Methodically, Charity closed every blackout curtain in each of the rooms, drawing them tight to avoid any light entering. Flipping on a single small table lamp, she decided she could pull it off.
Besides, who cares? An eviction was eminent. Nothing said thank-you like a fuck for the road.
But as they arrived in their tailored suits with their sweet hellos, she yearned to stay just a little longer.
What would it take for me to stay? For them to keep me?
As the men made themselves comfortable, the hotel chairs looked more like dollhouse furniture beneath their large frames. She stayed standing to hear the news, and neither of them seemed to mind.
“You won’t need to worry about Monty any longer,” Alex said, his words solid. Confident.
“That’s a relief.” Grateful, she grabbed two room-temperature no-name bottles of water, making a meager gesture at hospitality. “How—”
Paco narrowed his gaze, cutting her off. “No questions. And from this point forward, you’ve never heard of Stefano Montgnaro. Understand?”
Apparently, her weak nod wasn’t good enough. Firmer, he repeated himself, emphasizing each word.
“Do. You. Understand?”
“Y-yes.” She strengthened her tone with a definitive nod, acknowledging she’d just made an agreement she could never walk away from.
After a quick sip of his water, Paco resumed his charming smile. “Your background check came out clean,” he said, surprise ringing in his words. “Cleaner than—”
“Most hookers?” she asked.
Nonchalant, he shrugged. “Probably. You’re the first working girl I’ve investigated. But I was going to say your background check came out cleaner than most of the people who work for us. No arrests. No tickets or fines. And the good doctor Valerie screened your blood—no illegal substances. No criminal record of any kind except something sealed when you were a minor.” He glanced at her, noticing her apprehension. “I didn’t check that. That’s your business. Unless, at some point you want to make it my business.”
“What do you mean, make it your business?” Charity cocked her head, firming up some understanding of his status. “Are you an attorney?”
Shooting knowing glances at each other, both men laughed.
“Yeah. He’s an attorney, and I’m the pope,” Alex said with a grin, but Paco just shook his head.
“I’m a hell of a lot saintlier than you, asshole.”
Wow. Her jaw dropped. She’d seen men banter and she understood male bonding . . . of an imaginative range. Without a doubt, these two were close. But a comment like that still took her by surprise.
Smiling for the first time in days, Charity relaxed, but still wondered how the coin flip would land. Which one would take her by the head, and who’d be banging her tail?
Alex finished a few big swallows of water, as if his thirst had been an afterthought. “Look, Paco and I wanted to talk with you about something.”
Protective, Paco shot out, “But you can always say no.”
I can say no?
“No.” She blew out a breath, nodding.
“But you haven’t heard the offer,” Alex said, coaxing her to at least hear him out.
Realizing she’d been sending mixed signals, she clarified. “I mean, no—it’s no problem. Really. I’d like to thank you both.”
Quickly, Charity whipped off her clothes with gusto, as if there were a Guinness World Record at stake.
Shielding their eyes, both men avoided the lines and curves of her naked body. The room filled with a raucous roar of objections as whoa and hold on there were hurled at her as if she were a runaway horse.
Alex demanded she put her clothes back on, his booming voice having a boyish quality. “Please. We don’t want to have sex with you.”
With unfamiliar satisfaction, she savored the cheap thrill of making two wealthy and powerful men squirm in adorable discomfort, drawing out the task of dressing as they continued averting their eyes.
“You don’t?”
Adamant, both shook their heads. She’d seen similar headshakes like theirs once or twice in her life. They reminded her of two schoolboys being confronted by an overflowing plate of steamed broccoli.
As she studied the men, figuring them out was easy.
Ah. Got it.
They’re a couple. I’ll bet they’re into some kinky shit too.
Whatever. They’re sweet. I’m totally down.
Waving his hand, Alex urged her to the small sofa. She sat, watching him regain his composure by checking the knot in his tie.
Clearing his throat, he released a long breath. “Charity, I think what we need is—”
“Bondage gear? A Saint Andrews cross?” Seductive, she popped a brow. “A sybian?”
With each suggestion, her enthusiasm expanded beyond the comfort of the men in the room. In apparent defeat, Alex dropped his face into his hands.
Paco chimed in. “We need a pinch hitter.”
After thinking through his request, she reluctantly agreed. “Okay. I’ve never been much into pinching or hitting, but if that’s what you want . . .”
Holding up a hand to stop her, Alex tried again. “We’re looking for a mole. Someone to act the part of a high-end call girl. But we’re not expecting you to . . .” Struggling for the right word, he finally settled on, “Do what you normally do.”
Nodding, she asked, “So, you want something special?” She caressed his knee, but his massive hand quickly stopped her from blazing a trail up his thigh.
With Charity’s wandering hand captured in his, he explained. “Special, yes. Sexual, no. You’ll just be a front, and we’ll cover all your expenses. Maybe we can come to some sort of an, um, arrangement?”
The lengths he was going to pussyfoot around evocative words got him a double scoop of sassy with a whopping side of smartass.
“Let me see if I’m catching your drift. You want me on your staff.” Her suggestive gaze locked on the fullness of his groin. His eye roll and Paco’s chuckle only encouraged her. “And you could really use a girl like me in a choice position?”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Alex stood. “I’m glad you’re in better spirits. As much fun as this is, I’ll let you two sort out the details.” After giving her a stern look, he turned a sly grin on Paco. “Work it out. Let me know how it goes. And watch out for this one. We’re dealing with a handful.”
“That’s what she said,” Paco and Charity said in unison, laughing as their unintended chorus pushed Alex quicker toward the door.
Feeling feisty, she tossed out a few parting one-liners. “Is it because I love playing hardball? Or that I run things up the flagpole? Up and down, technically,” she said under her breath with a wink at Paco. Bedding a few business douches had given her all the office lingo she needed for banter ammunition.
Grumbling, Alex stopped in his tracks. As the tycoon turned around, she caught the sexy half smile he sported.
Smirking, Paco whispered, “Here it comes.”
The glint in Alex’s eye lifted his previously serious demeanor to stratospheric levels of playful hotness. “All right, Charity. You want to know why we want you?”
Cracking his knuckles, he continued, grandstanding with the business chops of a tech tycoon and the charisma of a megastar lead singer. He pulled out every business saying on tap, spiking each of them with a suggestive leer.