Authors: Lindsay McKenna
Hearing the amusement in his teasing tone lifted all her worries. “I’d love that! When are you coming in? Which airport? I just bought a car and I can pick you up.”
“Sounds great.” Cav gave her his flight information, and Lia’s hand shook as she wrote it down. She didn’t have an office assistant yet, but Dilara had promised she’d have one as soon as the HR department was up and running. Then, she’d have all the people she needed to work on the global manual.
“I can hardly wait to see you,” Cav growled. “Get ready, because we’re picking up where we left off.”
Heat flowed through Lia’s body. “I’d love nothing more than that, Cav. You’re coming in on a Friday evening, so I’ll have the entire weekend to spend with you.”
“Good. Because I’ve got plans…”
She laughed, feeling freer than she had in the last five years. “Okay, I wonder if they’re the same as mine?”
“Let’s compare notes when I get home to you.”
“Stay safe and I’ll see you soon.”
“Always,” he promised her.
Lia sighed as she set the phone down on her desk, her heart thumping wildly. Cav was coming home! That was wonderful news, but she was curious as to what Dilara was up to.
Why was she hiring Cav for Artemis? Since he already worked for the charity, maybe she was creating a new job for him?
“Hi, there,” Dilara called, poking her head into her office, “How do you like your new digs, Lia?”
Turning, Lia smiled broadly as the older woman walked in. Dilara always looked like a fashion plate as well she should coming from a family of wealth. She wore only the finest clothes, but they were always understated and elegant. This morning, she wore a light pink linen pantsuit with a gold collar around her throat and dangling, Turkish earrings.
“Hey, come on in. I just heard from Cav!”
Dilara smiled and closed the door, sauntering over to the burgundy leather chair next to Lia’s tiger maple desk. “Did you, now?” she said innocently, her ever-present eel skin briefcase next to the chair.
Lia leaned back in her leather chair. “Okay, what’s going on?” she baited. “Why are you asking him back here?”
Dilara smiled wickedly. “You need an assistant, don’t you?”
“What?” Eyes widening, Lia was at a loss for words. “Cav…he’s the one you chose as my assistant?”
“I bet you didn’t know that he has a Bachelor of Arts from Cal Poly in Comparative Ethnic Studies. He also has a minor in African and Asian studies, which I feel strongly, will help you when you guide your teachers to create specific teaching manuals for our charities in those countries. What do you think?”
“No, he never told me about his academic background. I mean he never talked about having a degree.”
“We have his resume on file at the main office,” Dilara confided. “I’ve known for sometime about his background and have been looking for a way to use it.” Her eyes danced with mischief. “You’re our Central and South American specialist. You won’t have issues guiding our teaching staff to create teaching manuals and updating them for these Latin countries. But you need specialists in other parts of the world who can help you.”
“No question,” Lia admitted. “So you’re looking to Cav to help me with manuals for your Asian and African charities?”
“Yes, and I’ve got my eye on another operator who has a similar degree for our European operations. We’ll see if he wants to trade in his M4 for a spot here in your department,” she smiled.
Shaking her head, Lia said, “This is such a huge project, Dilara.”
“Tell me about it,” Dilara laughed. “But getting our HR department online soon will take a big load off me, which I’ll transfer to the three women we’ve hired. I think you’ll like them. Two of the three have a military background, so you should get along well. There’s a lot of work to do to get your Home School Department fully functioning, with lots of school manuals that need updating as well as bringing in the correct teaching staff to write them.”
“Sometimes,” Lia admitted, “I see the bigger picture and wonder how I can do it all, and do it well.”
“Well, you can’t, Lia. See, that’s why you’re the manager. You’ll direct people who know the specific areas. But you’ll be their visionary, their guiding hand, to bring it all together. I have an appointment to talk with Cav next Monday about the job offer we have for him.”
“He doesn’t know he’ll be working with me?”
“No, not yet.” Her lips twitched. “He knows I’ll be giving him a job if he wants it, just not WHERE in Artemis. Yet. I’ve a feeling once he knows he’ll leap at the opportunity. Besides, I think you two are sweet on one another, and this is something you’d both want. Am I right?”
