Dare to Resist (Wedding Dare, #0.5)
Laura Kaye
Here’s to hoping every one of you finds your happy beginning…
Chapter One
Kady Dresco had just kicked some major ass. She’d probably never done a better job giving a presentation. As she’d spoken, she’d literally seen the officers’ enthusiasm for her proposals as they’d sat forward in their seats, asked smart, engaged questions, and then sat back, nodding and satisfied with her answers. Though she was totally squeeing and fist-pumping and Elaine-dancing on the inside, she contained her excitement as she closed PowerPoint, gathered her presentation materials, and stood at the head of the conference table.
“Thank you for the opportunity to present today,” Kady said, her heart thumping against her breastbone, especially as a crash of thunder punctuated her words. Rain drummed a steady beat on the roof and windows as she glanced around the long table, making eye contact with the group of army officers responsible for hiring someone to head up the creation and installation of special computer security programs for a new army training facility in the middle of the Nevada desert. The room in which she stood, like the building and the entire base, was brand-new and still under construction, which was why the only decor were the American and army flags standing on tall poles in one corner.
“Very impressive, Miss Dresco,” Colonel Jepsen said, rising from his chair and extending his hand. The camouflaged sleeve of the older man’s combat uniform reminded her for the hundredth time that her biggest competition for this contract—not to mention biggest nemesis since she was a kid—had the advantage of being former military. Colton Brooks, her brother Tyler’s best friend. But Kady had innovation and sheer coding genius on her side, and right now, she was looking forward to a little good-natured gloating when she saw him.
“Thank you,” Kady said, forcing her mind back to the task at hand—sealing the deal. She shook the colonel’s hand and met his hard blue gaze. “I’d be happy to write up a contract for your review tonight if we have an agreement, sir. Do we?”
For a split second, surprise widened his eyes and lifted his eyebrows, then he smiled and squeezed her hand a little harder. “I like your attitude. We’ll move as fast as we can on this decision and be in touch soon. You can count on that.”
Kady smiled, gathered her things, and said a round of good-byes to the two majors, one captain, and one second lieutenant in the room. Then, as a booming clap of thunder shook the building, she followed the colonel out of the conference room, through what would eventually be the suite of offices housing the base’s top brass, to a reception area where her competition sat.
Two men who couldn’t be more different in every way.
Albert Beckstein, a round little man who sweated even when it was cool and who always took potshots aimed at making her feel like she couldn’t possibly know as much about computer security as someone who’d pulled off the biggest hack of 1991 and emerged on the other side of a prison sentence to build a career in computer security. That she’d been a toddler then only made her a bigger target, as far as Beckstein was concerned. Not that Kady cared what the little weasel of a man thought, especially since they both knew she’d hacked past two of his security systems, enabling her to steal a contract right out from under him just last year.
No. Albert Beckstein was good in his own by-the-book way, but he wasn’t her true competition.
Her gaze swung to the wall of windows where Colton Brooks stood staring out at the driving rain. Before this trip, she hadn’t laid eyes on him since she’d gone home for the holidays six months before. Every time she saw him, the pure masculine appeal of the man sucker punched her anew, as if while separated her mind blocked out the memory of him out of self-preservation. But, God, he was beyond gorgeous when he wasn’t talking. So gorgeous she could almost forget he was the most exasperating man on the planet. The navy suit jacket emphasized the breadth of his shoulders and his still-trim waist, even three years after retiring from the military. Though you could tell the guy was fit, the suit did nothing to reveal just how damn ripped he was. But she’d seen and felt it with her own eyes and hands, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make herself forget it.
As he turned, she caught the square cut of his strong jaw and the muscle there that always ticked when he was irritated with her, as he must’ve been now. And then those intense brown eyes were on her, evaluating and surveying her like he could read her thoughts and command her body as he’d once done several years ago…
Not going there, Kady. Ever again. Right.
In addition to all that, the guy wasn’t just pretty to look at. He was a decorated war hero and one of the best minds in their field. Just, you know, not as good as her. She smiled to herself as she drank him in, from dark-brown hair to black dress shoes. Yep, he was all that and a bag of chips. Man, how she’d love to eat him up and lick her fingers clean.
“Finally done?” Colton asked, arching a brow.
Kady smirked and ignored the question, since she’d waited through their presentations and ignoring Colton had the bonus of being one of the best ways to goad him, and turned to the colonel. “Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you and your staff. It was a very engaging conversation, and I look forward to working with you.” She shook the man’s hand again and he gave her a smile. This job was so hers. She basked in the rising irritation she could almost feel pouring off the other two men.