Reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, Linc brushed his fingers down her cheek before letting his hand drop away.
“We’ll fly to Spokane, enjoy a fine dinner, and mingle. You’ll have your own room at the hotel. If there’s anything you’d like to see, we can stay the following day—make a weekend of it.” He watched as one delicate brow arched. “Besides, I’d appreciate your company.”
Selena drew in a ragged breath at the sincerity in his voice and eyes. If she were Calypso, she’d jump at the opportunity for a free trip to Spokane and an evening with someone as compelling as Linc.
“I don’t believe I’m the best person for what you need. My sister, Caly, would be perfect. She thrives on social events such as the one you’re attending. You’d be quite proud to have her on your arm for the evening.”
He took a step forward, not sure why or what he wanted to say. Something about Selena touched him. Linc studied her face—the set of her beautiful mouth, the softness in her eyes, the earnestness in her voice.
“Believe me, I would be more than proud to have you on my arm, Selena. Besides, I don’t believe you’d want others to know I have my own Cinderella.”
Her nostrils flared as she moved away. “You wouldn’t.”
“Of course I would. It’s not often a man has an encounter with such an intriguing apparition, then discovers she left something of herself behind.” His eyes sparkled as a smile curved the corners of his mouth.
“That isn’t fair. You’re using my poor judgment against me. It’s not gentlemanly or gracious in any way.” The pitch of her voice increased with each word.
“Ah, Ms. Kerrigan. When did I ever say I was a gentleman or gracious. I’m a man who knows what he wants, and right now, I want you to accompany me to Spokane as my guest. If needed, I’ll give you my word nothing will happen between us—unless you wish it, of course.”
“That’s preposterous. Of course I don’t want anything to happen. My life is fine the way it is without some arrogant man who has an inflated sense of his appeal. Makes me wonder how in the world you have so many women standing in line for your attentions.” She turned, walking away from him in the direction of her office.
Jogging to catch up, he leaned close to her. “But you’ll do it. You’ll travel to Spokane with me.”
She let out an exasperated breath. “Yes, damn you. I’ll do it,” she hissed. Forcing a smile, she nodded at an elderly couple before turning back to him, steel in her voice. “Then I never want to see you again.”
******
“Good afternoon, Tricia.” Caly breezed into the office after a busy day showing property to potential renters. “Anything happening?”
“Nothing much, except Selena storming in a little while ago. I’ve never seen her so angry. Slammed her office door and I haven’t seen her since.”
Caly stared down the hall, lifting an eyebrow. “Any idea what’s bothering her?”
Tricia handed Caly her mail, shrugging. “It was a pretty normal day until a potential client showed up. Seems the day went downhill from there.”
“Did you write down the client’s name?”
She glanced at her log to verify the name. “Linc Caldwell. Tall, a real looker, and no wedding ring.” She looked up to see Caly dashing down the hall, throwing open Selena’s door.
“Linc Caldwell was here? In your office?” Caly gasped, shutting the door behind her. “How did he find you?”
Selena closed the computer site she’d been searching, her shoulders slumping. “Yes, he was here, and it appears our dear brother-in-law told him.”
Caly settled into a guest chair. “Adam? How in the world—”
“Linc had a meeting with him. He remembered my name and asked Adam if he knew a Selena involved in real estate. It wasn’t Adam’s fault.”
“I don’t understand why he wanted to see you. Did you two meet at the party?”
Selena leaned down, picked up her sandals, and held them in the air.
“You left your shoes at his house?”
“His bedroom, actually.” Selena groaned, burying her face in her hands. She’d told Caly nothing about the particulars the night of the party, letting her assume she’d passed out on the host’s sofa. It seemed pointless to hide anything now.
Caly’s mouth opened, then closed, her eyes wide. “You told me you had too much to drink and passed out. Am I missing something, or did you spend the night with Linc? And I mean with him.”
“I told you the truth. I simply omitted where I passed out.” Picking up a bottle of water, she took her time unscrewing the cap and taking a long swallow. “I woke up in his bed. He was sound asleep, so I got out of there as fast as I could.”
“Without your shoes.”
Selena nodded. “How was I supposed to know he would try to track me down? I mean, what man does that?”
Caly stared at her older sister. The shyest of the five, the one with the least interest in a relationship, Selena had never seen herself as others did—bright, kind, and beautiful. She was the sister who’d do anything for a friend or even a stranger. Few knew she was the one who organized the annual Thanksgiving baskets to those in need, or was the driving force behind the Christmas gift boxes to children who’d have nothing to open without her generosity. Selena went about her life with calm assurance and an abhorrence of anything that would turn the spotlight on her, happy to let others take the credit.
Caly found it easy to understand why Linc Caldwell would be attracted to her.
“So he dropped off the shoes and left?” Caly’s voice softened at the distress on Selena’s face.
“Not exactly. He invited me to lunch, which went well, then left.” She refused to discuss his proposal.
“So why the long face? Maybe he’ll become a client. Even if he doesn’t, being treated to lunch by an incredibly hot, successful businessman can’t hurt.”
She has no idea, Selena thought. “No. Can’t hurt at all.”
