[Jake]

I haven’t ridden in a limo since high school when a group of us all went in on one for our senior prom. I don’t remember them being so big on the inside. Then again, there were ten of us piled into the back of that one.

This one must seat twice that. It has cool blue lighting under all the seats and on the ceiling. There are two sunroofs and a lot of windows. Why we need such a huge limo when there are only two of us, I have no idea.

“Why are you sitting clear over there?” Meg uses her phone to check her lipstick. “It’s not like I bite.” She sets the phone on her lap and flashes me a grin that practically has me panting. When she winks, I’m ready to pass out. “That costs extra.”

Oh, sweet Jesus. Sweet, sweet Jesus. This woman is every man’s wet dream. She’s gorgeous. Not just a double-take gorgeous. She’s exotic. Deep blue eyes that turn up ever so slightly in the corner like a cat. Brown hair so dark it’s almost black. A body that makes me want to cry just being this close. I’ve never been so caught up in a woman before.

That’s a lie. There’s one other woman I’m caught up in. With Megan McKoy, I’m fixated on all the wrong things. Her looks. Her body. How flexible she might be. I can’t stop staring at her and picturing her naked. With that dress hugging every curve of her amazing body, it doesn’t take much of an imagination.

With Kayla Riggs, I see more than what’s on the surface. She may never earn the description of exotic or double-take gorgeous to strangers, and that’s okay. She is to me. It’s more than her looks that make her so intoxicating. It’s her smile. Her laugh. Her quirky sense of humor. It’s the way she’s beautiful and doesn’t know it.

Megan McKoy definitely knows how beautiful she is and has no problem using that to her advantage. She’s exactly the kind of woman I would have chased after before meeting Kayla. Before falling for Kayla.

Would my girl understand if she saw me all dressed for a party, an exotic beauty on my arm? Even if I’d be able to convince her that Meg is an escort, would she ever forgive me for hiring a prostitute instead of taking her to this black-tie event? That would be a big, fat no.

Which is why I’m on the opposite side of the limo. I trust myself, trust I won’t do anything to screw up what I have with Kayla. It’s Meg I don’t trust. It’s that look in her eyes, like she’s a man-eater and I’m her prey or something. I’ve never had anyone look at me like I’m a meal. It’s unnerving.

“Relax, Jake. I’m not going to attack you. My wily ways are reserved for our target.”

Her assurance doesn’t make me feel any better. Still, I have a job to do, and so does she. There’s no reason why we can’t have a little fun—if it doesn’t go too far. “I don’t get any wily? Man, two hundred dollars doesn’t go as far as I thought.”

She laughs. “Try two thousand.”

“For the night?”

“An hour.” She licks her lips and I stare at them longer than I should. “You can afford it, Mr. Greene. Your uncle is loaded.”

My uncle. Right. This is all part of the mission. I relax and even smile as I fall into my role. I’m Jake Greene, nephew to a billionaire philanthropist. “His money is my money.”

“Does he know that?”

“Does it matter?”

She grins and shakes her head, sending those sapphire earrings swinging. They catch the blue lights in the limo and really draw out her eyes. If she offers even the hint of a smile, Murphy is a goner. “Tell me about your girlfriend.”

“How’d you know I had a girlfriend?” Do I give off the ‘already taken’ vibe?

“You would have made a move on me by now.”

“Cocky much?”

“I know how to play the game, handsome. Something tells me you do, too. A good-looking guy like you? I’m sure you’re no stranger to a stranger in your bed.”

I drop my gaze. When she says it like that, it makes it sound like I’m a total player. A man-whore. Then again, those are the exact words Kayla has used on multiple occasions to describe me in the past. And, in the past, I didn’t mind the title. Hell, I embraced it. Now? The thought of playing the field, a different girl every night, doesn’t appeal to me. At all. I only want one girl in my bed tonight. And tomorrow night. And every tomorrow night after that.

“Let me guess,” Meg continues. “That was before you met her.”

Exactly. “Something like that.”

“Good for you.”

Her comment surprises me, so I lift my gaze. “Come again?”

“I can’t keep a steady guy to save my life.”

“Maybe that’s because you’re a prostitute.”

“Escort,” she corrects, an icy flash in her eyes. She definitely doesn’t like my comment. “And it’s only for the job.”

“Is all this part of your cover?” I motion to all of her. “The hair. The makeup. The over-the-top sexuality.”

“This is who I am. Take it or leave it.” She zeroes in on me, her gaze like a sharp dagger cutting through the air and drilling into me.

If she thinks she can intimidate me by pulling the bitch card, she has no idea who she’s dealing with. I get plenty of practice when Kayla gets too tightly wound. “Gee, I can’t imagine why you can’t keep a steady guy.”

