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Prologue

“I don’t think this is a good idea I get that you want to help out Saood for her? She has et involved with anyone again Even if we don’t agree or understand, why shouldn’t you honor her wishes?”

“Sweetie, why are you ju between them?”

“Because I know you, and the way you think You wouldn’t even be sending her if you didn’t think so could come of it What did he do that made you think this ork?”

“Fine, she called when I was there about the plu repair and he saw her picture onat it until it disappeared, I guess it sounded more do up he said so well for myself Since it was the first ti bored, I decided to mess with him a little Did the whole, yeah the first time I met her I fell hard Ouch, my lovely wife, I told you it was just to ht I was in love with Zoe but I got over that and I know it’s just you and do you want to hear why I think he’ll be good for her or not?”

“Yes, sorry, I keep forgetting I don’t get jealous until you talk about Zoe Tell me”

“So I said, yeah, I had talked her into coraphic artist when needed His head cahed and I told hiet her close to me so she could fall in love withood secretary and artist I’ on me for a minute but then he ran his hand over those daain Basically, shoved me out the door after that

I’ you, he’s interested, very interested but maybe the scars will hold him back I’m not sure, ers came to an end You know the scars won’t h to take her on and pull her out fro He won’t let her hide, he’s dauilty about setting Saood man, you really don’t want to kno I know that as far as a wooes he’ll take care of her Please trust me on this, he’s the kind of man she needs Don’t look like that, now that we both knohat it’s finally like to love coet it back don’t you think after all she has done for us if we can help her find that, we should?”

“Fine, yes, you’re right But you’ll watch out for her, right? You won’t let her get hurt?”

“As much as I can and she’ll let me You’ll help me out and support me on this with her?”

“Yes but this better go the right way, if it goes bad she ive us and I would hate for that to happen”

“It will, you just have to be positive Don’t focus on the bad, think of how good it could be for the both of them”

Chapter One

A sigh of pleasure escapes me as I finish the last spoonful of chocolate mousse I know I’ll pay for this later but I don’t care, it is so good and co down the s across h his emails on his cell phone and I know I’reat boss who is nice and easy to ith and has often taken me out for lunch in the past

It never crossedod I introduced him to my best friend and he’d fallen hard for her within minutes Not until Christine and Taylor were safely s After my initial embarrassment, of how blind I was at the situation I had been simply relieved I hadn’t had to turn hihtest Taylor is handsome in the blond haired, blued eyed, sli but I just didn’t feel anything for hih respect for each other that it hadn’t been a big deal to continue to work for him

Since he and Christine had htbut it wasn’t usually frorocery bill for the week I know Taylor well enough to know there’s another ive in, after pretending like I wouldn’t, just to fuck with hiht I enjoyed the few ti to feel my eyes on him he looks up and his blue eyes flicker in surprise, as if he had forgotten I was there When Taylor is in work mode it happens often and I’m not insulted

“Sorry, just checking in and hoping I’d heard back fro That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about today I need your help We can call it a favor because I would really owe you, if you cah for me”

I’m confused, a favor? Taylor doesn’t do favors He hates to owe anyone anything It was usually the reverse, he loves it when people owe hi “What is it?”

“I need you to go get me Hank’s replacement An old friend fro in his heels He was the guy I went to see yesterday I wasted o out to hi him to Austin and let , I know I can lock him in”

“Why raduate was really supposed to fill Hank’s position? Hank weighs almost three hundred pounds and at six foot five it’s all h the water like he was a weightless dancer Hank is for a hard ti someone turn down Taylor I’ve never seen it happen before Taylor is the consummate charmer, he moves fluidly from one persona to another to fit the moment I know his father had sent hiress or even higher but Taylor had disappointed his father on that end He is, however, the head of a company that often did security for some heads of state

“Honey trap, he saw your picture when you called me yesterday He liked what he saw and for three wholeyou to do anything with him, don’t look so surprised you know you’re attractive Just you know, smile a little and turn on the charm ”

I can feel the blush and hate it, “Taylor, seriously?”

“Cards on the table, Zoe, we badly need Sa in a ill be in a deep fucking hole We are seriously understaffed on trainers and it is about to beco probleht up with Christine and the wedding and wasn’t focused onin overtioing to Maryland to be near family he jumps at it

Yes, I do think Dean will be back What the fuck is he thinking going to Dallas with that gold digging slut? He’ll be back but for now I have taken on contracts adding people but not taken on new trainers to cover for that Even before Dean left, apparently, Robert wanted to talk toon at least t trainers but didn’t want to see Robert has soinia next Monday but even if he works out, I’ll still need Sam

Saraduated at the top of our class at Harvard We weren’t best buddies at Harvard We had a few classes together until the last two years where we didn’t have any but still saw each other on ca from Texas and the sa us about our accents and a few times we met up and commiserated on how different Boston was from Texas From that tience and well he handles people

Then I get the full picture on hi drearets he’s out Hell, the only reason he’s out is because he saved fourside of the border in Pakistan Brass refused to give the okay to go in and retrieve them because it would have drawn attention that they here they shouldn’t have been Saht side in Afghanistan hear the chatter over their radio and Sao in He carried one guy almost the whole way back They were almost home when they came across an IED and he took fire to chest and face, literally, his burns were pretty bad The only reason he didn’t lose an eye is because of his eye gear and he didn’t panic He came out with a Purple Heart and more scars than he’ll let anyone see, I’m sure