Family Stone Holiday Box Set: (including Stone Cold Heart, Carved in Stone, and Heart of Stone) (Family Stone Romantic Suspense)

by Lisa Hughey

  Ava hypnotically lifted her gaze to his face, overwhelmed by his sheer physical presence. Arousal tingled through her at his proximity and his obvious strength. “Just because I won’t, doesn’t mean I don’t want.”

  Connor shoved up and off her desk, then strode purposefully away. Ava was struck speechless by his words as she watched the play of his glutes beneath his snug cargo pants. Her heart still beat erratically in her chest and either she’d had a major sugar crash from her hard boiled egg breakfast or all the blood in her head had rushed south to a very under-used body part.

  One question kept circling in her suddenly light-headed brain: Did he just say he wanted her?

  Two

  Smooth, real smooth, Con.

  Nothing like blurting out the fact that you had the hots for your co-worker. Not to mention opening the company up to a potential sexual harassment suit. Not to mention he’d managed to keep his insane attraction to her under wraps for nine months and in one unguarded moment, he’d undone months of keeping his shit together and being the man he wanted to be. Connor wanted to thunk his head against his desk.

  Instead, he did what was familiar and retreated into code and computers. Code didn’t lie. Code didn’t throw out confusing signals. Code didn’t make an ass of itself. Code was just there doing it’s job. Not bothering anyone. Code could be scrambled, sure. But once you unraveled the pattern, the truth behind the code was evident.

  Con ran backup security scans on the Stone Consulting system while he dug into the other job that Jack had given him.

  Jose Fernandez. Now Con remembered where he’d heard the name. Fernandez was currently waiting on Senate confirmation as Deputy Secretary of Labor. He was a champion of civil rights and had crusaded for migrant farm worker rights locally in Monterey County before launching his political career, moving on to the state of California, and now Washington DC.

  On the surface, Fernandez seemed like a great choice and a shoe-in for the job. As Con did the initial check on the politician, the guy seemed to have a golden career. But if Stone Consulting was investigating him, Con had to believe there was something about Fernandez that had set off Jack’s bullshit meter.

  Congress was in recess through the Thanksgiving holiday but Jack wanted the report done as soon as possible which told Connor that some people in DC weren’t on vacation yet.

  Hours later, Con still couldn’t get Ava out of his head. Her jaw had dropped when he’d confessed that he wanted her. Surprise had blanketed her gorgeous face. She had round cheeks, a long nose, black eyebrows always slightly arched as if she found the world around her amusing, eyes a rich deep brown, so dark—the color of the night sky on the foggy coast—and plump full lips painted a bright cherry red. Usually her mouth was curved in a half-smile but earlier her lips had formed a clear oh, before she snapped her teeth shut.

  He’d never seen Ava anything other than professional, but sometimes he sensed a melancholy in her. Today her eyes had glittered with temper when he’d clumsily tried to apologize for Jack’s comment. And now Connor couldn’t stop picturing her wantonly spread-eagled on Jack’s desk, her elegant hands clutched around his biceps, her red nails digging into his arms, and her sweetly rounded ass perched on the edge of the desk as Con powered in and out of her. Shit.

  All the blood in his body pooled in his groin. Awesome. He had a fucking hard on. At work. While he fantasized about his brother’s assistant. Could this day get any more wacked?

  Connor absently watched the code from their server scroll across his screen. He frowned as an odd bit of text caught his eye. He stopped the rapidly scrolling information and backed up to the unfamiliar code. He took a screenshot and then kept going.

  But that niggling sense of something out of place had him separating his screen into two different views, he kept an eye on the scrolling code while on the other screen he stared at that little piece of wrongness.

  The short, innocuous command did not belong in the middle of the other code on the screen. And he knew it wasn’t his. So who or what was trying, and not succeeding, thanks to his little encryption lock, to break into their system?

