Page 3 of Protected By West (San Antonio S.W.A.T. #1)

TRACY

Tracy walked into the morning session of the security conference smiling and she wasn’t generally a morning person.

Sure, after a cup of coffee and something to eat to take the edge off of waking up before the sun, she was functioning, but after the amazing night at the bar and at the Grill, she felt like she could take on the world.

Sure, she hadn't gotten a full night's sleep, but here she was, walking with a little lift in her step.

Lifting a hand to wave at a few of the other Credit Union folks she knew in the crowd, she found a seat beside her assistant manager, Jaime.

Jaime handed her a cup of coffee and gave her an appraising look. “Well, you look happy this morning.”

Tracy smiled and set her bag down on the table before she leaned her hip against the edge of the table. "Feeling good."

Jaime took a sip of her own cappuccino before leaning closer to whisper under her breath. “So… did you have one fun last night? Meet someone... interesting?”

Tracy didn’t want to talk about her impromptu dinner date where curious ears might hear, but still she couldn’t keep all of it inside. “I might have met someone last night.” Sitting up in her chair, Tracy looked around the room for Weston, but she didn’t see him.

For a moment she wondered if she’d been played, but she tamped down that feeling. He said he was a presenter, so he might be in one of the breakout rooms.

"What do you mean 'might' have met someone?" Jaime grinned at her. "It's either a yes or no."

Tracy took a sip of her coffee and felt the delicious warmth in her stomach and a blush steal into her cheeks. "Yes. I met him in the bar-"

Jaime's eyes widened a little. "The bar?"

Chuckling, Tracy nodded. "Then we went out to eat dinner."

"And..."

"And then we came back here."

Jaime's eyes widened a little. "And..."

"And I went to bed."

Even though Jaime worked at the credit union as the manager they'd become good friends over the last few years. And given as much time as she spent working, they'd become good friends as they rarely spent time with anyone else.

People didn't understand that there was so much more to keeping a credit union running from a day-to-day basis than working in a bank.

Tracy had seen both sides, working for a bank right out of college.

When she'd seen the open applications for a similar position at a local credit union near her work, she'd taken the plunge and applied not really expecting much of anything.

But it was like night and day when she'd started.

And Jaime had been along for the ride from then on.

The two of them had gone through the ranks and moved over to Military City Credit Union together.

It wasn't all that difficult a job when you had someone that you trusted.

Someone who had your back as much as you had theirs.

There were long hours involved, not just planning for the safety of the members' money, but also for new opportunities to save and offer better benefits.

They'd built a stronger member base and were already offering more options, but along with a better base there were more security concerns.

That's why Tracy had signed up to come to a conference looking for ways to improve their safety at work. Having Jaime along meant that they could go to different breakout sessions and cover as much ground as they could.

She trusted Jaime with her life after the years they'd spent working together.

That also meant that they spent a lot of time together in and out of the building, so she knew the look on Jaime's face had several different layers to it.

There was the hopeful look that made Tracy smile. But it was also a wistful look that they both understood all too well. It would be nice for them both to find a boyfriend who could become something more in time

Long hours weren't exactly conducive to meeting guys who wanted more than a drinking buddy or a 'piece of ass.'

A smile quickly tugged at the corners of her mouth when she remembered just how good Weston's hand felt on her-

"Good morning, everyone!"

Tracy fought down her smile and tried for a more professional mien on her face.

"Morning!" "Morning." There were even a few mild groans in the audience as well.

"Ah," the presenter at the front of the room laughed and shook his head. "This is a bit earlier than some of you are used to getting into the office."

Tracy turned and saw that Jamie was already looking back at her. On weekdays like this one they were usually in the office at this time or on the way. Long hours were part of their lives, but many of the people in the audience were likely more hands-off than hands-on like they were.

They probably didn't deal with their customers face to face.

Tracy turned her head and saw the other credit union staffers smiling back at her. They'd likely had the same thoughts that she did.

They'd all had their work compared and compared badly against banks.