“You’re lucky we need you on this find.”

“Or what?”

“Or I’d show you all the different torture techniques they teach at Gahanna.”

I chuckle. Her eyes are blazing, but she’s got a twinkle in them. She’s not nearly as pissed as she’s pretending to be. I change the subject before one or both of us take it too far and say something that may damage the chemistry we need on this find. “What’s Gahanna?”

She drops her jaw. “Are you shitting me? They don’t tell you about TREX’s boot camp during your internship?”

“There’s a boot camp? Like a military boot camp?”

She laughs, damn her. I’m close to coming unglued. No one said anything about a boot camp. “Every cadet has to go through Gahanna before they’re crowned an agent. There you’ll be trained on how to TREX the shit out of any situation.”

Despite my nerves already getting the better of me the closer we get to the event, I laugh. “Although I don’t want to go through any boot camp, the thought of learning how to TREX the shit out of anything has me intrigued.”

She giggles. “You’ll learn to use TREX as a noun, verb, adjective. Pretty much anything. We say things like TREX up all the time.”

“Jackson used that one on me already.”

“When he said it to my cousin Kaylee, she racked him right in the manly bits.”

I wince and instinctively cross my legs to protect my own manly bits. The limo pulls up in front of the Edgewater Hotel and the driver hurries around to help Meg out of the car. Showtime. I slip on the glasses I had the night of the fundraiser and tap the temple. “Visual on.”

“Confirmed.” Ryan’s voice sounds over the com link. I step out and offer an arm to my escort. Meg loops her arm in mine and we walk inside. I immediately spot Gerald Murphy and nod in greeting.

But he’s not looking at me. Hell, he doesn’t even see me. He’s staring at Meg. She drops her arm from mine and slowly licks her lips. He watches the gesture with absolute focus, licking his in return. “Jake didn’t tell me he was bringing a friend. You are?”

“Megan.”

“Megan what?”

“Just Megan. I find in my line of work, one name is all I need.” She leans closer and lowers her voice. “Sometimes I don’t even need that.”

After several more seconds of devouring Meg with his hungry gaze, he regards me. “Aren’t you full of surprises.”

“My uncle always taught me never to come to a party empty-handed.”

“It’s almost a shame.”

“What’s that?” My neck hairs stand on end. What an odd comment.

“That you don’t live with your uncle, so he can see what a fine man you are.” Murphy chuckles and waves for us to follow. “This way.” Instead of heading deeper inside the hotel, he directs us back out the entrance. Meg and I exchange glances. She nods for me to go along, so I do. She’s the one with field experience. She’s also my security detail. Where she goes, I go.

Murphy leads us around to the back of the hotel to several outbuildings. We stop in front of the first one. A large man stands in front of the double doors, a security wand in his hand. Murphy nods and the man approaches me. “I told you we had plenty of security. Once he wands you, we’ll go inside. I’ll introduce you to a few people.”

“Wands me?” I don’t like the sound of that. Will it pick up our ear wigs? “For what?”

“Anything posing a security threat.”

I don’t like the sound of that. Meg must be carrying. Where, I don’t want to know. I can see every inch of her in that dress. No wonder Murphy can’t keep his eyes off her.

The man runs the wand up the front of my torso and down my back. He then does the same with my legs. When he sweeps in between, I tense when he gets a little too close to my balls. “I’m not hiding anything in my crotch, dude.”

He straightens and nods at Murphy. “He’s clean.” He then eyes Meg and grins wide.

She winks before glancing at Murphy. “I do love a good wanding.”

“She’s clean,” he declares and takes her by the arm, leaving me with the wand guy. “Do you like scotch? The bar stocked Macallan. Eighteen, I believe.”

“I prefer twenty-five myself.”

He lights up. “As do I.”

“You don’t say.” She bumps his shoulder with hers, seductively rubbing against him instead of pulling away. “It must be fate.”

I clear my throat so they don’t leave me to be wanded again. I don’t like the way the guy is eyeing me, like he wants to go in for round two wanding my balls. “Remember me? The guy who brought you?”

Meg forces a smile my way and has a genuine look of disdain tightening her expression. Reluctantly, she leaves Murphy’s side and returns to mine. “Of course.”

“Thank you.” I feel much better having my security detail next to me and not all over the man who may be plotting to kill me. As we walk inside, I do a quick sweep. Clearly my and Murphy’s idea of a small get together vary vastly. There’re more people here than at the reserve event. There’s double that here, the men all in tuxes, the women in expensive-looking gowns.

“Jake, you seem tense. Let’s get you a drink.” Murphy is back to staring at Meg—and only Meg. “Care to join me?”

“I’d love to.” She doesn’t hesitate to drop my arm and rush to his side. Man, she either really hates me or is just that good. I feel like she’d rather be anywhere but with me.

