Page 24 of The One for Forever

“Really? Seems to me, you’re the one in a headlock.”

“Not for long.”

I can’t help smiling. I remember when Devon was fresh from the Army Rangers, too strait-laced and uptight to talk shit to his elders. Now he’s married with kids, the co-captain of our bodyguard team, and full of bravado.

I left Quinn upstairs a little while ago and came down here to get a workout in. I have just enough time to show him I can still whoop his ass.

Devon makes his move. He’s trying to take me down with some fancy footwork. But I’m ready for him. Within seconds, I’ve tossed him over my shoulder, and I’ve got him pinned on the ground. He taps out.

“You were saying?” I ask.

I get up and hold out my hand to help him stand. Devon’s gracious, despite his trash-talking, so he accepts my help with a grin. “Guess you’ve still got it. On occasion.”

Tanner Reid steps over, smacking Devon on the shoulder. He’s Devon’s co-captain, a giant of a man and a former Navy SEAL. “Or you’re just out of shape, Whitestone. Is Aurora pregnant again? You do have a tendency to put on sympathy weight.”

Devon’s eyes bug. “Don’t put that energy in the universe, man. I’m not ready for another one yet.”

There are laughs all around. We’ve gathered an audience. Some of these guys don’t have an assignment today, and others just decided to drop by. Tanner continues to rib his co-captain, in typical style.

But I head to the water cooler for a drink. Shit-talking isn’t my thing. Never has been. Lydia used to call me stoic and reliable, saying I had a calming way about me. I think that was a kind way of pointing out how I don’t compete for attention. I’m happy to fade into the background and let my teammates take the spotlight. That’s why I never accepted Max’s offers to lead our bodyguard team, though I’ve got the most military and security experience of any of them. I never wanted to be a full-time bodyguard.

When I’m on a Bennett Security assignment, I’ll work twenty-four-seven if that’s what the job requires. But I also take weeks off to volunteer for Team Triumph, a nonprofit disaster-response group. That’s always been part of my contract with Bennett Security. I’m able to split my time equally between bodyguard gigs and helping communities around the country recover after hurricanes, fires, mudslides, you name it.

When I left the Army, giving back was important to me. And after Lydia died, I was more than happy to dive into helping others so I could keep the focus away from myself. But Bennett Security has become my family just as much as Cliff. Even if I hadn’t come in today with Quinn, I probably would’ve come into train. That’s the kind of work environment we have here. I’ve seen these guys grow up.

I’ve spent over eleven years doing this, and until recently, I would’ve balked at changing that.

Devon was kidding when he called me “old man.” But I have been feeling my age more. I mean, a lot of the guys on our team now are younger than my son. To them, I really am old. I guess when I was their age, forty-nine seemed old to me too.

I’ve got more aches and pains than I used to. I can’t recover as quickly. I’ve got a sore shoulder I can’t shake and more grinding in my joints than before. But I don’t have a problem keeping up with these twenty- and thirty-year-olds.

Case in point—I think I held my own last night protecting Quinn. Maybe it was only against a perfume bottle and a milkshake this time. But no matter what came at us, I would’ve stood in the way of danger. I know my abilities and my strengths.

The question is whether Iwantto keep up with these young guys forever. Is this what I want for the rest of my life?

That’s the thing about getting older. You realize that nothing is ever trulysettled. I’ve had more than one career. I married the love of my life and raised a son. I can still bench press almost as much as Tanner, and he holds the record for our team. I’ve got a lot to be proud of.

But can’t I still do more? Be more? Answering that question isn’t as simple as finding a girlfriend, no matter what Max thinks. But he was onto something. I’ve got an itch for a new chapter. If only I knew what that would look like or where I might find it. Since last night, that’s been on my mind.

Devon and Tanner start an impromptu clinic with the other guys on grappling. We’re always trying to keep our skills fresh. But I need to get cleaned up and check on Quinn. I left her to talk with Lana about their secret witness. Her protection for the Printz trial could pose some unique challenges.

And for some reason, my mind conjures up the image of her in that strapless dress last night. The dimples in her bare shoulders. I’ve already worked up a sweat while sparring, and a fresh wave of heat rolls across my skin.

I banish those thoughts. So she looked stunning last night. It surprised me. So what? I need to get over it and focus on my job. I might be debating my future as a bodyguard, but I have an assignment right now. A damned important one.

The fact that Quinn Ainsley grew into a breathtaking vision of womanhood shouldn’t matter.

Why is my throat so dry again?

While I’m refilling my water cup, I hear the door to the gym open, and a different murmur starts up among the bodyguards. Spines straighten. Chests puff out. It’s a visceral mood change that I’ve experienced plenty of times over the years as a guy working with young, testosterone-driven men. A shift in the air that can only mean one thing.

A woman just walked into the gym, and she’s not one of our co-workers.

I turn to look at who’s getting so much attention. I catch a glimpse of blond hair. Bright, intelligent eyes, which scan the gym.

It’s Quinn.

I down the rest of my water and toss the paper cup in the trash.

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