Tempest (SAI Book 3)

by Lea Hart

  “I think we should invest equally. If we’re in this together, then we should both put in money.”

  “No. I’m putting up the capital. It’s my job to take care of you, and this is how I’m going to do it.”

  Standing, she crossed her arms and stomped her foot. “Ryan Cordell, you can’t just say no and expect me to agree.”

  “Honey, when you stomp that furry ball sandal of yours, it kind of takes the sting out of your words.” He stood and wrapped his arms around her. “We are using the money that I have in the trust. It’s been sitting there for ten years, collecting interest, and there’s plenty. I’m going to take care of you even if you’re an oil heiress.”

  “We are going to take care of each other. A team. You’ve heard of that concept.”

  “That’s funny.”

  “It wasn’t meant to be. I insist that we invest equally.”

  “Nope. I take care of you and that’s that.”

  “Of all the pig-headed things I’ve ever heard in my life, that may be the piggiest.”

  “Do you want me to be happy, Ivy?”

  Stepping away from him, she crossed her arms. “Of course.”

  “This will make me happy. It’s not much to ask.”

  “That’s not fair, Ryan. What am I supposed to do now?”

  “Agree and make me happy. You said you loved me, so love me and let me take care of you.”

  “I can’t even argue with that. That’s not fair.”

  Bending over, he smiled into her face. “I love you.”

  What could she say that wouldn’t sound awful? He’d made it clear that he wanted to take care of her, and it was important to him. The fact that she felt uncomfortable seemed like just another thing she would have to learn to live with. This relationship business wasn’t easy. “I’ll clean up the kitchen and then we can go in.”

  “Let’s do it together,” he said as he picked up their plates.

  As they loaded the dishwasher, she came up with an idea. “Since you want to put up the money for the office, then I want to buy our next house.”

  “What’s wrong with the one you have? I thought you liked it.”

  “I do, but two bedrooms isn’t going to be big enough. I want some babies, so we need a bigger house.”

  “Okay, honey. Sounds good to me.” He winked and put the last dish in.

  That was too easy. He agreed too quickly. As she dried her hands, she tried to figure out why. “Why did you say yes so fast?”

  “Because it seemed important to you, and you won’t let me put any babies in you if you’re mad at me.” He kissed her and then started gathering his keys and phone. “We should get going.”

  “All right. I’m going to fix my lipstick and I’ll be ready in two shakes.”

  “Honey, exactly how long is two shakes?”

  She threw him a smile before she walked toward the bedroom. “As long as I need it to be.”

  ***

  Ryan and Ivy walked into the SAI offices, and TT shouted when she saw them. “I’m so happy to see you all.” Clasping her hands together, she let her eyes bounce between the two of them. “Oh my…you two are in love.”

  Joel walked down the hall and shook his head. “TT, give them a chance to make it inside the door before you start shouting.”

  “Don’t spoil my fun,” she said over her shoulder.

  Joel shook Ryan’s hand and then gave Ivy a small hug. “I just spoke to Max, and he said they would be here in a bit.”

  “Perfect,” Ivy commented. “I have a couple of things to finish.”

  “The conference room is all yours. Go ahead and set up in there,” he said with a smile.

  “Joel, do you have a couple of minutes?” Ryan asked.

  “Of course. Let’s go into my office.”

  Ryan kissed Ivy and then followed his boss down the hall. He wanted to give him a heads-up about the possibility of him leaving. He was grateful for the opportunity that he and Grady had given him, and he wanted to make sure he conveyed that.

  Joel walked into his office and collapsed into his chair. Ryan sat across from him and took in a calming breath. “I want you to know how much I appreciate the opportunity to join your team.”

  Joel put up his hand. “Where are you and Ivy going to settle?”

  “How did you know that’s what I was going to say?”

  “I saw how you looked at her when we had you over for dinner. Vivi told me that you two are perfect for one another, so I assumed you were going to do something about it. Have you asked her yet?”

