“I am considering your offer but we need to set out a few ground rules.”

This version of Jaya was stronger. Fiercer. More confident than the young woman I knew and loved years ago. She crossed her denim-clad legs in a move that was unconsciously sexy thanks to long, toned legs that she’d honed to perfection over the years. She wore a fitted green top that showed off lightly muscular arms dotted with freckles. At first glance she was my old Jaya but she held herself apart from me, stiff and formal, and her arm resting in a sling told the real story of this adult version of my first love.

My only love.

“Ground rules?”

She nodded, expression serious but subdued. “Yes. This is the best offer I’ve had, but I’ll turn it down if this is some ploy to assuage your guilt or try to get a little memory lane booty.”

I choked on a sip of lager. “Memory lane booty?”

“Yeah, trying to fuck for old time’s sake. I’m not interested in anything more than a professional relationship with you.”

“And you think I want something more?” Of course I did, but she didn’t need to know that.

“I don’t know what you want Colt, I never have. That’s why I’m telling you what I want and don’t want.” Her jaw clenched, in frustration, or anger, or pain, I didn’t really know. But I read the flashing ‘fuck off’ sign she put out loud and clear.

How could she think she never knew what I wanted? It had always been her. A future together. It’s why I joined the Navy so I would have the experience, training and connections to make my business succeed.

“This job will require us to work together Jaya. Spend time together.”

She nodded, using her good hand to move a few stray strands of hair out of her face, looking so much like the fifteen-year-old girl I’d fallen head over heels in love with; it made my chest ache.

“I accept that will happen, but that’s all that’ll happen Colt.”

Damn I loved the way her voice sounded when she said my name, even when it was filled with frustration and disgust.

“Will you at least tell me what exactly I did to make you hate me so much?” Her posture stiffened immediately and the expression in her eyes immediately shuttered.

“And no talk of our past. I don’t care if people know we used to know each other, but they don’t need to know anything else.”

“Many of them served with me Jaya. They already know who you are.” Just because she’d forgotten me didn’t mean I had done the same. “There’s nothing that can be done about that.”

“This was a bad idea,” she stood and dug a few bills from her pocket though she’d only had a bottle of sparkling water. “You should find someone else.”

I grabbed her good arm before she could barrel past me. “Will you stop being so damn stubborn! I need someone with your skills and you need a job, what the hell is so difficult about that?”

Stubborn as ever, Jaya yanked her arm from my grasp and I let her go, not wanting to cause her further pain. She stepped back and sucked in a deep breath.

“I suppose for you it isn’t,” she added sarcastically. “Whatever, just keep it professional and we won’t have a problem. And I’m not signing a contract. I’ll leave when I want.”

“I require four weeks notice Jaya. These are carefully orchestrated missions in dangerous parts of the world and I can’t be without my logistics team.”

“Fine.” She glared at me before walking away and I couldn’t help but watch the sway of her hips, the curve of her ass while she did it, looking like the finest slice of trouble around.

Jaya could lay down all the ground rules she wanted but I didn’t give up easy before. Surviving four tours of duty and starting a business had given me more determination, more stubbornness and more tenacity than ever before.

That all meant one thing. Jaya would be mine.

***

“This is the logistics room where we work out everything for private security detail, especially travelling, and ex-fil missions.”

I appeared calm and smooth on the surface, but inside I wanted to smile and shake my ass because I’d gotten Jaya to agree to work for me. It had taken nearly a month to get her to agree, but here she was. Right where I wanted her.

“Do you have contacts all over the world to help with these logistics?” She looked around, green eyes taking in every detail.

“Yes. We have a database that you’ll use to coordinate. When your teams are out in the field you will always be on call in case shit goes sideways.”

“Okay. Are there any special software programs I need to know?”

She was keeping things professional and I admired her effort but I wouldn’t have any of that, especially with those sexy freckles on display. “Yeah there are a few and we’ll go over them for the next couple days. But first I need you to meet the team.”

“Is that really necessary Colt?” The stiff set of her shoulders sent warning bells off in my head, I didn’t understand her hesitation.

“It is. Do you have a good reason for not meeting them?”

“No,” she sighed and straightened her shoulders. Eyes closed she took several deep breaths and laid those emerald green eyes on me, slicing me wide open. Every. Damn. Time. “Let’s do it.”

She put on a brave face but her posture was a bit too tense, and the tight lines around her eyes said something else. “Are you sure you’re okay Jaya? I mean if you need more time then you have it.”

She shook her head and blew out a breath, warm cinnamon breath making me want a taste of that sweet mouth. “Nope. Not necessary. I’m fine. Let’s do this.”

Damn stubborn woman. She would rather go through hell than ask for help, especially from me.

“Jaya.”

“Colt I said I’m fine.”

I flung an arm around her shoulder and smiled at her. “In that case let’s go meet the team.”