They disappear and I’m left standing there, looking like a complete tool. Aren’t there usually waiters walking around with trays of champagne? I hate the stuff, but I would at least have something in my hands to stare at.

“Approach the group to your left,” Ryan instructs in my ear. “The man with glasses is Bryce Shirley, a key political advisor. He’s been instrumental in several successful election campaigns. The tall guy next to him is Red Fern—yes, that’s really his name—a local radio talk show celebrity. I can’t see the third guy enough to pull facial rec on him. Walk around and glance at him.”

As if I don’t look awkward enough, why not have me walk around creeping on people? It’s not like I have anything better to do. I do and slowly look at the guy. When he catches me watching him, I nod and smile. He frowns in return. I shrug and hurry toward the bar, where Meg is still working her magic with Murphy.

“Pulling facial rec on him now. Damn it. This tablet is too slow. I’m moving to the computer in the back. Bailey?”

“I’ll cover you.”

I snag Meg’s gaze as I lift my arm to catch the bartender’s attention. She gives me a slight shake of her head. Great. No drink for me. The bartender approaches. “What can I get you?”

“Club soda,” I grumble. He delivers it with a twist of lime, so at least it doesn’t look like I have a glass of water. I remove the glasses to work the spots where they rub wrong. This is quickly turning into a disaster. Hopefully Meg is getting somewhere with Murphy.

“Buy me a drink?” I glance at an older woman with an empty glass in her hands. She looks vaguely familiar, but I can’t place her.

“It’s an open bar.”

She smiles warmly. “You’re too cute. It’s a line, honey. I want you to have a drink with me.”

No way. She’s got to be older than my mom. “You want me to have a drink with you?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” She waves her glass at the bartender. He immediately replaces it. She lifts the refill. “Cheers.” I tap my glass to hers and take a long pull. It may only be club soda, but right now it’s wet, and that’s exactly what I need. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”

“Is that another line?”

“No. I really haven’t seen you at one of these things before.” This time she laughs softly. She’s a lovely woman, but I’m not into the whole cougar thing. “I make it a point of knowing all the up and, uh…” she leans closer, “comers.”

Great. I’m being hit on by the political cougar bicycle—everyone’s had a ride. I smile politely and take another drink. How do you respond to a statement like that? She’s not even subtle about it. I glance across the bar to grab Meg’s attention to save me, but she’s disappeared again with Murphy. Awesome.

“What’s your name, handsome?”

Time to TREX up. “Jake Greene.”

“A good, strong name.” She slides her gaze over my body before licking her lips.

I grit my teeth and plaster a smile. “Are you here alone?” Translation: Go find your husband and leave me alone.

Her eyes light up. “Are you asking me to go back to your room with you?”

Oh, shit. That backfired. “I’m actually here with someone.”

“That’s unfortunate.” She deflates.

“Sorry.” I have no idea why I’m apologizing. “Are you here with your husband?”

“No. He’s home, leaving me all alone. And lonely.” She winks and rubs her hand up and down my arm.

I need to get away from her before she rubs something else on me. “I see my date. Enjoy your evening.”

“I hope to see you again, Jake Greene.” She grabs her drink and turns from me.

Whew! Dodged that bullet.

“Who was that?” Ryan’s back. “Why am I only seeing a black blob on the screen?”

I grab the glasses and slip them on. “Better?”

“Find the woman you were just talking to.”

“I’d rather not.”

“Just do it, Jake.”

I groan. “Dude, she’s a total cougar, and not the MILF kind. She tried to get me to take her back to my room.”

“She… What? You’re lying.”

“I wish.” I really do.

“God, no. Just… Please do it.”

I don’t like the trouble in my partner’s voice. “You owe me a beer for this.” I grab a napkin and approach the woman. She’s going to totally think I want something more. When I tap her on the shoulder and she turns, I offer the napkin. “You forgot your napkin.” A gasp over the com link throws me off. I recover quickly and start my retreat.

“Thank you, Jake Greene.” She smiles and glances at the napkin. “What, no number?”

“Oh, shit. Oh my God. Oh, shit.” Ryan’s voice trembles. “Holy… What the fuck is she doing!”

“I, uh…” I back away, every sense on high alert. Why would Ryan have that reaction by seeing this woman? Is she some sort of assassin? What if she was trying to lure me away to kill me like some black widow? “I have to go.”

“Are you sure?”

Bailey’s soothing voice comes over the link. “Meg, playtime is over. Time to pack it in.”

“Did we get what we needed?”

“We got a lot more than that.”

“We did?” I ask as I turn toward the exit.

“That woman you were talking to is Ryan’s mother. She wasn’t on the guest list.”

“Which means?”

“We may have just found our anonymous donor.”