Читать книгу Courting Trouble - Kimberly Dean - Страница 7

Sienna sat in the lobby of Luxxor’s sumptuous office suite, half stunned and half panicked that she was actually here. She still couldn’t believe that they’d scheduled her for an interview on the same morning that she’d called. All it had taken was the mention of Nina Lockwood’s name, and boom! Gears had started turning.

She’d always heard it wasn’t what you knew but who you knew that counted. After four months of floundering, she was seeing some truth in that statement, sad as it was.

Nervously, she adjusted her portfolio in her lap. As excited as she was, she didn’t feel prepared for this. She could handle the typical interview questions about her strengths and weaknesses, but she still didn’t know what kind of a job she was applying for. The woman on the phone had been almost deliberately vague. Trying to pick up clues about the company’s industry, she glanced around the room.

The lobby was done in greys and silvers. The carpeting was so plush, her shoes had sunk in all the way up to her ankles. The grey paint on the wall was texturised, and it gave off a Venetian plaster feel. The seating and furniture were all black, with dashes of burgundy here and there. The place was definitely high-class and stylish. Was it a marketing firm? Design? Maybe fashion?

The magazines on the table were of no help. They ranged from beauty to pop culture to fly fishing. She saw no brochures or even a company motto hung on the wall.

She was flying blind.

She glanced at the receptionist who’d taken her name. The woman had been friendly, efficient and approachable. Would it be bad form to ask her? Was she taking notes on her, right now?

‘Do you like working at Luxxor?’ she asked.

The woman turned away from her computer with a smile on her face. ‘Very much. Nina is a great boss. She’s very good at reading people and recognising their skills.’

‘How did you find the company?’ Sienna asked, coming at the subject from a different angle.

The woman laughed. ‘Nina found me, actually. I take it she found you, too?’

‘We just met last night.’

‘Then she must have liked what she saw. Don’t be nervous. She can be an intimidating woman. She has exacting standards, but if she decides to hire you, she’ll have your back one hundred per cent.’

That was encouraging. It wasn’t something that always happened, especially these days where employees were little more than numbers on an accounting debit sheet.

Sienna crossed her legs. It all sounded good, but what exactly did the job entail?

The receptionist shot a look towards the main office suite. ‘Just be open-minded,’ she said encouragingly. ‘Sometimes our paths aren’t what we planned.’ The woman gave a tiny smirk. ‘Or what others planned for us.’

Sienna nodded, understanding the expectations of friends and family all too well, but the advice caught her off-guard. Open-minded? That brought a whole other type of nerves to the situation. Was Luxxor’s line of business dangerous? Controversial? Less than legal?

‘Sienna,’ Nina said as she walked into the room. She was wearing four-inch heels, but, with the padded carpeting, she’d managed to sneak up on them. ‘Welcome. I’m so glad you called to schedule an appointment.’

‘Ms Lockwood, good morning.’ Sienna stood and offered her hand. An appointment, she noted. Not an interview. Dismay coursed through her, but she schooled her face. Please don’t be a pyramid scheme, she thought.

‘Please,’ Nina said, ‘follow me.’

Sienna shot a look at the front door and then the receptionist. The first looked like the safe way out, but the latter still held a bit of hope. She smiled in appreciation when the receptionist gave her a secret thumbs-up.

Sienna sucked in a breath. She couldn’t walk out. It would be impolite, and that just wasn’t in her.

Hopes dampened, she followed Ms Lockwood down the hallway to her office.

Once there, Sienna’s eyebrows lifted again in surprise. If this was a pyramid scheme, Nina was at the top of the heap. The furnishings and decor in the private office were even more luxurious than out front. The base colour scheme remained the same, but this time the highlights were in royal blue. The chair in front of the desk mirrored the graphic print on the wall.

‘This is beautiful,’ she said as she admired the collection of vivid blue glass on a nearby shelf. ‘You must have enjoyed the theme last night.’

