A Sense of Duty: A Former Navy SEAL Falls in Love and Begins a New Journey with his Private Consulting Company: Dark Horse Guardians by Ava Armstrong Page B
Authors: Ava Armstrong
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them. He was utilizing FedEx and UPS as couriers to send off envelopes and packages on a regular basis.
Standing in Ben's empty office Lara was slightly amused with his plea for her decorator's touch. With ulterior motives, she agreed to help. She expertly sketched Ben's newly designed office on a piece of photocopier paper. "There!" she announced proudly. "We just need to find the proper furnishings and get some painting done. What is your budget?" Ben told her to go forward with the project. He stated there was no budget. He wanted to personally pay for her services. At the moment, Ben's office looked pathetic. The stark room was quite large, had three computers with huge flat screens, a beautiful antique mahogany desk, probably original to the place. There was a well worn large black leather chair. With all of the technology in the office, it had more of a stock broker 's feel than a professor's office. Einstein's bed and dog dishes were moved in, along with Einstein snoring softly in the corner.
Ben sat in the worn leather chair and gestured to Lara and she lightly perched on the arm. "What color would you paint in here?" Ben asked as if he was interested in the décor. "Oh, it needs to be a deep red." she said with certainty. Ben's eyebrows rose; then he furrowed his brow. "Red, really?" he flinched. The walls were now a stark white with dirt marks on them. "We need to warm this room up." Lara said expertly. At that, Ben pulled her in one swift move with incredibly strong arms off the edge of the leather chair into his lap. They were suddenly nose to nose. Ben examined her closely. "Let's warm it up, then." He whispered, gazing directly into Lara's eyes with a mischievous look. The office door was closed and she suddenly felt nervous sitting in his lap. She jumped up quickly, silently chastising herself. She should not have sat so closely to him on that chair. Lara had never thought of making love in a leather chair. But as she looked at Ben sitting there, the thought ran through her mind. She sensed he was thinking the same.
"Oh, one more thing, Lara," Ben said, as he reached into his pocket. "Here is the key to my office. I know you will need it to renovate the place. And, I need to give you some money to get started." He reached into his pocket and peeled off twenty thousand dollars in cash. Thanking him for the key and the cash, she got back to business quickly, "I will draw up the plans and get shopping." she said as she made a hasty exit knowing her face was flushed and red. Lara could sense that Ben was happy about making her blush. He was smiling as she closed the door. He was buried back in his computer the moment she left.
~Ben~
Today was no different than any other Sunday, except when Lara walked in the door and sat on the arm of the leather chair. She brought him back to the normal world for a few moments. He wondered if he could ever live a life that was ordinary. He had to find a way to blend the two. He needed to fulfill his mission and he needed Lara by his side. But would she have him?
Sundays Ben dedicated a great deal of time to communicating with overseas clients and local informants. He lined up conference calls, Skype chats, and used a secure encrypted satellite phone. He was in the business of gathering intelligence and performing sensitive reconnaissance work. Most of his confidential informants were well paid by him in cash through personal meetings or via FedEx or UPS. The recon work was now being done by a team of thirty operatives that he had gathered in the last two years. There were lots of soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan who needed work and he found things for them to do. It was cash on the barrelhead but it paid the bills. As long as they passed his vetting process and produced results in the field, he was happy to have them. It had taken a lot of work to assemble the team he had now. Jake, Tom, Elvis, Nate and Gus were first on board. The payroll for these top
Standing in Ben's empty office Lara was slightly amused with his plea for her decorator's touch. With ulterior motives, she agreed to help. She expertly sketched Ben's newly designed office on a piece of photocopier paper. "There!" she announced proudly. "We just need to find the proper furnishings and get some painting done. What is your budget?" Ben told her to go forward with the project. He stated there was no budget. He wanted to personally pay for her services. At the moment, Ben's office looked pathetic. The stark room was quite large, had three computers with huge flat screens, a beautiful antique mahogany desk, probably original to the place. There was a well worn large black leather chair. With all of the technology in the office, it had more of a stock broker 's feel than a professor's office. Einstein's bed and dog dishes were moved in, along with Einstein snoring softly in the corner.
Ben sat in the worn leather chair and gestured to Lara and she lightly perched on the arm. "What color would you paint in here?" Ben asked as if he was interested in the décor. "Oh, it needs to be a deep red." she said with certainty. Ben's eyebrows rose; then he furrowed his brow. "Red, really?" he flinched. The walls were now a stark white with dirt marks on them. "We need to warm this room up." Lara said expertly. At that, Ben pulled her in one swift move with incredibly strong arms off the edge of the leather chair into his lap. They were suddenly nose to nose. Ben examined her closely. "Let's warm it up, then." He whispered, gazing directly into Lara's eyes with a mischievous look. The office door was closed and she suddenly felt nervous sitting in his lap. She jumped up quickly, silently chastising herself. She should not have sat so closely to him on that chair. Lara had never thought of making love in a leather chair. But as she looked at Ben sitting there, the thought ran through her mind. She sensed he was thinking the same.
"Oh, one more thing, Lara," Ben said, as he reached into his pocket. "Here is the key to my office. I know you will need it to renovate the place. And, I need to give you some money to get started." He reached into his pocket and peeled off twenty thousand dollars in cash. Thanking him for the key and the cash, she got back to business quickly, "I will draw up the plans and get shopping." she said as she made a hasty exit knowing her face was flushed and red. Lara could sense that Ben was happy about making her blush. He was smiling as she closed the door. He was buried back in his computer the moment she left.
~Ben~
Today was no different than any other Sunday, except when Lara walked in the door and sat on the arm of the leather chair. She brought him back to the normal world for a few moments. He wondered if he could ever live a life that was ordinary. He had to find a way to blend the two. He needed to fulfill his mission and he needed Lara by his side. But would she have him?
Sundays Ben dedicated a great deal of time to communicating with overseas clients and local informants. He lined up conference calls, Skype chats, and used a secure encrypted satellite phone. He was in the business of gathering intelligence and performing sensitive reconnaissance work. Most of his confidential informants were well paid by him in cash through personal meetings or via FedEx or UPS. The recon work was now being done by a team of thirty operatives that he had gathered in the last two years. There were lots of soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan who needed work and he found things for them to do. It was cash on the barrelhead but it paid the bills. As long as they passed his vetting process and produced results in the field, he was happy to have them. It had taken a lot of work to assemble the team he had now. Jake, Tom, Elvis, Nate and Gus were first on board. The payroll for these top
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