Her Lieutenant Protector. Lara Lacombe

drink. She knew it was bad for her, but since she had worked out this morning she figured a little indulgence wouldn’t hurt. Besides, after her encounter with the security officer, she deserved a treat.

      What was his name? She frowned a bit as she tried to recall it. Something unusual... Everett? No, Everest. Like the mountain. Probably a story there, she mused. Even though she’d blanked on his name, she had no trouble recalling his face. Dark blond hair and eyebrows, a square jaw and the most piercing blue eyes she’d ever seen. He was definitely a handsome man, and the rest of him wasn’t too bad to look at either. Even though his workout clothes had been a little on the large side, she’d seen the way the fabric of his T-shirt moved as his muscles shifted underneath. His long legs had eaten up the distance between them in easy strides, his gait a little stilted but still graceful.

      Her first response to his approach had been alarm. It was an instinctive reaction now, thanks to her past. She’d tried to overcome the flare of panic that sparked whenever a man drew close, but her body wouldn’t listen to her mind. And maybe that was for the best. After all, it had been her mind that had ignored the little warning signs all those years ago...

      She’d gotten better at controlling her reaction, though. In the weeks following the attack, she couldn’t stand to be in the same room with a man she didn’t know. Over time, and with the help of her therapist, she’d been able to work through the initial burst of fear that came with meeting someone new. Statistically speaking, the vast majority of people were decent and had no interest in harming her. But she still kept an eye on them all the same.

      Everest was just the kind of man she normally stayed away from. Tall and strong, his body was a constant reminder of her comparative physical vulnerability. But there was something about him that had put her at ease and quelled her nerves. Maybe it was his deep voice and the calm manner of his words. Or the quiet confidence in his gaze, as if he was sure he could handle anything. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she’d been drawn to him, had felt her wariness ease as he’d stood there talking to her. She hadn’t felt so relaxed around a man in ages, and the fact that a relative stranger had had such an effect on her left her a little shaken.

      Was it just a one-time thing? Or would she have the same reaction when she saw him again? She’d find out soon enough. He had mentioned stopping by sick bay today, and while he hadn’t made good on the remark yet, she was sure he would at some point. Everest didn’t seem like the type of man to forget an appointment, even one as loosely made as his earlier suggestion. A shiver of anticipation ran down her spine, and not for the first time, she wondered why he wanted to visit.

      “There she is!”

      The excited exclamation cut through Mallory’s thoughts, and she focused on the door to the bar. Olivia and Avery stood at the entrance flanked by two men. As soon as she made eye contact, her friends dashed forward, leaving the men behind. The guys exchanged bemused looks and stepped inside, trailing in the wake of their girlfriends.

      Mallory set her empty glass on the bar and stepped forward to meet her friends, her arms raised high so she could hug them both.

      “It’s so good to see you!” said Olivia.

      “I’ve missed you so much!” said Avery.

      Mallory closed her eyes and let their voices wash over her, happiness welling in her chest. Avery and Olivia were her best friends, her confidantes. The sisters of her heart. Thanks to their demanding careers—Olivia was a plastic surgeon in DC, and Avery worked as a disease investigator for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta—they didn’t get to see each other in person nearly as often as Mallory would like. Not for the first time, Mallory wondered if she should move from Miami to Baltimore, just to make it easier to see her friends. She missed them so much at times it was a physical ache in her chest. But they were here now, and she was determined to enjoy every minute of this trip.

      Even though she did have to work.

      “I’m so glad you could both come,” Mallory said, leaning back so she could look at her friends. They both looked good. Olivia’s dark eyes practically glowed, and there was a spark in Avery’s blue gaze Mallory hadn’t seen before. She glanced beyond her friends to the men standing a few feet away. They must be the reason for her friends’ newfound joy.

      “Hello,” she said, nodding to them both.

      “Hi,” said the man on the left. He stepped closer to Olivia and put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m Logan.”

      “Nice to meet you,” Mallory replied with a nod. Both Olivia and Avery held her hands, so she couldn’t offer to shake his. They were protecting her, giving her a socially acceptable excuse for not touching the men. They knew how much she dreaded physical contact, and she felt a flash of gratitude for their efforts.

      Logan looked nice enough. He was tall, with dark brown hair and angled eyebrows over intelligent green eyes. He smiled, revealing twin dimples that made him look a little boyish, in a charming sort of way.

      “So you’re the one who saved Olivia in Colombia,” Mallory said, referring to Olivia’s misadventures on her last medical charity trip.

      Logan snorted. “I think it was the other way around,” he said, giving Olivia’s shoulder a squeeze. She lifted her free hand to cover his and looked up at him, love shining in her eyes.

      “I’m just glad you got home safely,” Mallory said. “Both of you.”

      She turned to the other man who was standing next to Avery. “And you must be Grant.”

      He offered her a quick smile. “Guilty as charged.”

      Mallory nodded, taking in his slightly curly hair and hazel eyes. There was a humorous slant to his mouth, and she could tell by the fine lines at the corners of his eyes that Grant was a man who laughed a lot.

      “Have you thawed out from your stint in Antarctica yet?”

      He wrinkled his nose. “Oh, yeah. Atlanta gets downright steamy in the summer.”

      “Told you,” Avery said softly.

      Grant put his arm around Avery’s shoulders and drew her close. “It’s a small price to pay to be with you,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

      Mallory couldn’t help but smile at her friends and their partners. Olivia and Avery had both chosen well, it seemed. They’d both been through a lot, and it was good to see them so happy.

      “Let’s grab a table,” she suggested. People were starting to trickle in, wanting before-meal drinks. It wouldn’t take long before the bar was packed.

      “Do you have time?” Olivia asked. “I know you’re on the clock.”

      Mallory glanced at her watch. “I said I’d be back by five, so we’re good. Besides, they can page me if they need me.” She led them to a round table in the corner, away from the growing bustle of the room.

      The women sat down while the men remained standing. “Ladies, what can we get you to drink?” asked Grant.

      Olivia and Avery both requested a fruity cocktail. Grant nodded, then looked expectantly at Mallory.

      She hesitated only a second. “Water for me, please.”

      Olivia and Avery exchanged a shocked look, but if Grant noticed it, he didn’t react. “Sure thing,” he said.

      Avery waited until Grant and Logan were out of earshot. “Okay, now I know you must like them,” she said, leaning forward with a smile. “That’s the first time I’ve seen you order a drink from someone who wasn’t me or Olivia.”

      Olivia nodded in agreement, her expression hopeful. “She’s right. Does that mean they get your seal of approval?”

      Mallory smiled and shook her head. “You guys don’t need me to tell you they’re great.”

      “Yeah.” Avery leaned back, a dreamy smile drifting across her face. “We’re really lucky.”