Nina smiled as she took her seat behind her desk. The leather chair was large and imposing. It should have dwarfed the woman, but it didn’t. ‘I appreciated the colour scheme as much as I did the company.’

She gestured towards the blue chair, and Sienna took a seat. Instead of crossing her legs, she crossed her ankles and tucked them underneath her as her mother had taught her. Showing the proper respect, she pulled her shoulders back, sat up straight and held her hands together in her lap. ‘Thank you,’ she said simply.

She wasn’t sure if she was included in that ‘company’, but she’d leave it at that.

‘I followed up with Howard this morning,’ Nina said. ‘They raised fifteen per cent more than their goal.’

‘That’s wonderful.’

‘So was the way you handled yourself last night.’ The woman’s dark gaze was steady. ‘He was rude to you.’

‘He didn’t mean to be.’

‘No, he didn’t, but others might have been easily offended – especially if they were self-conscious about their situation.’

The only reaction Sienna allowed was the tapping of her index finger in her lap. ‘I’m not embarrassed by what I do. I wish that I was employed in my field, but I understand that this is where I’m supposed to be right now.’

For whatever reason that hadn’t yet occurred to her.

‘Good answer.’

She hadn’t realised it was a test.

Ms Lockwood opened a file on her desk. ‘I hope you took care of yourself last night after you got home.’

‘Excuse me?’ Sienna said, her voice jumping.

‘Your feet,’ the businesswoman replied. ‘I hope you gave them a good soaking. You must have been on them for hours.’

Sienna cleared her throat and hoped that the blush she felt hadn’t settled in her cheeks. ‘I found some relief.’

Only it hadn’t been for her feet.

‘Good.’ The businesswoman ran her pen down the piece of paper before her. ‘So, we discussed last night that you have an advanced degree in corporate communications. I see from your résumé that you did quite well in that. Your grade point average is impressive.’

‘I’m a hard worker.’

‘No need to convince me. I saw that last night.’ The pen moved further down the sheet. ‘Nice internship background, but I like the volunteer work more.’

‘I enjoy helping people. There’s a lot of need out there, Ms Lockwood.’

Dark eyes flicked up. ‘Call me Nina.’

Sienna dipped her chin in acknowledgment. ‘Nina.’

The woman finished with the paper and turned to another one. Sienna’s brow furrowed. Her résumé was only one page long.

‘Your early schooling was in France and Belgium, I see. Do you speak the languages?’

‘I’m fluent in French and Dutch.’

‘And you’ve travelled extensively.’

Where was she getting this information? ‘It went hand in hand with my father’s work,’ Sienna explained.

Nina twirled her pen, her fingers flicking fast. ‘You’ve met heads of state, attended government functions and were best friends with Gilles Bonhomme’s daughter.’

Sienna stared at the woman outright.

Nina tilted her head. ‘The French actor.’

She knew who he was. He’d taught her how to make crèpes. ‘How do you know this about me?’

Nina lifted her hands, the pen still tucked between her fingers. ‘I had a background check conducted. It’s standard procedure.’

Maybe – after an interview had already been conducted and an applicant was being considered. She’d met this woman less than twenty-four hours ago. The uneasiness in Sienna’s chest intensified, and she leaned closer to the desk.

‘Curious about what else is in here?’ Nina asked.

Frankly, she was.

The astute businesswoman put down her pen and sat back in her chair. From the way she crossed her legs and gripped the armrests, there was no confusion over who overwhelmed what. The power chair paled in comparison.

‘You’re a bit of a health nut, eating right most of the time and working out religiously. You love the symphony and the ballet, sharing season tickets with your parents, but you’ve been known to date a jock or two. Although not at the same time,’ Nina said with a smirk that was more knowing than know-it-all. ‘You broke up with your last boyfriend around the time of your graduation, and you haven’t seen anyone steadily since.’

Sienna’s feet were now planted flat on the floor, and her hands were clenched in her lap. She had nothing scandalous to hide, but the intrusion was discomforting.

