But the real truth was, Trace had picked those women to date—and occasionally bed—because he knew he could never fall for any of them.
For him, those women were safe because they were...
Not my type, either.
His mind wandered back to the bemusing Emma Cooper.
She was just so...different.
At least a full foot below his six-five frame, she had blonde hair that was shorter in the back and angled toward her chin. Despite having just met her, Trace instinctively knew the fun style fit her to a T.
Something else he’d notice about her were her nails. Instead of the long, meticulously painted look a lot of women went for, Emma’s were cut short and free of polish. A trait he found oddly refreshing.
If he had to put a description down on paper, Trace would say she had the whole down-to-earth, girl-next-door vibe going on. With an edge.
There was a uniqueness to Emma that went far beyond her choice of hairstyle or lack of nail products. Even her wardrobe was individualized to fit her personality.
She had on a pair of loose-fitting, brown dress slacks, a white button-up, and a pair of black dress shoes with laces and thick heels.
Pretty standard office attire, except...
The accessories she’d chosen added a fun-loving flare. One Trace had noticed the second he’d laid eyes on her.
For instance, she wore a black, cinched vest over her white shirt that showcased her small waist, perfect breasts, and the natural curve of her proportioned hips. Dangling from her delicate ears was a set of long, black earrings that looked like thin chains.
And her eye makeup was done in a way that made her look professional, yet intriguing. A bit dark and mysterious.
Almost as if it was a work of art, rather than simple eyeliner and mascara.
But her smile was the thing that stood out to him the most.
When Emma had thanked the barista earlier, it felt as though the entire coffee shop lit up all around her...and him. Which left Trace not knowing what to think.
All hedidknow was that Emma Cooper was the first woman in years to make his dick stand up and take notice with nothing more than a simple glance.
And she was currently working just down the hall from where he stood.
“This is Trace Winters,” Jake’s introduction of him broke through Trace’s inappropriate thoughts. “He and I needed to finalize some of the plans for the Richmond office, so I figured since he was already going to be here, I’d have him join us this morning.”
Clearing his throat and mind, Trace put all thoughts of the adorable blonde out of his head. Giving the group of black ops specialists a nod, he greeted them with a low, “Nice to meet you.”
“Before he left the military, Winters and I served on Delta Force together,” Jake explained. “He was an outstanding operative back then, and I’m confident Charlie Team will be in good hands with him as their leader.”
Spread out on both sides of the long, oval table, the members of Alpha Team welcomed him with a few smiles and nods of their own.
Going around the room, Jake gave him a quick rundown of who was who.
“As you know, Trevor’s my SIC and medic. He pointed to the man serving as his second in command. “The big guy on his left is Grant Hill. He’s a former SEAL and serves as our explosives expert.”
Trace shared a nod with the other man as Jake continued the introductions.
“You’ve already met Coop, and next to him is his fiancée, Mac. They’re both former Rangers and serve as Alpha Team’s snipers.”
“Nice to meet you, Trace.” The innocent-looking blonde shot him a smile.
Fiancée?
The drop of intel took Trace by surprise.