It was one thing to be proud of what you do, but the executives that she'd met and interacted with from banks just seemed to stick their fingers in their ears or put on blinders thinking that credit unions were inferior just because they thought so.

Narrow minded thinking, but it came with the territory.

"This is the first day of a two-day conference. We're packed with sessions each morning and afternoon. The evenings, I'm sure you've noticed, are open. There are networking events in the evening for our presenters and vendors to meet and mingle with all of you!"

Tracy nodded. They'd already scheduled meetings outside of the evening events with vendors that they were interested in using.

It was easier to talk uninterrupted than with vendors than dealing with half-drunk executives with roaming hands trying to interrupt a discussion of business matter just to try and get phone numbers.

All of the participants were in a spreadsheet with their office phone numbers, but there were always those who wanted 'personal' numbers.

Why they thought showing their asses after a few drinks was just part of the business.

Ugh.

"I'd like to introduce you to the three presenters who will be in this room for the morning sessions.

Later, during the lunch service in the ballroom behind this one, you'll meet the presenters from the second half of the day.

You'll have the ability to hear a little more about them with a quick run down of what they'll cover in their individual sessions before you make your final decisions of where to go. "

Tracy saw movement beside her and leaned in toward Jaime.

"That idea might hurt or help the presenters."

Tracy nodded and leaned in closer. "Some people get their heads turned with an outgoing personality. And some," she lifted a brow at her friend, "settle on their pretty face and no matter what comes out of their mouths, people smile and clap."

Jaime nodded in reply. "There are those awesome few who split the difference and people gravitate toward them."

The side door to the ballroom opened up and a trio of men walked in.

Jaime leaned further over and smiled, her grin lifting more than the corners of her mouth, it lit her up.

"Looks like these guys are the morning presenters.

And the one in the middle. I sure hope he splits the difference you were talking about.

" Jaime reached over and poked Tracy in the side of her leg.

"I'm glad if he's one of the presenters for the whole conference this morning.

I'd hate to have to fight you over the breakout that he's going to be in. "

Tracy would normally have a quippy reply. Something clever or a little naughty.

She managed to hold it all in because her tongue was tied.

Walking up the front of the room, in the middle of two men in impeccable suits was Weston Cooper. He had a cowboy hat under his arm, and she smiled at the sight.

Both of her grandfathers had been military men and while her father's father had died before she was born, but her mother's father, Pops, he would always stand a little taller wherever he was when someone dared to walk inside with a hat on their head.

"Your head cold, son?"

His voice always took on a stern, general-like quality and no matter how big or 'bad ass' a man would look before her Pops spoke, they'd always take their hats off.

And if they had a lick of sense, they'd apologize and step aside for the older man who wore his Vietnam Veteran hat in his back pocket when he was inside.

Obviously, Weston had been taught much the same.

"Oh wow. That cowboy looks tough."

Tracy nodded. He did.

Weston had kept an easy conversation going with her at the bar and then dinner.

Hell, he'd even kissed her while his hand got up and personal with her backside in that elevator.

Not once while they'd been together did she feel like he might hurt her in any way.

Even when he had his fingers dug into the hair at the nape of her neck, he'd been strong but gentle.

Something she'd heard about but never felt before.

The three men took a few steps up to the platform where the presenters were going to speak and turned to face the crowd.

Standing there, with his legs just a hair bigger than the width of his shoulders, she barely held back a toothy smile.

She knew what those thighs felt like pressed against her own.

The man certainly knew how to make the most of the elevator.

She was starting to regret not inviting him back to her room.

Starting to...

That was until the host of the conference started to introduce Weston, and the man she'd fallen asleep dreaming about, stepped into the brighter lights that were focused on the front of the platform, reflecting off of his badge with a five-pointed star and a circle wrapped around it.

She knew that badge.

She hated that badge.

And suddenly, all of those warm, tingly feelings she'd been feeling since Weston sat down beside her at the bar... evaporated.