‘You know so much about me,’ she said, meeting the woman’s gaze dead on. ‘It’s really not fair, because I looked and could find very little about you or Luxxor.’ She smiled over-politely and continued. ‘It is standard procedure for an applicant to study the company they’re interviewing with, after all.’

‘Very little or nothing at all?’ Nina asked, unperturbed.

‘Your charity work has made the headlines, but the stories never say anything about Luxxor. They refer to you as a benefactress.’

Nina’s lips twitched, and her smile was genuine. ‘I’m also kind to animals.’

Sienna took a deep breath. ‘What is Luxxor’s business, Ms Lockwood?’

‘It’s Nina.’

‘Why is it such a secret?’

‘Because our clients insist on it.’

Sienna shook her head. She was tired of all the cloak-and-dagger games. It was DC, but she wasn’t into that sort of thing. ‘Thank you for your time, but I really don’t think –’

‘Luxxor is an escort service for high-end, very exclusive clientele.’

Sienna had half risen, but the bold statement made her sink back into the comfy chair. The soft blue cushions sucked her in and captured her.

Nina swivelled her chair gently from side to side, but her gaze never wavered.

‘I have very exacting standards for my employees, and I hire only quality people.’

Sienna’s breaths weren’t coming properly into her lungs. ‘You want me to be a callgirl?’

The older woman’s face darkened and, when she spoke, her voice was like a lightning crack. ‘I run an escort service, not a brothel.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Sienna said in a rush. That little crack had released the air in her lungs. She’d been taught better manners, but just how was one supposed to react to something like that? Was it a compliment? She supposed it was, in a twisted sort of way, but wow.

She’d thought she’d been scraping the bottom of the job-search barrel, but she’d never considered turning to something like this. What had she done to make this woman think she was ‘qualified’ for the position? A horrible thought sent blood rushing to her cheeks. Oh, dear God, there hadn’t been someone outside her apartment last night with cameras and a parabolic microphone, had there?

‘I’m sorry,’ she stammered again. This time, she reached for her purse on the floor by her feet. ‘Thank you for your time, but I don’t think this is a good fit for me.’

She stood and headed for the door. She was halfway there when Nina spoke again.

‘I’m looking for someone who can attend functions with clients. Art shows, plays, basketball games or maybe even a cooking class. These things interest you, correct?’

Sienna glanced over her shoulder. ‘Yes, but …’

‘You seem comfortable having conversations with people of all races, backgrounds and social statuses.’

‘It’s not the talking that concerns me.’

‘No physical contact is allowed.’

Sienna stopped with her hand on the doorknob. ‘What?’

Nina tilted her head. ‘Helping you from a car or touching the small of your back while opening a door for you? Of course, mutually agreeable contact is acceptable. However, none of my employees are expected to endure unwanted sexual advances. That’s not what we are.’

‘But you are an escort service.’

The woman let out an exasperated sigh. ‘Luxxor’s clients are very busy people. These are men and women who are at the top of their business game. They eat, drink and sleep work. They have little time for the social side of life, yet they’re expected to attend functions to see and be seen.’

Sienna kept one hand on the doorknob, but she turned.

‘Attending events stag is an option, but it can be a tiring one.’ Nina tossed down her pen and adjusted an earring. ‘While it might seem trivial to you, finding appropriate companions for these sorts of things can cause stress and lost time. That’s where Luxxor comes in.’

‘So my job would be to look pretty while holding onto a rich suitor’s arm?’ Sienna asked, one brow lifting. It didn’t appeal.

‘In some cases, yes,’ Nina confessed. ‘In most, no.’

Sienna frowned. ‘How do you mean?’

‘Pretty can get boring fast.’ Nina stood and rounded her desk. She made a sweeping gesture at Sienna from head to toe. ‘My clients have come to expect more. The whole package. They want intelligent conversation. They need someone who doesn’t have to fake an interest in the arts. They want someone who understands cultural differences and won’t make a faux pas.’

