Club Destiny 1 Conviction (33 page)

“That’s not about to happen, so I
hope you’ve got a good plan.”

 “As you probably already know,
Logan,” Xavier began, “I’m very fond of Samantha and don’t want to lose her
expertise here at XTX, so Alex and I have discussed what options we have of
keeping her and you, employed. Other employees feel as though they don’t have
the same opportunities Sam has, due to the circumstances.”

“Although, we did tell Larry and
Abigail they were free to ask you out anytime.” Alex smirked.

“Shut up, smart ass.” Logan
glared back at him, not able to find humor in the situation. “What are the
options?”

“Dylan and I have discussed –”
Alex started, but was interrupted.

“Dylan? What the hell does Dylan
have to do with this?” Logan looked at one man then back to the other.

“Since the last time we talked,
Dylan has decided to relocate back to Dallas, mostly because Stacey was
accepted to UTD, but also because he’s decided to go into business with Alex.”

Logan looked to Alex for
confirmation. “Since Dylan and I agree that Sam is a tremendous asset to XTX
and in order to keep her employed on the current project as well as to have her
expertise in other areas, we’re willing to offer her a comparable position with
CISS.”

Alex had worked for years to
build his security agency from the ground up. He owned and operated the firm,
and based on his knowledge, if Alex was serious, he would be able to offer Sam
one hell of an opportunity.

With Dylan joining the ranks,
Logan was comfortable they’d be able to take the company to the next level. To
this point, they’d embedded inside of XTX and only offered some basic personal
security outside, but Logan knew Alex wasn’t hurting for business.

As good of an opportunity as this
presented for Sam, Logan didn’t think she’d see it that way.

“What’s the catch?” Logan asked
as he kept his gaze on Alex.

“No catch. Actually, we would
formally hire her and then contract her out to XTX for the remainder of the
project. She wouldn’t report to you any longer, rather she would report
directly in to Xavier.” Alex commented as he shifted in his chair.

Logan glanced back at Xavier to
see the man still sitting quietly, his face expressionless as he waited for
Logan’s input. The strange thing was, this was actually a brilliant idea,
provided CISS was willing to offer her the same money she was making as well as
a permanent position in the Dallas area. Sam might not require the permanent
position, but Logan did.

“Have you taken into
consideration the money she is making here at XTX?” Logan asked.

“All taken care of. We’d match
her salary, and she’d keep an executive position, bonus included. And, to top
it all off, we’re willing to offer her a permanent position here in Dallas.
That doesn’t mean she won’t travel, but her home base would be right here.”
Alex grinned. “Close to you.”

Logan could hear Sam now. She was
going to give the two men hell, and he sure hoped he could sit by and watch it
as it happened. Xavier and Alex knew Logan really didn’t have a say in the
matter because the situation had already brought forth a human resource
violation and, truthfully, XTX probably could lose the battle in court.

“Well, gentlemen, you both know I
can’t make this decision for her. I have two questions, though. First, who will
be the one to try to sell her this idea? And two, what is behind door number
two if she chooses to decline?”

Xavier leaned forward, resting
his elbows on his knees. “Logan, the only other option is to send her back to
the San Antonio office.”

Logan saw the strain on Xavier’s
face, heard the uncertainty in his voice as he shared that little tidbit of
information.

“She’ll have the opportunity to
get James’ job when he retires, but other than that, I don’t have much of a
choice. And, we’ve designated you as the man to give her this information.”

“Me? Why the hell does it have to
be me? She’s going to feel as if I’m not giving her a choice.”

“Logan, you’re close to her, and
as of right now, she works for you. We truly need her to take this offer. It’s
the best for both companies, as well as for you and her. This wasn’t something
we took lightly.” Xavier ran his hand through his thick gray hair, a pained
look on his face. “Son, I don’t want to have to do this. You know I’ve been
supportive and hell, I really am glad you found someone to make you happy. This
type of thing doesn’t happen but once and I don’t want the two of you to let
something like this come between you.”

Logan looked down at his desk. He
knew Xavier wasn’t speaking to him as an employee; he was speaking as if he
were family. Just knowing he had his support and the fact that Xavier was willing
to give them this opportunity was more than he could have ever hoped for.

Now came the hard part. He had to
try and convince Sam.

Damn this wasn’t going to be
easy.

~~  ** 
~~  **  ~~  **  ~~

At six thirty, Sam was surprised
to see Logan standing in the doorway of her office. He didn’t look happy, but
he didn’t look upset either, so she had delayed asking how his meeting went.

He took her to a local Mexican
food restaurant not far from the office, where they spent an entire hour
talking about work and where she was at with her project.

The conversation wasn’t one she
would have had with a boss under normal circumstances, which said a lot about
what was going on and what their next steps would be.

Sam enjoyed the fact that she and
Logan shared the same interests, being able to talk openly about work, both of
them seeming to be working toward the same goal. It was especially nice that he
didn’t treat her as his employee when they talked outside of the office. The
problem was that Logan wasn’t divulging any information about the meeting he
had with Xavier and Alex either.

She was past the point of
curious, but more cautious than anything, which is what kept her from asking
questions. Questions she did and did not want to know the answers to.

She could only conclude the
meeting had been serious, because Logan seemed more focused on work, which
normally didn’t bother Sam so much, but tonight, when he wasn’t talking about
work, he just wasn’t talking.

After the check was paid, Sam took
the hand Logan offered and allowed him to lead her to the car. Once they were
there, he turned his attention to her, taking her by surprise.

“So, I was thinking.”

