Page 36

“When did you get back?” I blurted. “And how are you in New York of all places?

“Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

I stepped back, watching the two men face off in the center of the glass office. Aric was nearly as tall as the big SEAL, but with a much sleeker, more refined build. They were both staring back at each other with equal intensity.

“Aric, this is Devyn. Devyn, Aric.”

A white-sleeved hand shot out, hovering in the air between them. Eventually Aric shook it.

“Pleased to meet you.”

For the first time I noticed the series of fresh scratches on Devyn’s stubbled, darkened face. There were at least eight or nine of them, of various lengths, streaked across in a rough diagonal from chin to forehead.

“Oh my God!”

I reached out to touch them, drawing back at the last second when I realized running my fingers over them would probably hurt. Devyn didn’t even flinch. He only stared down his handsome nose at me, his brilliant blue eyes made even more beautiful reflected against his pristine, snow-white dress uniform.

“It’s nothing,” he finally said. “Couple of scratches.”

“But whathappened?”

He glanced at Aric, then back at me. “Long story. Take a walk with me and I’ll tell you.”

Still incredulous, I couldn’t help but choke back my own excitement. Eventually I nodded. “Meet me at the elevator. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Devyn nodded curtly at Aric again, spun on his heel, and exited my assistant’s office. When the door had swung shut and he was a safe distance away, my assistant let out a long, held-in breath.

“Is thathim?” he hissed, with a hint of awe.

“Who?”

“The guy you spent the last week with!”

I shook my head quickly, before even thinking. “No, it’s not.”

“Bullshit,” Aric spat.

“Seriously. He’s not—”

“Juliana, justlookat him!” Aric swore, his eyes laser-focused through several layers of glass. “Asoldier?And a Navy officer, at that?”

“He’s a SEAL, actually.”

My assistant practically choked. “And you came back afteronlya week?”

“Aric—”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you’d been gone for a whole year!”

I folded my arms across my chest with a resigned sigh. Aric had his mind made up though, and apparently nothing I could say would convince him otherwise. Not that I had a believable story to tell him anyway.

“Well?” he said finally, shooing me out of his office.

“Well what?”

“Go!”

I rolled my eyes. He rolled his own, right back.