Sienna drifted away from the door, back to the centre of the room. ‘If your business is on the up-and-up, then why all the secrecy?’

‘Because nobody wants to admit that they’re paying someone to be with them, no matter if it’s a time-saver or not.’

Sienna mulled it over. From a business perspective, she could see the need. She knew what her parents’ schedule looked like, and they did use the events to network for their charities. Attending social functions in the evening could be just as productive as breakfast and lunch meetings.

Just look at her fantasy lover who’d been trying to do business last night with the trapped senator. He’d gone about it all wrong, but she understood his goal for the night out.

A thought occurred to her, along with the tiniest bit of hope. ‘Was the brunette by the shark skeleton one of yours?’

Nina’s nose wrinkled. ‘The one falling out of her knock-off Halston? Hardly.’ She waved absently. ‘But the redhead with the tennis player was.’

‘The tennis player?’ Sienna knew exactly who Nina was talking about. ‘But she was so funny.’

‘Precisely. Salvatore was only in town for the day. He didn’t want to spend the evening being bored. He and Genevieve get along well. She’s accompanied him once or twice before.’

‘I thought they were really dating.’

‘They were having a nice time out together.’ Nina tilted her head, and her ash-blonde hair swung to the side. ‘So were Veronica Waters and Michael.’

Sienna stiffened. She’d seen the touching and brushed kisses there. ‘You said no physical contact is allowed.’

‘Was there really any inappropriate touching?’

She’d seen whispers in each other’s ears. She’d seen bodies pressed up close. She’d seen a glamorous yet ageing Hollywood beauty cosying up to a young stud who …

Oh.

‘Was that all for show?’ Had it all been an act to make producers and anyone else who might be watching aware that Veronica Waters was still an attractive and vibrant woman? A worthwhile commodity in the entertainment industry?

Nina gestured again to the blue chair, and Sienna sat. She still wasn’t comfortable, but she was listening.

‘We provide whatever the client wants – up to a point. If they want to show off for a former girlfriend, my girls will make sure the ex is seeing green before the appetisers are served. If they want someone who can talk art at a showing, we make sure we match them up with someone with similar interests. If a science savant wants a hunk on her arm for an awards banquet, we’ll make sure he looks like he belongs there.’

‘So my background is what appeals to you,’ Sienna said, trying to justify all this in her mind.

‘Your background, your looks and your carriage.’

It sounded … easy. An easy solution to her current problems, but she shook her head. ‘I appreciate you considering me, but I really need to look for a job in my field.’

She couldn’t get pulled down this very narrow, dark and winding side road. She didn’t know where it might lead, despite all the promises, and it could never go on her résumé.

Never. Ever.

‘The hours would be less than what you’re putting in at the Apple Tree Grille. It’s usually three or four evenings a week. For some of our more popular escorts, possibly more.’

Well, that settled it right there. She’d never be able to pay her rent if she only worked three nights a week. ‘The pay?’

‘Better than what you’re making serving salmon puffs, and we provide benefits.’

Benefits? Sienna blinked in surprise. ‘Healthcare?’

‘Along with dental and vision coverage. Some of our longer-term employees participate in our 401-K.’

Sienna stared at the woman. Simply stared.

Nina shrugged. ‘Sometimes our clients also bestow gifts on our escorts. Little things like watches or dresses. We don’t stand in the way of that.’

The gig sounded too good to be true. She’d be paid to go on platonic dates? To events she enjoyed? Excitement started to tug at her.

‘What’s the catch?’

‘You must keep Luxxor’s and its clients’ confidentiality, and you need to follow the rules of your contract.’

Sienna worried the inside of her lip with her teeth. Was she insane to actually be considering the offer? She could never tell anyone what she was doing. Although Nina seemed to keep the highest of standards and had a justification for everything, there was a stigma to being an escort. A huge one. Nobody could ever know.

She shook her head. ‘It’s not possible. I know too many people. Just look at what happened last night with Mr Stahl – and I was only waitressing.’