She pasted on the fakest smile I’d ever seen, but only someone who knew her well would notice. She stepped forward, smiled wider and charmed the entire Sharpe Focus team just like I knew she would. Seeing the old Jaya was nice and dammit if it didn’t make me want her all over again. Not that I ever stopped. My need for her has been a constant for most of my life, I just pushed it down and focused on life as a SEAL and then as the owner of one of the fastest growing security agencies in the world. But now that she was back in town. Back in my life. Well hell, all bets were off.

“Come on, let’s grab some lunch.”

“Hey Colt, got a minute?”

Ethan Gellar, my friend and business partner, plus all around tech genius stopped us in the hall. “Hey Ethan. I want you to meet Jaya, she’ll be helping with logistics and eventually, training.”

His brown eyes flashed surprise behind his black glasses because he’d listened to many drunken tirades about the woman beside me. Luckily, Ethan was a professional and recovered quickly.

“Good to meet you Jaya. I’m Ethan Gellar, I handle all the tech and gadgets you work with. Plus government contracts.”

“Nice to meet you Ethan. This is a pretty impressive setup you guys have. Congratulations.”

And just like that she’d won him over. “Colt when you have time we need to talk about Japan.” The Japanese government was offering us a ridiculous sum of money for a piece of tech and Ethan didn’t want to sell his baby, no matter how many zeroes they offered.

“I’ll get with you later,” I told him and guided Jaya down the hall. “Let’s eat.”

She looked up at me, confusion and mistrust swimming in her big green eyes, pink lips parted on a gasp. “I’m not hungry.”

“Of course you are. Come on.” I grabbed her hand in mine, not paying any attention to the looks of my employees as I pulled her away. I had a feeling she would try to wiggle out of lunch so I’d planned ahead.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” I pulled her down the long corridor that lead to many of the main rooms for surveillance, planning, conference calls and training sessions. Downstairs was a weight room but that’s not where we were headed. Instead I took her to one of the subterranean levels so we could enjoy our working lunch.

She gasped as we stepped off the elevator, staring around at the cement and glass that surrounded her. Six-inch-thick doors led into eight different rooms that were used as bunks, panic rooms and classified planning missions.

“What is all this?”

I leaned forward and whispered in her ear, letting my lips brush against her. “This is the safest place in the city.” Jaya could lie to herself all she wanted, but her body told the truth. She was still affected by me too.

Taking a step back she looked up at me. “Care to elaborate?”

I pushed open one of the doors and nudged her inside. “This is a bunk room and a panic room. Each of these rooms has their own oxygen supply, enough to last about fourteen days. Food and water, one change of clothes for up to six people and a satellite phone.”

Her blonde brows arched high. “Planning for the end of the world?”

“We have quite a few lucrative government contracts and this is where we discuss them, but this is also an easy way to protect clients because no one knows it exists.”

I’d made sure of it by purchasing the building and adding these floors. Without filing them with the city. State and local government workers were the easiest to bribe and my clients were heads of state, billionaires, industry titans, pretty much the exact kind of people susceptible to kidnapping. And worse.

“Come on.” I grabbed her hand again and took her to the room set up for us.

The door opened and her stomach growled. In true Jaya fashion, she didn’t flush with embarrassment, she just laughed and moved inside.

“Okay so maybe I am a little hungry.”

“Let’s eat then.” She sat down and I took the seat beside her. “I got a little bit of everything because I didn’t know what you might like.”

She shrugged. “You could have asked.”

“And give you a chance to come up with a reasonable excuse to get out of lunch?”

She sighed and pushed her plate away. “I’m not trying to be rude Colt. But I was pretty clear about what I expected when I accepted this job.”

Yeah she had been, and I fucking hated it. “I know. But I can’t let you ignore me.”

“Why?” Her voice sounded pained, like it fucking hurt that I wouldn’t leave her alone.

“Because Jaya. I’ve been missing you, and you’ve been hating me for leaving to pursue my dreams.” Her eyes widened in surprise and she shook her head, unwilling to hear me. “Yes. I was in love with you.”

“So much you just had to leave me, right?” A hand went up quickly to stop my words. “No, don’t answer that. It doesn’t matter.”

“If I hadn’t joined the Navy, hadn’t become a SEAL then I wouldn’t have any of this. This is what I’m supposed to be doing with my life Jaya, but that doesn’t mean I don’t regret how we ended. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought of you. Of us.” I smacked a palm against the table. “This was supposed to be our future dammit!”

Her eyes had darkened and turned emotionless, her spine ramrod straight, and I knew for now she was lost to me.

“Well you certainly have done well for yourself. But I think we should just get back to work.” Standing she pushed back her chair and waited for me to move.

I stayed, chewing the dipped Italian roast beef with delicious spicy peppers. “Then you should sit down and eat because this is where we’ll be working the rest of the day.”

I must be a sick bastard because I felt immense fucking pleasure at the way her skin paled and her shoulders slumped.

“Fine.”

Yeah, I was an asshole and I damn proud of it.