  Ryan let out a small laugh. “Not yet. I have some work ahead of me before she’s going to be ready.”

  “I won’t tell you what I did to get my wife ready for the idea of marrying me.”

  A loud laugh erupted behind him, and Ryan turned around to see Max standing in the doorway. “You did the same thing I did,” Max said. “You put a baby in her and gave her no choice.”

  Ryan stood and looked at the man he’d heard so much about. Max Bishop was a legend among the men on the Teams. He was known as being a fearless leader who protected the men at any cost. Ryan stepped forward and put out his hand. “Nice to finally meet you.”

  Max gripped his hand and gave him a big smile. “Heard lots of good things about you, Cordell. We’re glad that you’ve joined our family.”

  Max took the chair next to Ryan’s, sat down, and motioned for him to do the same. “What did I miss? Is Joel imparting his marital wisdom?”

  “Not yet.” Ryan laughed.

  “Rory told me about you two, and if Ivy is anything like Rory, then you should put a baby in her as soon as you can. I knew Rory was going to resist the idea of marriage, so I made it impossible and got her pregnant as soon as I could. Turns out I did a good job, and we got twins on the first go-around.”

  Joel laughed and shook his head. “I did the same thing with Vivi. I knew she wanted kids, so I gave them to her right away. She didn’t agree to date me until I knocked her up, and then I had to get shot for her to admit she loved me.” Slinging his leg over his knee, he shrugged. “It’s been an easy road since we got married.”

  “It’s important to do whatever is necessary to accomplish the mission,” Max said. “I knew Rory was the one for me within a couple of days of meeting her. She is my perfect match, and I’m lucky I found her.”

  “I resisted my fate,” Joel said. “The idea of Vivi terrified me for a long time. Once I was forced to be in her company, it all faded, and I knew she was the one for me. I thought if I gave her what she wanted most in the world, then she would be open to the idea of us. Turns out I was right. That woman has given me more happiness than I deserve.”

  “I’ll try asking her first. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll put a baby in her and ask again,” Ryan said firmly.

  Max slapped him on the shoulder. “Good idea.” Sitting back, he stretched his arms behind his head. “Speaking of ideas, I hear you and Ivy want to open an office in Texas.”

  Ryan looked over at Joel and grimaced. “That’s what I came in here to tell you.”

  “I knew that we might not have you for long, and I think opening another office is a great idea,” he said, as he rapped his knuckles against the desk. “Your challenge is going to be finding people to join you. But I imagine you already know that.”

  “Absolutely,” he replied. “I have two buddies who can work part-time, and we have one retired Delta guy who is going to join us. We’ll put the word out and ideally find some Team guys who like the idea of living in Texas.”

  Max sat up and planted his feet. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

  “True,” Ryan and Joel said simultaneously.

  ***

  Ivy sat in the conference room and pulled out the folder that held the proposal she’d written for the office in Texas. Flipping through the pages, she let out a breath. It was a solid plan, and she hoped that Rory and Max would agree. She heard TT’s voice and wondered what she w
as up to. Before she could stand, Rory swept into the room. “Hello. It’s so good to see you.” Ivy moved around the table and gave her boss a gentle hug.

  Rory hugged her back and then released her. “I’m happy to know you’re safe. I hope all that nonsense in Texas is finished.”

  “Almost. We have a couple of loose ends to tie up,” Ivy said as she pulled out a chair for Rory.

  Her boss collapsed into it and sat back. Rubbing her baby bump, she smiled. “This baby is so active; I swear he’s doing karate in there. The twins didn’t move that much due to their limited space, so this is all new for me.”

  “It’s a good thing that you and Max are having a babymoon. Ideally, you can rest before baby number three arrives.”

  Rory laughed and winked. “The hormones that happen when I’m pregnant make my husband a very happy man. I don’t know how much rest we’ll be getting.”

  Ivy covered her mouth and laughed. “Oh, well…as long as you’re happy.”