‘I’ve considered that. We’d have you make a list of people you couldn’t be paired with, but it’s already your social scene. Nobody would question your attendance at something like a wine-tasting event. They’d assume you’d started dating again.’

That was true.

‘Why me?’ she finally asked, point-blank. There’d been a lot of pretty waitresses at the Aquamarine event last night, and even more competent ones. She might have dealt OK with Howard Stahl, but acting as an escort was another thing entirely. ‘How could you possibly know what kind of date I am?’

‘Because I saw how you dealt with people when nobody was looking.’

Sienna drummed her fingernails against her purse. She was friendly and kind. It was hardly a secret potion.

‘Know what I saw?’ Nina pressed.

‘A well-mannered blonde?’

‘A chameleon.’

Sienna frowned. ‘A what?’

‘You adapt. You want to please people and put them at ease. You naturally interpret what they want you to be, and you become that person.’

‘I do?’ Somehow the observation didn’t sound complimentary.

The look in Nina’s eyes was serious. ‘I can’t train that.’

Sienna was confused. Her roommate Margo called her spineless when she deferred to others, but could being compliant and polite really be opening job doors for her?

Was she really considering doing this?

Did she want a roof over her head after next week?

‘Can we do a trial run?’ she asked.

‘We will do a trial run,’ Nina said firmly. She pushed away from the desk, rounded it and returned to her big leather chair. ‘You haven’t got the job yet, sweetie, but I will extend an offer for a six-week paid internship. We have significant training before anyone goes out in the field. Many subjects will be old hat to you, such as table manners and music appreciation, but you’ll be expected to complete a self-defence segment, as well as a powers of observation test.’

Self-defence? Apparently things weren’t always as cordial as Nina would suggest. Then again, she would be out there on her own with strangers.

If she ever went out with someone, which she wasn’t going to do.

‘And then?’ Sienna pressed.

‘And then, we shall see.’

She took a steadying breath. Six weeks of paid training. She could do that much. Nobody would ever know. Anything beyond that was questionable.

An escort.

Was that really where life was leading her?

She pressed her lips together as she thought of Erin, who was so happy moving forward with married life. And of Tabby, her backstabbing classmate who was touring Europe before settling into a job her daddy had found for her in downtown Boston. And finally she thought of Kyle, who’d used his looks and good-old-boy network to land a job he’d never studied for.

None of them had worked hard for their goals. They’d all had opportunities fall into their laps. They’d simply used what assets they could to make the falling possible.

She’d be an idiot not to do the same. She leaned forward and held out her hand. ‘We shall see.’

* * *

The need for space was what awakened Jason.

Bed space and personal space.

Someone was plastered to his side, lying half atop him. Bare skin clung to bare skin. A hot leg was thrown over his waist, giving the illusion of trapping him, while a hand was spread wide over his chest.

Oh, hell, no. He didn’t think so.

He was right against the edge of the bed. Hell, his right arm had fallen off of it. He’d barely come to, but instinct had him pushing the woman off him.

The brunette grumbled and tried to shift back into position. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he forcibly rolled her onto her back.

Coarse black hair stuck to his shoulder before he pulled away. The sensation wasn’t sexy in the slightest, and he brushed his hand down his arm, not liking the errant strands that still clung to his sweaty skin.

He swore underneath his breath.

The room felt like a hundred degrees with sun blazing through the window. Had the air-conditioning in the hotel gone out? He’d paid enough for the room and it should be like an iceberg if he wanted it to be.

In the back of his mind, though, he remembered the brunette playing with the temperature controls, saying something about hot sex. Like it was a new fad like hot yoga or something.

The woman’s nose brushed against his arm.

None too gently, he pushed her further away on the mattress, trying to find space for his six-foot-two frame.

Hot sex. Yeah, they’d done that. The floor beside the bed was littered with condoms.

Hot tips?

