I go to London – I’ve got to land this business. I try to picture myself, thousands of miles away, trying to do both jobs, working the case and winning over Geoffrey, plus handling the day to day business of the school from afar. I’ll need someone to go with me if I hope to manage all this. And I know just the girl for the job. Bria. Skilled in negotiations, she’ll be key in influencing Geoffrey to work with us, and she can help me in the case, whatever it is too.

I hit reply and let Geoffrey know that a few weeks in London will be fine, and that I’ll be bringing along an agent of mine to assist in the case.

Taylor’s not going to be happy about me going overseas, let alone being alone with Bria for an extended period of time. I’ll have to break the news to her carefully. Especially after last night’s disaster of a date.

Taylor

“Hey, Shrimp.” Reis pats the top of my head, rustling my hair.

I roll my eyes. “Hey Reis.”

“Let’s go do something. I’m bored.” He leans over my shoulder inspecting my computer screen. “And this doesn’t look all that important.” He waves toward the screen which is black at the moment, except for a string of code blinking back at me.

I stretch my arms above my head, realizing that I’ve been sitting immobile for several hours. My spine cracks with the movement. “I could take a break. What’d you have in mind?”

He grins, half of his lip curving up in a deliciously naughty manner and he wags his eyebrows at me suggestively.

I punch him in the stomach.

“Ompf.” He hisses, rubbing his tight abs. “Let’s go for a run. We can work out some of this sexual tension between us.”

I cock an eyebrow at him, shaking my head. “Fine. Let’s go.”

After changing into shorts and T-shirt, I meet Reis in the foyer. He’s bent at the waist, lacing up his running shoes. His gym shorts are slung low on his slim hips. No shirt. Damn. I try and fail not to notice his bare chest. He smiles when he catches me looking.

He looks down his body. He knows he’s good looking. Though thankfully he isn’t as cocky as his older brother. “You think you can handle this?”

Scratch that. He’s every bit as cocky. “I think I’ll manage.” I step around him. “I just want to tell Colt we’re leaving.”

He shrugs and follows me to Colt’s office.

The door has been left partially open and I peek my head inside.

He looks tired. One hand roams through his hair causing it to stick up every which way and his other is tapping against the desk like he’s lost in thought. When he hears the door hinges groan, he looks up, catching my eyes.

His face brightens instantly. “Hey baby.”

“Hi.” I cross the office to him and he pushes his chair away from the desk to meet me halfway. I step between his knees and hug him. With him sitting down, we’re closer to the same height and he wraps his arms around my back, squeezing me to him with a firm pressure. I feel him inhale against my neck and relax against me. It makes me smile. I pull back and kiss him once briefly on the corner of his mouth. “I’m going go for a run with Reis.”

He eyes go from mine to Reis’s form standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame. “Can you put on a fucking shirt?”

Reis chuckles.

A deep blush creeps up my neck. I don’t like Colt thinking that Reis’s body is distracting me, but that’s obviously what he assumed. And unfortunately he’s right. It is a little distracting.

But when I’d told Colt about Reis hitting on me before, he’d chuckled and said good for him. Apparently Reid used to be something of a wallflower and Colt’s reaction was one of pride. I don’t know what I’d been expecting…jealousy…or annoyance, but not pride. He actually seemed amused. I was forced to let it go. If Colt didn’t care about Reis’ ogling me and flirting, then why should I?

I kiss Colt once more. “I’ll run, then I’ll shower and after I’ll come and find you.”

He nods. “I should be done in a few more hours.”

I guess I have some time to kill. I turn and follow Reis from the office.

Reis sets off at a steady pace once we’re outside the building. He leads me behind the school to a worn path that runs along the perimeter of the woods. He runs at a moderate pace, slow enough so that I can keep up, but fast enough that we were both getting a workout.

“Colt doesn’t do the girlfriend thing. You must be pretty special, Shrimp.”

“Yeah. I guess so.” I wasn’t sure why, but talking about my relationship with Colt feels weird. Struggling for a way to change the subject, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. “What about you…girlfriend?”

“Not anymore. I was seeing a girl last year, but it ended a few months ago.”

He’s quiet for the next several minutes as our feet continue to pound along the trail, our breaths coming fast. I guess that’s all I’m going to get from him. But it’s interesting to know that he doesn’t have the same hang-ups as his brother when it comes to girls.

“So are you excited about your new school?”

He scoffs. “Oh yeah, starting a new school your senior year is awesome.”

I could relate to his sentiment. When I started here last year, I thought my life was over. Little had I known at the time that my life would never be the same.

Last year was quite a wild ride, between falling for a bad boy that I knew wasn’t good for me, and causing an oil tanker to crash against the reef with a hacking assignment from McAllister, who turned out to be Colt’s father…yeah, last year was anything but boring.  I learned that I liked the thrill. The thrill of hacking and training in martial arts, and capturing the heart of a boy who didn’t think he could love again after he lost his mother. While I certainly didn’t want to go back to my old life in boring Pennsylvania, I hoped for a little more calm this year as I settled into a routine with Colt. I just didn’t know if Reis being here and Colt’s new leadership role were going to change things.

Colt

I turn and face Reis. “Taylor told me you hit on her.”

“Dude, I was kidding.”

“I know. That’s what I told her. But she didn’t know that, so just don’t make her uncomfortable, okay?”

“Yeah, sorry man.” Reis rubs a hand over the back of his neck.

“It’s alright. I’m just going to need you to watch out for her.”

He studies me, waiting for an explanation.

“I have to go to London for a few weeks.”

Reis frowns. “That’s sucks. You’re going to miss my first soccer game.”

“Sorry bro. Take Taylor.”

I’m not sure why I offer her up like a consolation prize, but I can tell he likes being around her almost as much as I do. She’s sassy and smart and doesn’t take an ounce of crap. It sort of reminds me of our mom, and I wonder if Reis feels that way too. She was the same way with us, easily keeping two rowdy boys in line with a single look. I smile at the memory.