ready to go.
Amazing how a little makeup and a new dress could change a woman’s entire outlook.
Kendall felt refreshed and rejuvenated, even if she hadn’t had either the dip in the ocean or the luxurious shower she’d wanted. As she stepped out along the path toward the main building, an ocean breeze lifted her gauzy skirt around her thighs. The touch of the wind on her skin peaked her nipples and stroked a tingle of sensation between her thighs.
I’m horny. The thought stunned her. Sex, for her, was recreation at its best and a horrid waste of time at its worst. Her job prevented her from dating as much as she would have liked, because even men who spent sixty hours a week at their corporate careers couldn’t understand a woman who put the same amount of effort into her job.
They all seemed to think it was their duty to “take her away” from all that as soon as possible, or to woo her by impressing her with all the things they could buy or do for her. She could buy and do for herself, thanks very much. Dating someone in the same career was always a disaster because their shifts never coincided, and when they did, they were both usually too beat to even kiss, much less work themselves up to grand-scale lovemaking.
Consequently, Kendall hadn’t been with a man for nearly a year and a half. Her last relationship had ended when the lawyer she’d been seeing ended up representing a drug kingpin she’d busted. The breakup hadn’t been pretty, mostly because the lawyer hadn’t seemed to understand why Kendall took offense to his courtroom stance.
So…it was no wonder she was horny. Not with beauty like this surrounding her. The vivid colors of the tropical landscaping, the erotic pulse of the ocean waves, the breeze licking beneath her skirt like a well-trained tongue…
“Penny for your thoughts.”
The deep, rumbling male voice startled her out of the erotic trance she’d fallen into. Kendall frowned. “Nothing you need to worry about, Vincent.”
He held up his hands in a placating gesture. “Just making conversation.”
She sighed and turned to face him. “Don’t, okay?”
“Okay.” He shrugged and backed off.
Seeing Vincent stabbed the truth closer to home: she’d failed her partner in the worst way possible. It had been her job—her duty—to protect him, and instead she’d watched him die in front of her while she did nothing. Vincent had been there. Seen it. Kendall didn’t want conversation with him when every word only reminded her of what had happened. She was saved from talking by the appearance of Stella and Steve, who galumphed along the shell path, giggling.
The moment—whatever it had been—passed. Vincent stepped back. Kendall let herself be swept up by Stella’s infectious, “C’mon, let’s get this orientation over with so we can party!”
The conference room was well appointed and comfortable, with enough chairs and table space for everyone. It was the only place so far where Kendall had seen any evidence of high-tech equipment and, once again, she was reminded this had once been home to a very wealthy man who’d done very bad things. She took a seat at the end of the table. Vincent didn’t bother sitting next to her. He didn’t even bother looking at her, which made Kendall feel odd.
She didn’t have time to ponder why that should be because the leader of the group called everyone’s attention.
“Hi, everyone. I’m Doctor Marge Hastings. You can call me Doctor Marge or Doctor Hastings. Just don’t call me late to dinner.” The thin, angular woman let out a hearty guffaw completely at odds with her appearance.
The rest of the group let out a semi-appreciative chuckle at the timeworn joke. It was vacation, even if the circumstances for most of them being there hadn’t been too great. People were more inclined to be forgiving on vacation.
Vincent apparently wasn’t one of them. Dr. Marge’s joke hadn’t even lifted a smile from him. He sat with his arms folded across his massive chest, his expression as blank as a chalkboard on Saturday. Well, maybe not quite blank. He frowned, just a little, and the corners of his eyes turned down just a bit…
“Agent Frasier?”
Kendall jumped. She’d been so caught up in studying Vincent’s face she hadn’t been paying attention to Dr. Marge. “Sorry. What did you say?”
Dr. Marge’s face clearly betrayed her sympathy for Kendall’s distracted state. “Don’t be sorry, Kendall. We’re all here to get through these things together.”
Dr. Marge was obviously of