Yeah, she’d given him those, too, although getting answers out of her wasn’t as easy as he’d expected. It wasn’t because she was loyal or protective of company secrets. No, his bed partner last night had been oblivious. Just freaking clueless.

He kicked the sheet off his feet, trying to find some relief. What time was it?

He glanced at the clock on the nondescript nightstand. It was late for him, but not bad considering what time he’d finally stopped plying her for information.

Mandy or Candy or whatever her name was shifted, and the sheet fell down to her waist. Her silicone-enhanced breasts stood up unnaturally on her chest, but what the fuck? Seeing those red tips pointing skyward had his dick stiffening. Hot sex with an airhead was still sex.

‘Mmmm,’ she hummed as she stretched her arms high overhead. Her legs twisted and her back arched. Jason’s cock had grown as hard as those whalebones they’d studied last night at that water research thingamajig.

Aquasomething or other.

He rubbed a hand across his face. He was usually sharper than this. Aquamarine. That was it. It was a good charity. He’d left a hefty cheque to support the cause, but he’d been frustrated by the evening as well.

Senator McHale hadn’t been as forthcoming as he would have liked. Jason’s company supported hundreds of the man’s constituents. Bodycheck made equipment and apparel to protect the nation’s soldiers. Body armour, vehicle armour and protective helmets. You’d think that the head of the Senate Appropriations Committee would be a bit more open about the upcoming vote on the defence contract that Jason’s company sought. The senator’s insistence on the secrecy of the vote had been annoying, although it demanded some respect.

If he’d only had a few more minutes with the man, he might have received some answers. The senator had been wavering just before that blonde lightning bolt had struck.

The waitress.

Jason’s waking cock twitched higher towards his belly button.

He remembered that tall, cool drink of ice water better than he remembered the woman lying next to him. She’d been like a Nordic princess, tall and slender, but with all the right curves. And that face …

She’d stopped him in his tracks. He’d literally forgotten how to speak, right in the middle of his talk with the senator. All his blood had rushed to his groin at his first sight of her. It had irritated him to be interrupted in the middle of what had been a very important discussion.

It irritated him more that she’d walked away, leaving him with a boner the size of one of those blue whales’ teeth.

The brunette beside him began to wake for real.

She stretched again, her breasts pointing jauntily at the ceiling. Then her puppy-dog brown eyes fluttered open. She appeared confused at first, and her gaze searched the room. When she spotted him, those eyes turned soft and adoring.

He sighed. What was her name again?

She rolled onto her side, crowding him all over. The sheet slipped down the curve of her hip, exposing the dark thatch between her legs. She made no move to cover herself, and her lips curled in a knowing smile.

The girl didn’t have a lot going on upstairs, but she knew how to use what she had.

Jason didn’t like the blatant feminine power play, but that didn’t mean he didn’t respond when she ran her hand over the tented sheet at his groin. Thinking of the blonde had given him a hard-on, but she stoked the fire.

God, how warm was it in the room? A bead of sweat was already sliding down his neck.

‘Good morning, my sex machine,’ she whispered with a giggle at the end.

Her squeaky voice did nothing for him, but he placated her by reaching over and cupping one of those fake breasts. It was firm and rounded, but not shaped quite right. She’d shown them off in that blue dress, though. He’d spent half the night wondering if one was going to pop out.

He flicked her nipple with his thumb, and it beaded nicely.

The evening with her had been tedious, but it had had its perks.

He rolled onto his side. ‘What time do you have to be at work?’

He nosed her sticky dark hair out of his way so he could lick the pulse in her neck.

‘Mmm,’ she hummed. ‘Eight.’

He licked the soft spot under her ear as his gaze went to the clock on the nightstand. That didn’t give him much time.

He nibbled at her earlobe. ‘Big day?’

Her long nails scraped the back of his neck. ‘Why? Want me to meet you for a nooner?’

Hardly.

Still, when she pushed at his shoulders, he rolled onto his back. It put him right on the edge of the bed again, and she laughed when she realised she’d fall off if she tried to straddle him.