The answer seemed obvious, but Lia was still cautious. “We haven’t talked about any of that,” she admitted. “Everything blew up on us in La Fortuna, so we’re still getting to know one another.”
“I’ve known Cav for awhile. He’s a wonderful person, Lia, but I think you already know that.”
Lia sobered. “I tried to not get entangled with him, Dilara. I was worried that he’d be like every other man, and think I was ugly because of my knife wounds.”
“He’s not like that,” Dilara protested.
“I’ve found that out,” Lia admitted softly. “He sees
me
, not the scars.”
“And that’s the kind of person I want working with Artemis and with you.” She pulled a few manuals from her briefcase and set them on the desk. “Now, these are the manuals we’re presently using for our African, European and Asian Home School charities. Take your time going through them. If Cav takes the job, you can hand him two of them and he can work with our education specialists, whom we’ll be hiring in about a week. Because Cav knows the political environment of a given continent, he can add his knowledge into the updating of our school manual. Then, all you have to do is read it, pass it on to our Education Department and let them make the final changes. Then, we’ll have new manuals for the start of the school season next year.”
“Sounds easy enough,” Lia said. “I’m picking Cav up at Reagan International Friday evening.”
Dilara stood up, smoothing her linen trousers. “We have a condo rented for him.”
“He’s staying with me for the weekend, but I’ll pass along the information on his condo when I see him.”
“I thought that might be the case.” Dilara grinned and pulled out a packet from the side of her briefcase, handing it to Lia. “If and when he makes it over to his condo, which by the way is a floor above yours, he can make himself at home. He knows to be at my office at 9
A.M.
Monday morning.”
“Yes,” Lia promised, taking the manila packet. She could feel a set of keys in it.
Waving to her, Dilara opened the door. “See you later. Have a good weekend…”
Exhaustion pulled at
Cav as he deplaned and joined hundreds of other people moving toward the security exit. He carried a dark green duffle bag in his left hand. Friday night, in Washington, D.C., was a far cry from the humid jungle of the Monte Verde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica.
Most exciting for him was that he was finally going to see Lia, with no threats to spending time together. His lower body stirred, and he had to remind himself that all they’d shared were some touches and kisses. Not his bed.
Yet.
Cav spotted Lia before she even saw him. She was standing off to one side near the wall. He smiled, seeing that she was wearing a tasteful pale cream-colored pantsuit with a bright red blouse that brought out her hair’s rich highlights.
The fact that she was allowing it to grow pleased him, and she looked terrific, the longer hair enhancing her oval face and her sensual lips. God, he’d missed her, especially since he’d gotten used to having her in his life. His heart pulsed with need for her, and he watched her moving nervously from one sandaled foot to another, his grin broadening. She never could stand still for long.
As he emerged from behind a group of businessmen walking quickly out of security, Cav saw Lia catch sight of him. Her gray eyes widened and he saw the joy shining on her face. Quickly, he lengthened his considerable stride, leaving most of the passengers behind. As he neared Lia, he dropped his canvas bag to the floor and opened his arms wide.
“Cav!” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck, hugging him.
Groaning with pleasure, Cav accepted her frontal assault with a laugh, bringing her tightly up against his entire body, feeling how soft she was. Catching a scent that reminded him of cloves, her hair silky against his face, he heard her choke out his name, holding him as hard as she could.
“Oh, Cav!” she muffled against his neck. “I’ve missed you so much!”
He let her feet touch the floor, then held her, kissed her hair, kissed her temple. “Come here,” he growled, tilting her face upward, his mouth descending upon hers. Every cell in his body glowed as she eagerly kissed him, reminding him of a happy, wriggling puppy. There was nothing but joy as he kissed her again, then backed off slightly, trying to control his hunger for her.
Cav was aware that they were in public, and that others were watching them. Always protective of Lia, he moved so that he placed her near the wall, his back toward the crowd, shielding her from curious, prying eyes.
After another kiss, they came up for air. Timing was everything, and Cav knew it. Allowing her to ease from him, keeping his hands on her shoulders, he smiled down at her. “You have no idea how much I’ve been looking forward to this…to you,” and he caressed her face, hoping Lia wouldn’t wince or pull away as his fingers grazed the scar on her beautiful flesh.