  Connor shifted back to the scrolling code to search for more attempts at illegal forays or bits of commands that didn’t belong. He needed to review all the evidence and make sure he had all his facts and the proof to back it up before he took any suspicions to Jack. He wanted to be very clear before he exposed his findings to his brother. Deeds. Not words.

  While he continued to monitor the code he found three more instances where someone had tried to break into Stone Consulting. Connor made a quick printout of the illicit hack attempts on their system. This was beyond bad.

  ***

  Ava finished typing the report regarding GHR’s aid on the earthquake-ravaged island of Port-du-Bois. Jess Stone had just returned a few weeks ago from the disaster area along with their new employee Colin Davies.

  Jess and Colin appeared to have hit it off on the op. If Jack’s warning about his desk had been anything to go by, they had definitely gotten busy on his desk. Ava blushed as heat spread through her body just thinking about Jack’s comment. Even with no one to see her.

  She needed to think about other things. More important things than her unwelcome and unrequited attraction to Connor Stone. Let’s face it, her infatuation was going nowhere. Until today, she had no idea that he even noticed she was a woman. But she loved this job and if she got involved with Connor even briefly, and if it ended badly when they were done, she’d be the one out the door. Jack wasn’t about to fire his brother.

  She needed to shut down that line of thought right now.

  Instead, Ava focused on her work, rewarding work that fulfilled her. Jack had given her the freedom to research philanthropies and initiate a new beneficiary for GHR. She had found the perfect recipient for a cause she whole-heartedly believed in. S.S.A.F.E, Security, Shelter, and Freedom for the Exploited, was an organization that helped trafficked women and children reintegrate into society after they were freed from slavery.

  She had written the proposal to show how GHR could support the organization and before the year was out they would become the newest beneficiary of GHR’s generosity. Ava had done that.

  Jack knew her background. He knew about Maria and the others. Her reason for wanting to work for GHR and her need to atone.

  He had also promised that one day soon, once she had more training, she would be able to go on relief missions. So Ava had started CrossFit training, soaked up knowledge of all aspects of Global Humanitarian Relief’s practices, and mentally catalogued everything that went on at the main company, GHR, and it’s less altruistic subsidiary, Stone Consulting.

  She actually had little idea what Stone Consulting did. Jack handled everything except the finance numbers. She knew Stone Consulting made a lot of money. And some of their clients were likely governments, based on the acronyms on their Profit and Loss statements. Beyond that, the shadowy company was opaque. The workings and job specifics of Stone Consulting were completely obscured from her.

  The office was quiet. Riley was out of the country on an op and everyone else had left on vacation for the holidays. Since her parents had gone back to Sinaloa for a month leaving her alone for the next few weeks, Ava had volunteered to man the office. Thanksgiving was only six days away and the entire office was closed next week so that Jack’s employees could go home to their families.

  Jack Stone valued family. Ava knew that from his dogged pursuit to get all of his siblings working for GHR. He’d finally succeeded, and the last holdout, Jess, had left the FBI and come to work for him.

  Jack had departed right before lunch, muttering to himself about arrogance, payback favors, and something else she couldn’t quite hear. Ava was pretty sure that she and Connor, who was secreted back in his office with his computers after making an ass of himself, were the only ones left in the fourth floor office suite.

  She read through the report one last time. Jack usually reviewed
the GHR reports, confirming mission details and conclusions, sometimes changing a word or two, before she hit send. But today he’d been in a hurry and asked Ava to double check this one.

  Ava always took note of the altered meaning when he made changes. Then when he was completely satisfied with the contents, she sent the highly-encrypted file to someone, somewhere in DC. The email was generic with no identifier as to agency or corporation. To her eye, there wasn’t any information that could be considered classified. But based on the level of encryption, she figured there must be information that wasn’t readily available to the general public.

  She wasn’t stupid. She’d figured out after two months on the job that Stone Consulting’s income actually supported Global Humanitarian Relief’s efforts. Stone Consulting was the moneymaker with no written files or traceable evidence of the work performed. But the company’s profits allowed GHR to do a lot of good, as proven by Jess and Colin’s report from Port-du-Bois. They had handed out tens of thousands of packets of both water purification tablets and seeds. The population of Port-du-Bois was already better off for the good that GHR had delivered while they were on the island.