  Rory opened her laptop and grinned. “Max Bishop makes me very happy.”

  Ivy felt her boss’s eyes on her and wondered what she had on her mind. “I have the updates on all of the projects we’ve been discussing.”

  “Tell me about that handsome man I sent to Texas to take care of you. Any progress there?”

  Ivy coughed and wondered what the appropriate response was. “Ryan did a great job, and he made sure I was safe. He pulled a team together and secured the wells. He also took care of the woman who shot at me in Austin.”

  Rory shook her head. “I’m wondering if you two fell in love?”

  Ivy clasped her hands together, looked at Rory, and shrugged. “Yes, we did.” Letting out a sigh, her shoulders drooped. “That man has me scared out of my mind. He came after me with his hands and heart open, and he told me that he wanted all of me. I had no choice but to fall head over heels for him. He has my heart, and I hope to God he doesn’t break it.”

  Rory leaned forward and nodded. “I had no desire to be in a relationship when I met Max. I had a stalker, and the last thing on my mind was love. My husband gave me no choice. He came after me with everything he had, and my heart opened. He is big, bossy, and overprotective, and I can’t imagine someone more perfect. You and I like to be in control, and it works in most areas of our lives. I’ve found that being in love allows no control, and I highly recommend it. The moment I gave it up is the moment that I found a dream I didn’t know I had. I have a feeling that Ryan would move heaven and earth to make you happy. Don’t miss the chance because you’re scared.”

  Ivy felt tears gather in her eyes and wiped them away. “Thanks, Rory. For everything.”

  Rory waved her hand in dismissal. “I adore a good love story, and I’ll do anything to help someone find theirs. My best friend Birdie and I have managed to help quite a few couples. We think of ourselves as love’s helpers.”

  Ivy saw Max and Ryan walk in and noticed that Max was shaking his head. “Rory, you are more than love’s helper. You are love’s boss.” He kissed his wife and then pulled out a chair. “The only thing it can do is obey.”

  Rory elbowed her husband. “I hope you keep that in mind when we get to the hotel tonight.”

  Ivy watched the look of adoration on Max’s face as he smiled at his wife. If she was very lucky, Ryan might feel half of that for her. If that occurred, then she would be very happy.

  Ryan sat in the chair next to her and took her hand. “Ready?”

  “Absolutely,” she replied. Ready to let him all the way in and ready to give him everything she had. It seemed to be the only answer.

  He leaned over and spoke quietly in her ear. “I love you.”

  Turning her head, she stared into his eyes. “I love you too.”

  The sound of Rory clearing her throat pulled Ivy out of her fog, and she straightened up. Glancing at the folder in front of her, she took a deep breath. “Ryan and I would like to open an office in Texas.” She pulled out the information that she’d prepared and passed it across the table. “This is an outline of our proposal.”

  Max leaned back and grinned. “Yes.”

  Ivy slid her eyes over to Ryan and he shrugged. She asked Max, “Don’t you want to look at the information?”

  “I will when we get back home.” He looked at them both and shrugged. “I started this company because I had no idea what to do after I retired. I promised myself that I would do everything I could to provide the opportunity for my brothers when they found themselves in a similar position. I guess it’s worked, because we have seven offices. I will never say no to a brother. The fact that Ryan has you as a partner makes it twice as easy. Rory is the reason that we’ve been as successful as we have. You remind me a lot of my wife, so I think the Texas office may end up being the biggest one in the company.”

  Ryan stood and came around the table, and Max joined him. “Thank you for the opportunity. We will not let the company down.”

  They shook hands and Max slapped him on the back. “I know, brother.”

  Joel walked in and looked around the room. “Vivi wants everyone to come over to the house for dinner. We’re going to celebrate the newest SAI office.”

  “Perfect,” Rory commented. “No one can throw a party like Vivi.”

  Ryan slipped his arm around Ivy’s waist and held her tightly against his side. “We’re in business together, so now you can’t get rid of me.”

