Page 77 of Out of the Shadows

“Thank God for that.” He mimed wiping sweat from his brow.

The small gesture warmed her heart, and she couldn’t help but smile at him. Playful Gavin was quickly becoming one of her favorites. The way his eyes crinkled at the edges and the deeper lines bracketing his mouth softened his face was everything.

“Speaking of weapons... I’d really like it if you took some of our weapons training courses.” She opened her mouth to complain, but he held up a hand. “I know you’ve been putting it off since you’ve been so busy. But with Tiny coming on and you delegating more to the cyber team, I’d like you to consider it.”

He gave her his most pathetic puppy-dog look.

She rolled her eyes but chuckled, shaking her head.

His expression grew serious as he held her gaze. “Bean, it’s important to me that you’re safe. That you know how to defend yourself. At least think about it. Please?”

Gah!Of course, he had to go and be all sweet, had to make her insides all gooey.

It’s not that she had anything against their company’s courses. In fact, she’d heard great things about them. It’s just that she’d never handled any sort of weapon before. She could chop up vegetables as well as the next person, but that was as far as her knife skills went. She’d also never held a gun. Therefore, she knew she wouldn’t be good at it. And, yes, she understood that was the whole damn reason for the courses and lessons, but she hated not being good at something. If she wasn’t good at something, she put it off for... Well, forever if she had to.

Gavin’s kicked-puppy-dog look was back and dialed up a few notches. She bit back a smile. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”

“That’s all I ask and I’m taking that as a win. Now, were you good at these computer games you played?”

She slowly turned her head to him, one eyebrow arched high. “Is that a real question, Frazier?”

He winced, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “No. Not at all. It was a lapse of judgement. My stupid mouth saying stupid things.”

“I figured as much.” She gave him another pointed look. Good Lord, he was cute. “But in response to your stupid question, obviously, I was very, very good at those games.”

“Obviously,” he said, sending her a wink.

She grinned up at him and hooked her arm through his as they continued up the trail. Who knew hiking with Gavin Frazier would be this fun, this relaxing. “What was cool about the games was that they were all online. I picked a persona and no one knew I was a thirteen-year-old girl living at a boarding school and working on her first computer science degree. I wasn’t the weird kid. I just got to play and just... be.”

“I’m glad you had that outlet.”

“Me too. For as long as I can remember, it was easier to relax when I was behind a computer screen. I’ve never done well with people.”

“You deal with people just fine, B.”

She shook her head. “It may appear that way, but on the inside, I’m usually a nervous wreck.”

“When you first started at Hudson Security, did me and MacKay make you nervous?”

“No. You two were fine. But I’d heard about you guys from Esme first, and I knew you guys were solid if Esme trusted you. That woman barely trusts anyone—especially back then.”

“Valid point.” His lips pursed, and his eyes narrowed, but he remained silent.

She knew that face, that I-want-to-ask-but-I-don’t-know-if-I-should expression. “Go ahead and ask whatever’s on your mind.”

He was quiet for a few more moments before he spoke, as if weighing his words. “Now that we have a larger crew at the office, are you okay with that? The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable at work. I want to make sure it’s always a safe space for you. Anything less is unacceptable.”

Holy. Freaking. Swoon.

Her insides melted. If she weren’t holding on to his arm, she’d be a puddle of goo at his feet. Who knew this man could be so sweet...

The intensity in his gaze—a mixture of protectiveness, care, and desire—had her gulping. But she had to be completely honest with him. “I’ve lived an unorthodox life. Until I came to work for you, I’d never truly felt secure. For the first time in my life, I have a place that I fit.”

He pulled them to a stop and faced her, taking both her hands in his. “You’re more than your job, B. You’re more than your brains and your beauty. You’re the whole damn package.”

Heat raced over her face, and she bit her bottom lip, her gaze dropping to the center of his chest. This man...

She let out an unsteady chuckle. “Now you’re making me nervous in a totally different way.”

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