******
Driving the shoreline, Linc couldn’t believe he’d invited Selena to accompany him to Spokane. Never one to feel he needed a woman on his arm, especially one as guileless as Selena Kerrigan, he’d intended to attend the event solo, not wanting any distractions. When he did date, the women always knew the situation, had as much experience as he, and didn’t expect more than a few dinners followed by passionate sex—at their place. Their lack of desire for a relationship mirrored his. His attraction to Selena couldn’t be more out of place.
It hadn’t been hard to peg her as someone who rarely drank or partied. The way she’d inserted herself into the group’s conversation on real estate intrigued and amused him. He’d found himself wanting to protect her. From what, he didn’t know. Maybe herself.
Several hours after she passed out in his bed, he’d settled beside her, propping himself on one arm, watching her as she slept. Forcing himself to turn away, it had taken a long time for sleep to claim him, only to wake and find her gone. The sense of loss shook him.
Linc had been through one relationship that rocked his belief in forever after, changing the way he felt about commitment and faithfulness. It had taken time to come to terms with the mistake he’d made. Pouring himself into his work as a SEAL, spending his time off with teammates, and swearing off commitment, he’d carved a comfortable niche that had served him well.
After all he’d been through and the defenses he’d built, how could a few brief moments with a woman leave such a strong impression on him? When he found she’d disappeared, Linc had made up his mind to find her and get her out of his system. After seeing her today, he realized how ill-prepared he was to make that happen.
Parking his truck in front of his office, Linc grabbed the ringing phone, holding it to his ear as he strolled toward the TSR offices, not too concerned at the news from his former SEAL teammate. Tomás "Phreaker" Vega, the best computer expert and hacker Linc had ever met, filled him in on what he’d learned.
“So far, whoeve
r it is hasn’t gotten much. I’d say the threat level is low.”
“Keep searching. The hacker’s intentions could change in a minute.”
“Will do.”
“Thanks, Phreaker. Stay in touch.”
“Hey, man. You know I hate that name,” Vega protested, his voice a low growl. “It’s so damn old school.”
Linc chuckled as his friend clicked off. He missed working with his team. Hell, he missed everything about being a SEAL Platoon Commander, but he’d never been one to sit around licking his wounds.
Stopping outside the office entrance, he scanned the area, the same as he did each time he stepped inside. Hidden in the woods a few miles from the north end of Lake Bountiful, the nondescript TSR building seemed innocuous from the outside. Inside, however, it housed state of the art security and monitoring equipment, some of it not yet available for public use. His contacts within the government allowed TSR to beta test new entries into the security and rescue industry long before competitors knew of its existence. This element alone, testing cutting edge technology, allowed them to hire the best. The company’s success had everything to do with the people within this building, and he never let them forget it. Their accomplishments depended on each member of his civilian crew, much as it had in his SEAL team.
“Hey, Linc. I didn’t know you’d gotten back.” Matt walked up, handing him a printout of recent contracts. “Take a look.” Matt’s broad smile already told Linc all he needed to know.
“Four wins out of five submittals.” He glanced up. “I expected nothing less.”
“That’s all you have to say?” Matt’s incredulous voice followed Linc as he turned toward his office. “This is incredible. Who wins eighty percent of their proposals in this industry? And may I remind you, we’ve been between seventy-five and eighty percent for six months now.”
Looking over his shoulder, Linc shot him a measured look. “Then I guess we should go for a hundred percent.”
Matt crossed his arms, staring, as Linc disappeared into his office, closing the door.
“Don’t let it bother you, man.” Shane joined Matt in the hallway. “Linc doesn’t understand why we don’t win every submittal. That’s just his nature and why we’re so successful. Never give up and never settle for second place. Winning is everything to him. Has been since high school.”
During their junior and senior years in high school, the three had been inseparable. After graduation, Linc left for the Naval Academy, Matt accepted a football scholarship to Penn State, joining the school’s Army ROTC program, and Shane, after mulling over several offers, decided on Stanford.
They looked up as Linc’s door opened and he stuck his head out. “You guys ready to debrief me about why we didn’t win the fifth submittal?” He didn’t wait for a response before taking a chair at his small conference table.
Mumbling a curse, Matt stalked into the office, Shane not hiding his amusement at his friend’s frustration about not being allowed to celebrate a significant accomplishment.
“You know what you need?” Shane asked Matt as they entered Linc’s office.
“No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me,” he grumbled as he took a seat across from Linc.
“A steady girlfriend. A normal woman you can count on to be waiting for you each night. Someone who’ll celebrate your wins, commiserate when things fall apart. And either way, screw your brains out.”
“You’re crazy,” Matt snorted. “That kind of woman doesn’t interest me. Besides, a woman like that doesn’t exist. At least I’ve never been able to find one.”
“You’ve just been looking in the wrong places. Believe me, they exist, even for a hardcore womanizer like you.”
“Go to hell.” Matt flashed Shane a disapproving grin, unable to stifle a chuckle.
Linc leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, listening to his friends. Discussing the opposite sex had always been a way for the three of them to cut through tension and cajole each other out of dark moods. Each had experienced his own failures with relationships, swearing off anything more than casual sex—until Shane had become smitten with his current girlfriend.