  It hadn’t escaped Ava’s notice that the head of the country had conveniently died of natural causes while they were there.

  Ava didn’t know if that was related or not, and she’d decided after reading about Henri LeRoy’s atrocities in this report, somehow none of his various misdeeds were in the international news, that she didn’t care to delve too deeply into what had happened. But sometimes she did wonder if it were smart to ignore the mystery of Stone Consulting.

  Ava double checked every detail one last time and then with a deep breath, she hit send.

  She had one final task to finish before she could go work out. Jack had given her a Stone Consulting report that needed to be sent…somewhere. He’d given her the handwritten note with a request that she shred the paper as soon as the document was in the computer, send the report, and then delete the sent email.

  Ava typed the report quickly. Jack had hesitated before handing her the handwritten note but she couldn’t figure out why. The entire report and email consisted of one short paragraph: SC is investigating Subject F more deeply through online records. Going after living proof of wrongdoing. Beyond witness, no other physical evidence exists at this time. Will have updated report or hopefully evidence in custody before Thanksgiving.

  Ava typed the email, hit send, and promptly deleted all references on her computer. Jack hadn’t signed the email. It was sent from a one time account that was deleted as soon as she transmitted the ‘report’. Ava took the innocuous piece of paper and put it through the high security, random particle shredder, until it was 46,000 bits of confetti.

  This was a big step for Ava. He had never entrusted her with the other, more secret, aspects of the company and Ava felt a silly sense of pride. She’d moved to a new stage in learning the business. She was one step closer to her goal of helping people, saving people.

  Ava hit the women’s restroom and changed into her running clothes. It was time for her Workout of the Day. GHR’s office was located in the downtown area of Monterey. On the fourth floor, both Ava’s reception area and Jack’s office had a gorgeous view of the Monterey Bay and the very touristy marina. But what Ava loved most about the GHR office was the quick access to the beach and the ocean.

  Ava ran along the cold wet sand of Municipal Beach. She let the sand kick up and splatter her legs. The brisk sea breeze, scented with salt and seaweed, buffeted her body and swept through her hair. Sweat sheened her face, and the mist from the ocean caused her usually restrained hair to curl wildly. Her hair was a tumbled mass around her face, totally unprofessional.

  The running shorts allowed her the freedom to really fly. Her breasts were restrained in a heavy duty Nike sports bra that would take an act of God to get her out of, but at least she wouldn’t be flopping all over the place while she ran full out. Since Jack wanted her to stay late tonight, he’d told her to take time in the afternoon to get her beach workout in.

  It was tempting to hop on the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail and run down to Seaside and back but she had to be back in the office to wait for Riley’s once-a-day check in.

  She’d already done her workout: sprints, lunges, pull-ups on the bar at the playground, and burpees. As a result her heart pounded and her thighs trembled. She focused on the effects of her workout on her body. Anything to stop remembering his words and get the look in Connor’s eyes out of her mind. The physical exercise was the perfect antidote to her wayward thoughts and the uncomfortable, edgy, itchy sensations that kept nagging her.

  Doesn’t mean I don’t want. Doesn’t mean I don’t want.

  Ava tried not to read sexual craving into his words but it was hard when she remembered the heat in his intense stare.

  A prickle of awareness crept along her neck. The usually crowded beach, even on a November afternoon, was basically deserted. With the exception of a few crazy couples frolicking in the frigid waves or passed out on their beach towels, the tourist crowds were gone for the day, getting ready for dinner or giving their kids baths. The dive boats had all come in for the night and the water was too placid for surfers.

  Seagulls squawked. The waves shushed gently on the shore. The traffic on Del Monte Avenue just beyond the trail was muted. Though everything seemed deserted, Ava couldn’t help but feel like she wasn’t alone.