Changing tactics, she knelt on the mattress beside him and began to kiss her way down his chest.

OK, better, Jason thought.

‘I could meet you for a late lunch,’ he offered, thinking through his calendar. This dalliance was beginning to cost just a bit too much. If it didn’t pan out soon, he was going to have to cut ties.

Which could have some downsides, he thought as her tongue dipped into his bellybutton.

‘Mmm, sorry … can’t.’ She gave a feminine purr of approval when his six-pack sucked in tighter under her ministrations.

‘Why not?’ he asked.

She swept back her hair and her butt jutted into the air as she kissed her way southward. The press of her lips against his tip made his cock jump, even though the sheet still separated them. The sensation almost made him miss her next words.

Almost.

‘Big meeting,’ she whispered.

His head jerked up off the pillow. ‘Oh, yeah? With who?’

‘Plastical. They come every year at this time to renegotiate their contract.’

Tell him something he didn’t know. He’d been trying to get in the way of that automatic renewal for three years now – and this year might be his chance.

‘Has Dumonde been talking with them?’ he asked.

The brunette stopped her nuzzling and petting to frown at him.

Jason held up his hands. ‘The shorter the meeting, the longer we have for …’ He glanced down at his cock. It was now standing up like a tent pole. ‘Lunch.’

The questions left her innocent eyes and she pouted. ‘No. That negotiation always takes days – at least it did with my last boss.’

‘Yes,’ he hissed in triumph.

She misinterpreted and smiled coyly as she pressed her lips against the tip of the tent.

Jason fisted his hand in her hair, pulling it back. He didn’t want to go flat if he felt that witch-hazel scratch against his erection.

Body prepped, he let his mind wander.

This was good news. Dumonde was the new CEO at Guardian, the company where his friendly sex partner Brandi or Sandy was employed as a senior administrative assistant. Dumonde had been brought in recently from Montréal to help Guardian turn its game around. The company as such wasn’t in bad shape. As a leading sports equipment manufacturer, it had suffered recently under poor management, but it still had a strong fist-hold on its market.

And it was a market that Jason desperately wanted to get into.

Bodycheck had its defence contracts for protective equipment for soldiers. They were gaining ground on the domestic side, too, with contracts with Homeland Security to provide protective wear for police departments.

But sports equipment … it was a market that had him practically salivating, especially with the growing concern about concussions for athletes in everything from pee-wee leagues to the professional ranks. Bodycheck had technology he knew could be modified to help protect players better. They’d just be fighting an uphill battle in the marketplace if they decided to go it alone.

He needed Guardian as a partner.

He needed an opening even more. One small crack, and he’d bump Plastical to the kerb.

‘Think you could get me a meeting with your boss?’ he asked point-blank.

Innuendo and suggestion didn’t work with this one. She didn’t get subtlety.

She rolled her eyes at all the conversation. ‘His schedule is fully booked.’

Jason pushed the crisp white sheet downward. His cock popped out, free, unencumbered and rigid.

The brunette’s eyes widened, and she licked her lips.

‘What about a dinner meeting?’ he said, lifting his hips off the mattress.

He applied pressure to the back of her neck, bringing her down to his straining erection.

She hummed in delight. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

Closing her eyes, she took him deep into her mouth. She swirled her tongue, once … twice … and then gave a firm suck.

Jason groaned. He’d got what he’d wanted.

She licked him long and slow like a big red lollipop, and his brain went blank.

Oh, yeah. What she could do, she could do very well.

And, with his eyes closed, he could picture fuller natural breasts on a longer, sleeker body. His hand moved in the springy hair, and it became softer and lighter. The red mouth going down on him turned a softer pink.

Oh, yeah. The exhausting evening had been well worth it. He’d got off twice, he had his best shot yet at a meeting with Dumonde, and he’d seen a blonde goddess in the flesh.

His hips began to rock. He’d see what he could do, too.