Unbidden, an image of Selena flashed across his mind, a warm feeling following close behind. Groaning, Linc shook his head, mumbling a curse.
“What’s that, man?” Shane asked.
“Nothing.” Linc leaned forward, sliding the report in front of him. His gaze moved between the two men. “Let’s get started.”
Chapter Six
Spokane, Washington
“You look spectacular.” Linc let his gaze wander over Selena, taking his time, appreciating the view. They’d had a short flight from Peregrine Bay to Spokane, her saying little, responding in short replies to his attempts at casual conversation. He’d finally backed off, letting her enjoy the brief trip in peace.
Selena smiled at the compliment, the butterflies in her stomach continuing to taunt her. “Thank you. Do you think it’s too much?” She slid her hands down the deep red silk dress, not yet comfortable in an outfit so obviously meant to draw attention to every curve. “My sister, Caly, helped me pick it out.”
“You’ll have to thank her for me. You’re nothing short of stunning.” Linc held himself in check, doing his best to keep his body from announcing the extent of his approval. He offered his arm. “Shall we?”
Sliding her arm through his, Selena squared her shoulders, wanting to appear as tall as possible when walking beside Linc. At over six feet tall with broad shoulders, he cast an imposing and elegant figure in his striking charcoal gray suit accented with a red silk tie. His dark auburn hair fanned the collar of his suit, and the coarse stubble on his face projected a rakish appearance. Handsome, confident, and polished described Lincoln Caldwell. Selena had no doubt he’d attract considerable female attention tonight.
When they reached the open elevator door, Linc stepped aside, allowing Selena to proceed him. She took a place against the wall, taking a deep breath, willing herself to be calm. As Caly would say, go with it.
“You seem nervous.”
Her gaze shot to Linc’s. Seeing his roguish smile, she laughed, feeling the tension begin to slip away.
“I told you. I’m not the social butterfly in the family. Events such as this aren’t my usual choice for a Friday night.” She felt his hand settle on the small of her back as they reached the lobby. The warmth seeped through the thin layer of silk, causing her to shiver.
“Are you cold?” Linc glanced at her, removing his hand from her back, taking the wrap from her and settling it across her shoulders.
“Thank you.” Selena refused to tell him she’d experienced jolts of heat ever since she’d boarded the plane in Peregrine Bay. Not once did she attribute it to the temperature. She might not be as experienced as Linc, but she understood when her body responded to a man. It had been all she could do to keep her composure when he chose to sit next to her on the flight, brushing his leg or shoulder against her numerous times. Movements, she felt certain, which had been deliberate. She just wished she could call them unwelcome.
“Lincoln Caldwell and Ms. Selena Kerrigan,” Linc told the lady behind the registration table, taking the name tags and program she offered.
“You’re at table three near the front, Mr. Caldwell. You still have time to mingle before dinner is served. Enjoy your evening.” The woman shot him a quick, practiced smile before focusing on the next couple in line.
“Tell me again why you chose to attend this event,” Selena asked as they entered the large ballroom. A bar anchored each end of the room, tables filling the space in between. She guessed there must be close to three hundred people milling about, or “schmoozing”, as her sister Julia would say. Although more comfortable at public appearances than Selena, Julia had her own reasons for wanting to limit the number of civic and social events she attended. She and Adam had been married a few short weeks, changing the priorities in both their lives.
“Right now, my company wins the major
ity of security contracts in Idaho, as well as Western Washington and Northern Oregon. The best way to keep the business flowing is through personal connections with those who make the decisions.” He stopped, turning toward her. “Although I’m certain you understand this as one of the owners of your real estate company.”
Her eyes flashed. “How did you know I’m an owner? My family doesn’t give out that kind of information.” She crossed her arms, tilting her head to one side.
“I have a very talented person who obtains all kinds of information for me. He discovered a recent document showing your father, Joshua Kerrigan, as the chairman of Kerrigan Real Estate & Property Management, Julia Kerrigan Monroe as the President, Calypso Kerrigan as the Vice President of property management, and Selena Kerrigan as the Vice President of real estate sales. All four of you own various percentages of the company. That leaves your youngest sisters, Danielle and Lillian. What are their roles at the company?”
Selena stared at him, wide-eyed. Although most people in town knew the three oldest Kerrigan sisters ran the everyday operations of the business, few knew their father had made arrangements for each to own a percentage, allowing them to share in the profits. She suspected the action assured their father each would give their maximum effort to grow the company. Luckily for him, his oldest daughters enjoyed and flourished in the real estate business.
“That information is confidential. Besides our family, only our lawyer and accountant know of Father’s arrangement with us. How did you…” Her voice trailed off as she noted the gleam in his eye. “You didn’t know, did you? You were taking a wild guess and pulled me in,” she huffed out, taking a step forward, placing her palm on his chest. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Holding up his hands in surrender, Linc flashed her a smile, melting her irritation and sending alarms through her body. “Guilty as charged. As you said, I took a wild guess to see what you’d say. It was a calculated risk with a fifty percent chance of going in my favor.”
Our Kind of Love Page 5