A/N Thanks for the reviews and story alerts! I'm glad you guys are interested in the story.
A huge thanks goes out to a special new friend, Dahlia DeWinter. Thank you for listening and giving me confidence to put myself out there - so to speak. You are awesome!
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Stupid blue skirt. I glared down at the hem that stopped just above my knees. Skirts were probably the single most idiotic piece of clothing that anyone ever created. Why would anyone put these things on intentionally? You can't take a full stride in them without them riding up.
It's not even like I had to wear the skirt. Business attire could also be some slacks or something, but that option had been stolen from me this morning when I realized that Angela must have taken all my slacks. I sighed and tried to push the bitterness out of my mind for the millionth time today. With a huff, I adjusted my jacket before continuing down the hall to the lobby.
I was still upset and confused about my role in this whole mess. My briefing this morning with the director had been meant to make it all clear. I was here to make sure our guest didn't talk to anyone he shouldn't.
"Oh, and to keep him happy." The director said with a pointed look.
Lovely.
"I can handle that for a few hours." I responded with distaste.
That was when the director laughed. I frowned at him and waited. He finally stopped laughing and looked up at me with the amusement still twinkling in his eyes. He reached into his drawer and pulled out a little velvet box. He shoved it across his desk at me and then turned his attention to his paperwork.
I tentatively picked it up and opened it to find a lapel pin with the diplomatic team's insignia. I caught my bottom lip in my teeth and swallowed lump in my throat. It's not a uniform, but it was more than I thought I'd get. The insignia was very much like those worn by these men when they were in the military. The team has designed it themselves. It was a badge of honor. It marked them as part of the best. It was not bestowed lightly and I knew I'd done nothing to deserve it. It meant they were accepting me. With a sigh, I realized that I would need to live up to this standard and do my duty to the team and our commander.
I sat there for a moment longer before taking it from the box. I looked across the desk at Director McCarty and he met my eyes. Neither of us said anything, but I pressed my lips together and nodded once before putting the pin on my jacket.
He cleared his throat and lifted his chin. He did not smile, but his eyes were full of pride. I felt happy in that moment; worried still, but happy. I didn't know how I would fit into this group of warriors, but I would do my best by them. Uncle Em seemed to think I could do it, so I would try. Then he had to open his mouth and ruin it.
"You will need to keep him occupied after he leaves the building as well." He said. Then he looked down at his papers again and dismissed me.
Lovely.
That was it, the end of my assignment briefing. I'd gone back to my office to try to figure it out. That order had come from the one man that knows I don't DO social events. I preferred to say home and read. I didn't have a clue how I was supposed to entertain this stranger for three days.
I ground my teeth and continued down the hallway.
"I hope he likes the library." I growled under my breath.
A squeak behind me made me jump. Looking back I met the eyes of the little phone technician who'd just installed a phone in my broom closet. He froze and swallowed then turned and went back the way we'd come from. He must have forgotten something. Surely the scowl on my face had nothing to do with his change of direction.
Mr. Freaking Edward Cullan Reesha's car had passed the gate. They called to notify me just a few minutes ago. It was show time and my team was out there counting on me.
Lovely.
It was harder to fight down my irritation than it should have been. The skirt was NOT helping. At least I'd said no to the heels that my best friend tried to shove me into at the mall last night. I shook my head sadly as I passed people along the bright corridor. Dad and Angela were thrilled with my promotion. Dad because he thought I got it on merit and Angela just because she could drag me to the mall for work clothes. I don't know what happened to that girl. In high school she was shy, like me. Then she got her first paycheck and, God help us all, the mall has not been the same since.
My reverie was broken as I entered the lobby. The marble floors gleamed even in the weak light coming through the towering windows that made up the walls and ceiling. It was still raining but I could barely hear it striking the slanted glass far above my head. My eyes darted to the leather furniture that dotted the cavernous space in little intimate seating arrangements. Tasteful. Everything on the public levels of Dresden was tasteful and hinted at the company's immense success.
I made my way to the security desk as the motorcade drove under the awning. The lobby was cleared except for the four guards who were usually stationed here. They hardly noticed me, because their eyes were glued to the scene in front of the building.
"Oh goodie, the secret service is here." One of the new guards behind me mumbled.
I chuckled under my breath. This unit may be dressed like the secret service, but that's about where the similarities ended.
The guards perked up as the first car paused and disgorged four members of the diplomatic detail. Two of them entered the building and scanned the lobby. Their eyes paused on each of the guards at the desk and dismissed them as threats before moving on. They looked to me last and I saw their eyes flick to my lapel and then back to my face. One of them gave me an appraising look, while the other looked over the rest of the lobby. Finally, they stationed themselves on either side of the door.
The other pair remained outside, flanking the entrance but facing away from the building. They were continually scanning the area. Seconds, after they were set, the limo replaced the lead car under the awing. The final two members of the team got out of limo and took up positions on either side of the rear passenger door.
I'd never gotten to see them in action and it was impressive. They were crisp and precise in their movements. The dark suits they wore could not disguise them. The insignia pins would not make them stand out to anyone outside of Dresden security. Not that they needed something to mark them. Nobody in their right mind would mistake these men for anything less than dedicated and deadly.
Riker, the team leader, was standing to the left of the limo door. He said something to the guy beside him and opened the door for the passenger. A man stepped out of the car. All I could see from this angle was a flash of bronze hair and the pale skin of his hand. Then he was surrounded by the four members of the team and they entered the building behind Riker.
The group stopped in front of me. Riker looked at my lapel before meeting my eyes. He gave me a curt nod.
"Ms. Swan, this is Edward Cullen Reesha. Mr. Cullen, this is your liaison, Ms. Swan." He said as he stepped aside. I held out my hand and shifted my focus onto our guest. Then I froze. I was too stunned to say anything. He was tall and lean, with that shockingly bronze hair looking completely disheveled above a face that would make him a fortune in Hollywood. He looked young too. I expected him to be a middle aged business man, not some gorgeous model. Even worse, his boyish good looks were completely dwarfed by his eyes. There was defiantly something about his eyes. They were topaz and almost shimmered, but that was not it. They held more wisdom than a man his age could have gained and yet they hinted at mischief.
I was still trying to figure out the mystery hidden in his eyes when he wrapped his cold fingers around mine and turned my wrist. He leaned over and pressed his lips to my hand. No one had ever kissed my hand before. It was shocking. Now when I say it was shocking, I really mean it shocked me. His touch was almost electric and sent chills up my arms and down my spine.
"It is very nice to meet you, Ms. Swan. I look forward to spending the next few days in your company." He said, looking up at me through his lashes.
That did it. All the magic of the moment evaporated. If anything could break the spell, it was reminding me that I was going to be spending my time waiting on him rather than being sequestered safely in the control center. Good looks and charm be damned. I'll do it. I won't disappoint my new team, Uncle Em or Charlie. But I still don't have to like it and I don't have to be nice to him.
I had to really pull to free my hand out of his grasp. My eyes met his and I frowned at him.
"Your first meeting of the day is upstairs. I'll escort you to the conference room now, unless you need to freshen up first?" I said in the closest thing to a polite tone I could manage.
He glanced from my hand to his before he stood up. He looked shocked when he shook his head to indicate that he didn't need to freshen up.
Heh. I spun on my heal and walked swiftly to the elevator. I wanted this over with, dump him in the conference room and be finished with him for a few hours. Oops too fast! I watched in horror as more of my leg was visible with each stride. I slowed down and the material slid back down into place. Not fast enough though. I saw Cullen looking at my legs out of the corner of my eye and blushed furiously. Stupid blue skirt.
