Just Friends (Aegis Group Dangerous Ladies #2) - Sidney Bristol Page 0,2

It was as if he’d been waiting for them.

Like she needed that idea in her head.

“May I walk you down to the auxiliary house?” he asked.

“No. Thank you.” She hefted her backpack up on her shoulder. “No offense, but if I have to attend a party tonight, I want every second of alone time a girl can get.”

Orion held up his hands. “Another time?”

She hesitated. Why was she suddenly disappointed he hadn’t pushed?

“Sure,” She said.

What was wrong with her? All she’d wanted was thirty seconds on her own and now she’d get a full sixty of them walking to the house reserved for staff.

She had a few screws loose. That was her only answer.

Besides, he wasn’t exactly giving up. He was just giving her space. It was pointless to turn him down, though. The grounds were covered with cameras. If he wanted to find her, he would. Besides, deep down she couldn’t lie to herself. She liked the one-on-one conversations with Orion. Around Milan and the other guests, he was the gracious host. He made everything work. But when it was just them, he was different. Like a god of old who set aside their godhood to pretend to be mortal.

Yeah, she needed sleep if that’s how she was thinking. The jet lag was hitting her hard.

She backed toward the familiar path. She’d never felt physically threatened by him. No, it was the danger of something a lot more personal that radiated off him.

Jennifer salted him with a sassy smile. “Have fun watching the kiddos.”

Orion grinned and met her salute with a sharp one in return. He was a SEAL, after all. He couldn’t stand to be outdone.

She shook her head.

What the hell was she doing?

Orion slid his hands into the pockets of his shorts and watched her put more distance between them. He wasn’t even trying to pretend or hide his interest now.

That thought sent her darting around the corner and out of sight. She knew without a shadow of a doubt if she ever gave the slightest inkling of interest, he’d be on her. The idea terrified and excited her.

Jennifer’s cheeks warmed.

Every time it was like this. Oh, it had gotten progressively more obvious the more she pretended to not notice. Even she couldn’t fool herself for much longer.

What happened when they reached the tipping point?

She rounded the path following the house and glanced over her shoulder.

Orion did not follow.

She was still relieved and disappointed, which only served to heighten her annoyance.

Frustrating man.

Jennifer pulled out her phone and tapped into the messaging app used for work. She’d seen the notifications coming in from her coworkers and wondered what was going on.

Technically she worked for Aegis Group, who had placed her with the Esposito family looking for a long term contract. The arrangement afforded her a comfortable barrier with her client and allowed Jennifer to air her frustrations to the other women in her department without fear that her words would reach Milan or her father.

Jennifer tapped the conversation labeled Girl Chat and started skimming.

Aegis Group as a company had initially made a name for themselves doing high risk rescue missions. Over the years they’d branched out. Jennifer and a handful of other women sat on one of many branches.

Women in their line of work weren’t terribly common, which put them in high demand. Every female field operative in the company was on her team, and every one of them had a long-standing contract that included live-in security. It created a sisterhood of sorts. One Jennifer didn’t know how she’d survived without.

She skimmed the messages, gleaning the gist of the drama surrounding a newer employee’s first month at her placement.

It was always something.

Jennifer: Just arrived at the hostel.

Jennifer: M wants to go party tonight.

Jennifer: Shoot me now.

There was no quick reply. Then again, it was what? Three in the morning back in Seattle? Haley was on the east coast. Prudence was in Chicago. Sage... Yeah, Jennifer had no idea where Sage and Lumen were. Which left Ivy, and no one ever knew where she was or what she was doing these days.

Ivy: You’re too pretty to shoot.

Jennifer smiled, happy to see the often absent name on her screen.

Jennifer: Hey you. How you been?

Ivy: Good. Busy. Still w Milan?

Jennifer: yup

Ivy: She’s lucky to have you.

Jennifer: What are you doing up?

Ivy: It’s the middle of the day here.

That made Jennifer pause.

Middle of the day?

Ivy had all but disappeared there for a while. Both Ivy and their supervisor, Merida, dodged questions, but