Free Every Breath You Take (Oasis Book 1) by Kenna Avery Wood

and I frowned at him. “Strictly curiosity.”
    “Ouch. I was preparing to be flattered.”
    “Sorry to disappoint. I’m a bit of a mess right now, so it’s not exactly a compliment coming from me.”
    “Don’t say that.” He shrugged, and I relaxed. I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t attracted. Tucker was a good looking guy, but we’d gotten off on a good foot as friends and now we were working together. This was an arrangement I liked. Even more, it was a relationship I needed. Something normal.
    “No,” Tucker said easily. “We’re not together. I thought maybe it would work out at one time, but we’re completely different people. It works better this way. Now I’m just a third wheel–she has a boyfriend. In fact, I’m thinking a soon-to-be fiancé.”
    “Really?”
    “Yes, but don’t say anything because she has no clue.”
    “I’ll keep it to myself.”
    Tucker shifted in his seat. “Your turn. You and Mr. Moore. I noticed you call him Finn sometimes even though most of us stick to Finnigan or Mr. Moore.”
    “Old habits die hard.”
    His lips curved. “I thought there might be a story. He said he knew you from his college days.”
    “That’s right.”
    His smile bloomed even further. “And now?”
    “And now we’re colleagues.”
    “You’re not playing fair. I answered. Without coyness.”
    I gave a sigh that turned into a laugh. “You’re right. We’re not together. At present.”
    “Meaning there’s a possibility for the future.” Before I could protest, Tucker continued. “He watches you whenever you walk in front of his office.”
    I sipped my coffee again, and it burned my throat with the hasty swallow. “Security,” I said.
    “Security?”
    “That’s why I asked you in here.”
    He laughed. “Okay. Topic off limits. What about security?”
    “It’s where I want to start. I want the set up headquarters and make sure security is up to par in each of the communities as well as the parking garages and the Commons. I want people to feel safe.”
    I wanted me to feel safe.
    Tucker nodded. “Okay. Headquarters is in Main right now until they set up permanently–”
    “Which they should probably do soon, especially with most stores and facilities officially opening up around the fundraiser party. We’ll need to have everything in place.”
    “I agree,” Tucker said. “We’ll need extra staff to sweep the area before the gala, have extra men near the parking garage and outside where they’re doing valet.”
    “Good.” I nodded. “All of this is really good. We’ll need blueprints or a layout of the entire facility. I should probably get over there and talk with the head of security–”
    “That’ll be Curtis Powell. Mr. Moore hired him toward the beginning, and he knows what he’s doing. He’ll have some good ideas where to go from here and what’s working or what isn’t. Are you going to head over there now? I could go with you.”
    “No, that’s fine. I might have a few other stops on the way.” Besides, I didn’t need anyone else with me when I asked questions that had nothing to do with overall security and were more personal.
    Tucker stood. “Okay, let me know.”
    “Do you know if all the security cameras are up and running?”
    Tucker angled back, his brow furrowing. “I think so. You could ask Powell when you go over there, he’d know for sure–and have footage. He could tell you where all the cameras are, too, if you think we need to add more or change something.”
    I smiled at him, hoping he wasn’t suspicious. “Thanks, Tucker.”
    Gathering my phone and my new tablet, I peeked out into the hallway before admiring the tulips I’d set on the table by the window. I shouldn’t have kept them, but they were too pretty to throw away. They brightened my office. Mark had only ever gotten me roses. More sophisticated. More expensive. Bloodred roses that made me cringe every time they’d arrived at home or work.
    Apology