This time, she didn’t react. That was a good sign. Grateful, Cav leaned down, kissing her cheek, her lips, not able to get enough of her.
“Same here,” she whispered, sliding her hand up his arm. “I missed you so much!”
He smiled. “Then why don’t you take me home with you?” and he leaned over, picking up his duffle bag. He liked the blush that graced her cheeks, making her eyes look even larger.
“In a heartbeat!” she laughed. “I’m parked in short term. Do you have luggage?”
“No, just this.” He held it up. “I always travel light in my business.”
She grinned and slid her hand into his. Instead, Cav lifted his right arm, sliding it around her shoulders, tucking her next to him. That was unexpected, but Lia loved it. Loved him. Sliding her arm around his waist, she said, “This way,” and led him down the busy hall toward an exit.
Just getting out into the evening air was a relief, and Cav breathed deeply. He hated airplane air. On Friday nights, Reagan International was a beehive of activity. Cav remained alert from habit, keeping Lia against him as they walked to the parking lot. Above them, the summer sky was clear and cloudless. On the horizon was a faint strip of yellow and orange, the last of the sunset.
“How have you really been?” he asked, gazing down at her. He could hardly believe they were together again.
“Busy. And I love what I’m doing.” Then, she admitted, “But I’ve been missing you terribly.”
He squeezed her gently as they slowed. “We’re going to build on what we started in Costa Rica. Sound good?”
“Does it ever!” she agreed. Halting in front of a silver Kia Sorrento SUV, Lia pulled out the keys from her small purse. “Come on, I’m taking you to my new condo.”
Cav opened the door for her and then threw his duffle into the back seat. “Let’s go.” As they drove down the freeway toward Alexandria, he asked, “Do you have the keys to my condo? Dilara said I’ve got one a floor above where you’re staying.”
“They’re in my purse.” She glanced over at him, overjoyed to see him in her front seat. “You’ll be home in civilization again. That has to feel good.”
“It always does. The more you travel, the more you know how good we have it here in the U.S.” He gazed at her profile, noticing how relaxed she’d become. “How’s your new job as department head suiting you?”
“Well,” she admitted, chewing on her lower lip, “I’ve never been a manager before. Dilara is hiring a lot of people to support our Home School Department.”
“Don’t worry, you’ve already been a manager at La Fortuna. What you do comes natural to you, Lia, and you’re good at it. You kept the entire charity moving forward without missing a beat.”
She gratefully accepted his compliment. “I guess I never saw myself in that capacity. I was just trying to keep things on an even keel so the teachers could teach the kids.”
“You did an outstanding job,” he praised.
She risked a quick glance. Cav seemed at peace. She loved his long, lanky body and the way he lounged like a cougar resting on an overhanging rock ledge. There was a dangerous quality to him, which thrilled her.
The danger for her was giving her heart to this man. They’d had so little time together, and Lia worried about how Cav would react to her belly scar. It was the worst one, and had disgusted Jerry. Would it him? It made wanting to love Cav a hot-and-cold temptation to Lia. Her heart and mind wanted him. But could he accept her?
She desperately wanted to broach the topic with him, but until he brought it up, she would wait. It would be foolish to discuss it right now. She knew he was tired. Somehow, they would ease into that conversation later. Still, Lia dreaded talking to him about it.
“I didn’t know you had a BA in Comparative Ethnic Studies. I’m impressed,” she added with a quick smile.
“Dilara must have told you. I know. We had no time down there to discuss such things. Trying to get personal info about each other was pretty tough under the circumstances, wasn’t it?”
“I couldn’t agree more. But we have time now.”
“You know, people have always fascinated me,” he told her. “And with my SEAL background in Asia, getting a BA in Ethnic Studies was a natural decision. I’ve spent a lot of top secret time in Africa, as well.”
“Your experiences are going to be so helpful to us if you take the job” she said, new appreciation for this man rising in her.
“I’d like a job where I can be near you, Lia. I’m tired of being a contractor. I’d like to have a job where I don’t have to travel and be away from you.” Cav liked the way the lights along the freeway danced on the gold and red highlights in her hair. “I like your longer hair. Do you?”