Chapter 1

      Noah Stallion adjusted his necktie, taking one last glance at his reflection in the mirror that decorated the men’s restroom. The expensive designer suit he wore fit him well and as he stared at his reflection he couldn’t help but think that despite his initial reservations his investment in the silk garment had been well worth the money.

      He took a deep breath. This would be his third interview with the company who’d actually sought him out. He’d been surprised when the head of their Human Resources department had first called to inquire about his availability. She’d been fully aware of his credentials even though she’d never laid eyes on his résumé.

      Since he had not been in the market for a new job he hadn’t thought twice about hanging up on the woman. But she’d persisted, calling back to convince him to at least meet with their management team to discuss the opportunity. After some serious consideration he’d acquiesced but not before his two sisters had pointed out that blessings didn’t just drop in your lap without a good reason. That first meeting had led to this one, an interview with the company’s chief operating officer, and Noah still wasn’t sure if he was even all that interested in the position.

      As he exited the men’s room and moved back to the front foyer toward the reception desk he just missed colliding with an attractive woman, whose own attention was focused on her iPad. His reflexes were sharp as he grabbed her by the shoulders, preventing what could have been a painful accident. As he steadied himself, and her, she apologized at the same time as he did.

      “Oh, excuse me!”

      “I’m so sorry!”

      Noah smiled brightly. The beautiful woman met the look he was giving her with one of her own. Her brown eyes were wide and darted back and forth across his face as she stared. Her own face was flushed, color warming her dimpled cheeks.

      “Are you okay?” he questioned, concern tinting his tone.

      Her voice was rich, the alto timbre ringing warmly between them. “I’m fine. I should have been paying attention to where I was going. Thank you for catching me,” she said.

      Noah nodded. “I’m glad I could keep both of us from falling,” he said, his smile widening as he held the intense gaze she was giving him.

      She smiled back before breaking eye contact. “You have a good day,” she said as she eased past him and moved down the hallway.

      For a brief moment Noah forgot where he was and why he was there, wanting to continue to stare after her. The woman was stunning. As she sauntered down the hall he couldn’t help but admire the side to side strut of her full hips. The red pantsuit she wore flattered her voluptuous figure. Catching himself, he took a deep breath then quickly turned around, almost missing the look the woman tossed him over her shoulder.

      Noah moved to the reception desk. A young girl with deep blue eyes and a porcelain-white complexion greeted him by name. She then gestured for him to take a seat on a blue-and-gray-striped upholstered sofa. He took a step, then hesitated, turning back around.

      “Do you know who that woman was in the red suit? She headed in that direction.” He pointed behind him.

      The girl shook her head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Stallion. I didn’t see anyone, so I’m not sure who you mean.”

      “Oh, well,” Noah said with a slight shrug of his shoulders. He moved to take a seat. As he settled himself comfortably, he took a deep breath, holding it for a brief moment before blowing it past his full lips. Minutes passed as he waited, watching people come and go. A mountain of memories were suddenly spinning through his head, intruding on his thoughts about his interview.

      A lot had happened in the past year since his mother’s passing. Norris Jean Stallion had died in her sleep, quietly slipping away on her own terms. Much like she’d lived her life, there’d been little fanfare, her children not even knowing she’d been ill. With Norris Jean’s death, her youngest child, his sister Natalie, had found her way home for the first time in twelve years, reestablishing contact with her family. And then there’d been the discovery that they had cousins they’d never known about, a branch of Stallions on a family tree thought to have only been a mere limb. Family support suddenly extended beyond their Utah ties and the abundance of it had been phenomenal. Since then he’d married off his sister Natalie and imagined Naomi wouldn’t be too far behind. Now he was being offered an amazing opportunity and a beautiful woman had just crossed his path. Noah couldn’t help but smile, thinking just how good his life was.

      Noah extended his hand in greeting. “Frederick Ross, it’s good to see you again,” he said, a look of surprise washing over his expression.

      Frederick Ross smiled broadly. “Noah Stallion. It’s been a while. We’ve come a long way since our days at Bountiful High School.”

      Both men paused in a quick moment of reflection as Frederick gestured for Noah to take a seat. The former high school athletes were meeting in the boardroom of Fly High Dot Com, a multi-million-dollar aircraft leasing company. The high-end decor was a mix of polished woods and expensive leathers. Framed photographs of the company’s fleet of expensive planes decorated the walls.

      Noah slowly eyed the images one by one. He echoed the sentiment. “I don’t think either of us ever imagined going from that muddy football field at Bountiful to the likes of this.”

      Frederick nodded. “I know I didn’t but I’m glad we’re here. So, what do you know about our company?”

      “I know that Fly High has a worldwide fleet of over one thousand private jets. By far the largest of any other company. You’ve proven yourself to be an industry leader in safety and security. You employ a team of some seven thousand employees. You’re currently the number two private leasing company worldwide and well on your way to taking the top spot because of your exceptional customer service and your fly share programs.

      “Forbes named Fly High one of the top ten fastest growing companies and its owner the most elusive self-made millionaire next to that guy with the bio-tech firm in Georgia. In fact, the press has deemed Cat Moore the hardest interview to nab in history. So what’s he like to work for?”

      A wry smile crossed Frederick’s face. The chief operating officer tilted his head as he met Noah’s questioning stare. “Not at all what you expect. And I’m impressed that you did your homework,” he said.

      Noah nodded. He leaned forward in his seat. “I always come prepared and I know you’ve established an imposing security team. So I’m not sure how I can improve upon that.”

      “I need someone with your skillset to manage that team as well as help us expand as the company continues to grow. Your résumé is impressive. You have a stellar military background and your tenure with the Salt Lake City police department shows that you are more than capable of taking the lead. All you have to do is say yes and the job is yours.”

      The man continued to extol Noah’s virtues and the benefits of working for a private firm as opposed to his current government job. Then he made note of the starting salary and Noah’s eyes widened.

      “We