Page 23 of Her Silver Fox Mountain Men

He’s changing the subject. I get it. It’s too early to form conclusive opinions, especially since the attraction and the chemistry are undeniable. We are getting closer to Elise, and she’s orbiting toward us, whether she’s aware of it or not. The twins play an integral role by making her feel part of the family, and Janice’s presence has only added to that.

Maybe this was meant to happen.

“She said one o’clock, right?” I ask, looking around.

“Yeah. She’s coming in from Boulder, and they had a seven a.m. executive meeting this morning,” Oliver says. “Give her a few more minutes before you bust out the Swiss precision speech, alright, brother?”

“I wasn’t even planning on that,” I reply, half-smiling.

The Black Hat is one of Rustic’s few and most popular cafes. It’s just a couple of blocks down from Elise’s diner, but we’ve made a habit of keeping our distance while she’s working. She seesenough of us at home.

“What are we discussing today again?” Oliver asks.

“The quarterly reports,” James reminds him. “And she’s also briefing us on a couple of new clients who have inquired about us specifically.”

“Us?” I cut in. “We’re not a private security detail.”

“No, but we run one of the fastest growing and most successful private security firms in the Western region,” James says. “They want to talk to us to better understand our services. Straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. They’ll probably ask us to handpick their new security teams.”

Oliver chuckles lightly, nodding politely when the waitress brings him another shot of espresso. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about going full mountain man on us, Roman. We still need you, brother.”

“No, it’s not that. I guess I’ve gotten so used to Tori and the others handling the business so well in Boulder that it seems all we ever do is sign contracts and pop in for the monthly board meeting.”

“Someday, we are going to take a backseat and let her handle the whole thing,” James states matter-of-factly.

“Tori’s good people. She needs more confidence before we let her take over, though,” I reply, my gaze wandering across the café. “But I’m inclined to agree with James. Of all our execs, she does present the most spunk and grit.”

The café is packed, and while most folks are either gathered around tables or waiting for their coffee orders, there’s one guy in particular who captures my attention. He keeps looking backat us, and I don’t know why. We stick to a low profile. Sure, most people are aware of our presence in Rustic, but few folks would be able to point us out in a crowd, which makes this guy’s stare all the more curious.

“Tori’s a former Ranger,” Oliver says. “Maybe that’s why we have a soft spot for her.”

“We have three other Rangers on the executive board,” James points out. “It’s her quick wit and professionalism, in my opinion. She’s unmatched. Gotta give credit where credit’s due, man.”

“I wonder what type of clients she plans on bringing to our table?”

I can feel my eyes narrowing with an increased focus as I give the guy another look. He’s tall and lanky. Well-dressed. Definitely not from around here. The grey tweed suit and overcoat are tailored, branded. He’s likely from the big city. His blonde hair is slicked back, he has perfectly smooth, clean-shaven skin. His eyes are an icy blue, cold.

I cannot read him, and it bothers me.

“What is it?” James asks, noticing my mental absence.

“Huh?”

“What are you looking at?”

“Just some dude who keeps staring at us,” I move to get up from my seat. I might as well talk to him and see what he wants, but by the time I look over to the service counter again, he’s gone. I manage to catch a glimpse of a grey tweed shoulder as he steps out. “Never mind.”

“Your vigilance never ceases to impress me,” Oliver quips.

“Old habits die hard. It was probably nothing.”

“We tend to stand out,” he says, the shadow of a smile dancing across his face.

I’ll give him that. We’re tall, imposing figures, bigger than the average Rustic man. The stranger with cold blue eyes slips out of my mind as I spot Tori’s SUV pulling up outside.

“She’s here,” I say.

“Good. I’m dying to get back home,” Oliver replies.

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