  She stopped, put her hands on her knees and bent slightly at the waist. The position gave her the chance to casually look between her legs and behind her. But there wasn’t anyone who hadn’t been there as she’d jogged by.

  Ava plopped down into the sand and decided to do her post-workout stretches right here while the waves lapped at the shore. She stretched her legs out straight in front of her and bent at the waist to rest her forehead on her knees. Through slitted eyes she surveyed the beach again. And still no one looked out of place.

  So why the hell did it feel like someone was watching her?

  Ava twisted and stretched as she warmed down, trying desperately to shake off the feeling of being hunted. The sensation triggered more awareness. She didn’t feel like the watcher was ogling her short shorts or body. The unknown gaze felt desperate and just a little bit malevolent.

  Dios, she’d let her imagination get the best of her. Ava tried to shrug it off as she brushed the sand from her legs. Then she untied the office key from her shoelace and clutched it in her hand, the jagged edge sticking through her index and middle finger. She began a light jog back to the office. To her mind, the sooner she arrived the better.

  Within ten minutes, she was at the front door of their building. She peered at the reflection of the street behind her in the glass, searching for a tail, searching for anyone who didn’t belong, but nothing suspicious jumped out at her.

  Ava shoved the key in the lock and quickly let herself into the building. She leaned back against the door, closed her eyes, and breathed a quick sigh of relief at the odd sense of safety she felt once she was behind the locked door.

  “Where’ve you been?”

  Ava shrieked and jumped back into a fighting stance before she registered it was only Connor.

  Her heart was pounding hard and blood rushed in her ears as her body dumped a boatload of adrenaline into her system. “Holy crap, you scared me.” Ava willed the rapid rat-a-tat-tat of her heart into a slower, steadier rhythm.

  “What was that all about?” Connor had eased back so he was a few feet away. And after a quick glance at her body in the skintight running top and shorts, he averted his gaze to the old-fashioned marquee that listed the buildings occupants. “Never mind. I need to talk to Jack.”

  Ava tried to stem the disappointment that followed. As if he sensed her turmoil, Connor put more distance between them. She might be shy, but she was also a toucher. And Connor always seemed to be moving away from her, not closer. Which conversely made her want to reach out and grab him.

 
; Great. Now she was imagining physically accosting Connor Stone. And why, oh why, couldn’t she get images of touching Connor out of her brain?

  What had he asked? Jack, he wanted to talk to Jack. “He’s gone.”

  “Shit.” Connor stood perfectly still. One blunt tipped hand cupped his neck while he frowned at the large marble squares of the entry floor. She had the image that inside his stiff body, he was mentally pacing like a leopard.

  His entire form was preternaturally still, but his muscles, of which there were many, rippled beneath his combat pants. His biceps strained against the hem of his short sleeve t-shirt, veins popped in sharp relief against the definition of his forearms, even his neck had sensually distinct muscles. But with all those muscles on display the most attractive muscle Connor Stone displayed was still his brain.

  His mind moved at warp speed and the way he processed information was somehow sexy as hell. So okay, his body rocked too. But there was something about all that brute strength wrapped in the rapidly-firing synapses that fueled her attraction to him.

  Her body heated, her pulse sped up and thudded in the base of her throat as she waited for him to sort out whatever he needed.

  “This can’t wait,” Connor muttered. “I have to know now.”

  “What can’t wait?” Ava asked with bewilderment.

  Connor charged toward the utilitarian stairwell, eschewing the old-fashioned elevator with the slow moving cars and heavy ornate brass doors. Ava followed behind him, trying and failing not to admire the full extent of his muscles.

  Jack had given Ava clear instructions: Connor was in charge. He’d also said he didn’t think anything major would come up while he was unreachable. So she followed.

  Their footsteps clanged in the eerily silent stairwell as Connor sprinted up the steps. Ava clambered up the stairs behind him.

  “I need to know what everyone is working on.” Connor barreled through the access door to the fourth floor then held the door open until Ava could finish climbing. She slid through the doorway and hustled to her office desk.