“That’s scary.” Sam teased,
wondering if now was the time he was going to break the news to her.

“Funny.” Logan smiled down at
her, and Sam felt the spark in the air around them.

“Remember that treat I promised
you?”

Sam’s head jerked back to meet
his gaze as her insides began to riot. After the last time he’d ‘treated’ her
to something, Sam had only imagined how he would top that. She felt the wet
heat between her legs, caused only by the memory of that night.

“I remember.” She found it odd
that she actually hoped it would be another night like the last.

Did that make her a pervert? God,
she hoped not. But, just the thought of what happened a month ago made her
temperature rise. Based on the way his hazel eyes turned even darker, Logan
must have been able to read her anticipation.

She avoided looking down, but
wondered whether he was just as affected by the possibilities as she was.

He left her hanging, opening the
car door and waiting until she was inside. Once inside, she waited for him to
climb in on the other side, and as soon as he was in, she threw a question at
him.

“When you made the original
offer, I thought it involved a movie?” Trying to read his expression was like
trying to find a contact lens in the dark. Outside.

The man wasn’t going to give away
his little secret. Not when he knew it was driving her crazy. If he had hoped
to take her mind off of the meeting he had with Xavier, Logan succeeded. Now
her sole focus was on wondering what was in store for her tonight.

“Well, I was thinking maybe a
little hot tub action would be good tonight.”

Sam pretended to give thought to
his suggestion. It made more sense, since a movie would be moot being that
neither of them would be paying much attention to it.

“Hot tub, huh?”

“It sounded like a great way to
relax.”

Sam could tell he was trying for
indifferent, but the way he was squeezing her hand just a little tighter than
normal, said he wasn’t as unaffected as he pretended. She felt the giant
butterflies take flight in her stomach. She couldn’t help but be nervous.
Excited, but nervous nonetheless.

Would it be the same as last
time? She seriously doubted it would be. Not with Logan. She didn’t figure
anything would ever be routine with him. And that thought excited her even
more.

Once the car was parked in the
garage, alongside the Corvette and his Silverado, Sam waited to see what would
happen next. The last time they’d done this, she’d exited the vehicle
practically naked.

She didn’t have to wait long
because Logan exited the car, coming around to her side just as she was letting
herself out. Feeling a bit letdown by what wasn’t happening, Sam forced a smile
on her face.

“Don’t worry, I promise, this’ll
be good.” Logan reassured her, apparently seeing her disappointment.

Ten minutes later they were on
the veranda, Logan set about lighting candles strategically placed from the
doors to the pool. “So, why haven’t you put a television out here yet?”

“Hmmm. Good question. I’m a man
after all, and we definitely like our toys.” He retorted, grinning sheepishly.

The atmosphere was once again
romantic with candles lit along the walkway to the hot tub. The hot tub was
actually separate from the pool, equipped with reclining seats, and a multitude
of various jets.

Against the house, a large couch,
if you could actually call it that, lined the back wall, curving around to
enclose the seating area. About fifteen feet long, and double the depth of a
normal couch, with large throw pillows tossed about, the thing was a
monstrosity.

The entire area was discretely
sheltered by the roof and the surrounding foliage, obviously kept high to keep
out prying eyes. Sam grinned to herself – it was the perfect area to skinny dip
in.

“Would you like a drink?” Logan
asked, coming up from behind and wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned
into him, her arms resting over the top of his.

“A little liquid courage, huh?
Sure. I’ll take vodka and 7-Up.”

“Do you trust me, Sam?” This time
he whispered in her ear as he continued to hold her.

“I trust you.” She confirmed, but
didn’t move to look at him.

The words were coming out easier,
more conviction behind them. And now, after all the time that had passed, not
only did she trust him with her body, she trusted him with her heart.

In the end, she might have a
broken heart, but the chance to be with him, even if it didn’t last forever,
was worth every bit.

“Do you trust me to take you
places you’ve never been before?” His deep voice rumbled in her ear as his
tongue gently swept the sensitive area of her neck, just below her ear.

She nodded her head, even as she
tilted it to the side to allow him better access. His lips gently graced the
sensitive skin, and, for a moment, she thought her knees would buckle. “I’m
eager to go those places with you.”

“Do you remember your safe word?”

“Yes.”

“I want you to do exactly what I
tell you.”

Nodding her understanding, Sam
lifted her arms so his hands could slide out from under hers. Her spine tingled
when his hands ventured beneath her shirt onto her sides, his warmth and
strength penetrated her nerve endings.

“Same rules as last time. No
questions. Tonight’s about your pleasure. Understand?”

“Yes.” She said, already
wondering what she was getting herself into.

Logan pulled his hands away,
leaving her body cold after the heat he had generated. “I’m going to get our
drinks. You relax on the couch until I get back.”

Sam hesitated and realized Logan
wasn’t going to go until she had done as he told her. She shuffled over,
lowering herself onto the puffy cushion as he turned and walked away.

Doing exactly as he’d instructed,
Sam removed her sandals, pulling her feet up under her and lying back on one of
the throw pillows. From where she was, she noticed the hot tub jets come to
life, the soft colored lights reflecting off of the water inside of the giant
tub.

After the week she’d had, she was
looking forward to relaxing in the warm water. Would she have to be blind
folded this time? She guessed that would depend on whether or not anyone would
be joining them.

Was it strange to be so eager to
have two men again? Would it be the same one? She couldn’t imagine Logan being
the type to invite different people into his bed so to speak. Despite his
apparent sexual hunger, Logan was an intensely private person, so she assumed
if they did have company, he’d be the same one.