Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Her first instinct was to tell him to shove his op up his own anus. She wasn’t some newbie. She was a decorated field operative, and it was obvious there was more to this mission than met the eye. It would be smart to tell him no.
And then she caught a glimpse of that picture. Joshua Hunt, beautiful and remote. Untouchable, and yet here he was trying to pay someone to touch him.
“I’ll get the job done,” she promised.
Green held his glass up. “We know you will.”
And while she was handling Joshua Hunt, she would figure out what was happening inside the Agency because there was something neither of these men were telling her.
She sat back, sipping her champagne and watching the byplay between the men. Sex and secrets.
Her job never changed.
* * * *
Beverly Hills, CA
“The producer of four of your films was recently accused of tax evasion. Do you have any comment on that, Mr. Hunt?” The brunette in front of him had her phone out. He thought he remembered her from some long ago press junket, but he couldn’t quite place the name.
Joshua Hunt bit back a groan. His freaking job never changed. Smile when you don’t want to. Keep a civil tongue in your head when all you truly wanted to do was tell someone to fuck off. Never scream the way he wanted to.
Yeah, his life hadn’t changed at all when he thought about it. It was just the trappings were all lovely and designer.
“No, I can’t comment on that. Please, we’re trying to have a quiet lunch. Why don’t you send any questions you have to my publicist,” he said smoothly, wishing he’d done what his instincts had told him to do. He’d wanted to ask for a private table, but Jared was all about the light.
They’d walked through Spago’s classically elegant bar, done in rich masculine colors, and entered the dining room, a stunning indoor conservatory bathed in natural light, and Jared had gone right for the middle of the room. He hadn’t waited for the hostess to seat them, merely found his spot in the sun and gave the lady a smile no woman could possibly resist.
Well, except the one Jared actually wanted, hence Josh being indulgent when he should have known there would be some nosy reporter hanging around.
“All right, how about a couple of pictures of the two of you?” The reporter stood over them. It was obvious she’d been here with some friends, but she wasn’t about to let the chance go by. “You seem close these days. Anything we should know about?”
“He’s an amazing kisser,” Jared said with a grin.
Josh rolled his eyes. “Don’t encourage her.”
He looked toward the bar and finally gave the nod to the man who’d been standing up and waiting for the signal since the moment the woman had approached. He’d hoped they could brush her off without bringing the bodyguards into it.
Shane Landon was there in a heartbeat, putting his body between Josh and the reporter. “Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to step away from my client.”
She looked up, flustered, and frowned. “This is a public place. You know there is such a thing as freedom of the press, asshole.”
“And there is such a thing as getting bounced out of a restaurant and blackballed from all the nice ones,” Shane replied with a predatory smile. “This is a private business. I assure you if this comes down to a fight, he’s going to win. Now please let the man eat his lunch.”
She huffed out of the dining room, Shane following her to the street. It was mere seconds before he’d retaken his seat at the bar and was back to his burger.
How the fuck long had it been since he’d had a damn burger? Sometimes it felt like he’d been hungry all his fucking life. He’d gone from not having enough money to fill his belly to having to constantly worry about how his abs would look on screen.
“He’s working out well,” Jared said, pulling the pristine white napkin over his lap. “How’s the other guy? Declan, right?”
Because now he required two bodyguards. One for the dayshift and one for the nightshift. Three, really, since he was interviewing for another position this evening, but the third was different. The third would never leave his side. The third would kneel and offer more than mere protection. She would offer him submission.
Fuck, it had been way too long. He had to cool down or he would show up for the interviews with a massive hard-on. What had Jared asked about? Oh, yeah. Burke.
“He’s an odd one, but he’s good at his job. Hey, he’s been on the payroll for two weeks now and I’m still alive, so I would say he’s working out.”