  “Wasn’t planning on it,” she said against his chest. “We’re stuck with each other now.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  One Month Later

  Texas

  Ryan waited next to the truck and looked up at the endless Texas sky filled with stars. If he was lucky, one of those stars was going to bless him with the thing he desired most. The sound of the front door closing caught his attention, and he watched Ivy run toward him. Opening his arms, he caught her and held her close. “Ready to go parking out by the creek?”

  “You bet.” Running her hand down his face, she leaned forward and kissed him. “I made a playlist for us to make out to.”

  “Maybe if I play my cards right, I’ll get to do more than smooching.”

  Sliding down his body, she laughed. “Maybe.”

  He gently slapped her ass and grinned. “Get in, woman. I’m going to romance you under this blanket of stars and turn that maybe into a yes.”

  Laughing, she climbed in and let him buckle her in. “I can’t wait.”

  They drove along the dirt road that ran parallel to the Peterson ranch. Ryan had been out earlier in the week and found a perfect spot for their Friday night date. When the big oak tree came into view, he knew they were close. “Thanks for coming out on a date with me.” He squeezed her hand as he drove.

  “You’re the cutest boy in town. I couldn’t say no.”

  “I’m the only boy as far as you’re concerned.” He slid his gaze over and saw her smile. “Almost there.” He drove for another mile, and the spot that he’d chosen earlier in the week came into view. He backed up the truck so it was facing the creek and threw it into Park. “Stay here for a minute while I get things set up.”

  “Do you want me to help?”

  “Nope. I’ll let you know when I’m ready.” He slid out and jogged around back. Lowering the tailgate, he jumped in, and made quick work of laying out the quilts and setting up the pillows that he’d packed earlier. The cooler was tucked away in the tool box, so he was set. As he climbed out of the truck, he checked his pocket and made sure he had everything. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he tried to calm his nerves. Opening Ivy’s door, he watched her fiddle with her phone. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting the music ready. Can’t have a smooching date in Texas without the proper music.”

  He held out his hand and watched her slip hers inside. “I hear one of your favorite songs, so we must be ready.” Sam Hunt’s “Speakers” filled the quiet night as he led her around the back and watched a smile appear on her face. “Do you like
it?”

  “It’s perfect, Ryan.”

  Lifting her up on the tailgate, he took a moment to appreciate how beautiful she was. How did that girl from the bar end up in the back of his truck on a Friday night? Whatever god was in charge had decided to bless him with the best girl in the world. It wasn’t something that he was ever going to take for granted, and he planned on showing her how much she meant to him for the rest of his life. “Crawl on up and let’s enjoy this pretty Texas sky.”

  He jumped up, moved toward the cab, and leaned against the pillows. When Ivy was next to him, he lifted her up and wrapped her in his arms. Her head rested against his chest, and he tried to relax. The music floated around them as they looked into the endless dark sky. “We should do this at least once a week,” he said against her head.

  “That’s a great idea. I recently read that it’s important to schedule romantic dates regularly so intimacy doesn’t disappear in a committed relationship.”

  “That is the most clinical description of romance that I’ve ever heard. Where did you read that?”

  “I was getting my nails done the other day and it was in one of the magazines that I picked up. I showed the article to Gina, who was doing my nails, and she said it was absolutely true. She’s been married to Larry for almost twenty years, and she said the key to a happy marriage is morning sex.”

  “Really?”

  Ivy raised her hand and nodded. “She swore on her mother’s grave that she and Larry have had sex every morning since they got married, and she feels like it sets the right tone for the day. Gina said she wants her husband to be happy, so she makes sure they do the horizontal mambo at least once a day. That was a quote, by the way.”

  “Were there any other bits of marital wisdom that Gina shared?” he asked with a laugh.

  “Not really. We talked about politics for a while, then the fate of the Federal Reserve, and finally the demise of Brad and Angelina’s marriage. By the way, I totally predicted that one.”