Undercover Mistress

For Kate Carson, body guard to the rich and famous, love is a four letter word, and no man will ever make her curse. That's why she refuses a job to go undercover as the mistress of a reclusive author—until she finds out the body she'll be guarding belongs to Angus McLeod, the Scottish hunk whose poster has been fueling her sexual fantasies for two years.

There's only one catch. Angus can't know why she's really there. Chin up and gun loaded, Kate gleefully makes the ultimate sacrifice…her body for the safety of her client…unaware that the fulfillment of her wildest desires will lead to the thing she fears most—love.

Excerpt

“Tell me, Mr. Jergen. Did you see ‘bordello’ anywhere on our sign? A modest ‘house of ill repute,’ maybe?” Kate shifted in her chair, staring at the man across the desk. He certainly looked normal. Dressed in a conservative, charcoal gray suit, his light brown hair neatly cut and styled, he was the epitome of the modern day business man. Except the job he’d just offered her was, hands down, the craziest request she’d ever had, one that made her very nervous.

When the man leaned forward, his brown eyes intent, her hand automatically edged toward the gun nestled under her staid suit jacket. Weirdoes came in all shapes and sizes.

“Miss Carson, Safety First is my last chance. My client could be in serious danger. He received another letter, but the police won’t do anything about it. They think it’s a prank, a fan with a sick sense of humor. I just keep seeing John Lennon lying on the sidewalk in front of his hotel. You have to help me.”

She let her hand slide away from the gun, a twinge of sympathy running through her at the man’s distress. “If you wanted a standard contract I’d consider it, Mr. Jergen. Safety First has provided body guard service for many famous and wealthy people with great success. We may not be the biggest agency in New York, but we’re good. However, agreeing to be this man’s mistress is a little outside our usual procedures.”

Okay, that was a bit of an understatement. It was a lot outside their usual procedures. She’d worked her butt off for six years making Safety First the respectable, prosperous company it was today. Nothing would make her jeopardize the business by taking a job like this one. Her sympathy only went so far.

Marc Jergen slumped back in the chair and ran a hand over his face. “You don’t understand. Angus refuses to hire a body guard. He thinks having someone in the house will disrupt his writing. He doesn’t even want a mistress. The only reason he suggested it was because he thought I couldn’t find one. It was a ploy to get me off his back.” He shifted slightly. “There isn’t exactly an abundance of female body guards, and the few I have managed to convince, he’s sent away as unsuitable.”

“Angus?”

“Angus McLeod. The best selling author.”

Kate’s body tensed. No, it couldn’t be. She’d heard him wrong. Heat flushed her cheeks and she barely restrained herself from squirming in her chair. Steady girl, she thought.

There was no way this man could read her mind, know about the poster tacked to the inside of her closet door. Or know that the only orgasms she’d achieved in the last few years had been courtesy of the fantasies she’d spun around the Scottish hunk. God, what a man.

And now his agent wanted her to be the hunk’s mistress.

She licked her lips before she caught Jergen’s amused expression.

“He affects most women that way.”

Carefully, she schooled her features and lied through her teeth. “I don’t know what you mean, Mr. Jergen. Regardless, my answer still stands. We don’t sell sex, we sell protection. If your client changes his mind, feel free to give us a call.”

As though sensing a crack in her façade, he straightened. “I’m prepared to offer you a substantial bonus above your usual fee.”

Kate hesitated, her hands going still on the papers she was straightening. “A bonus?”

“Yes.”

The figure he named made her jaw drop. “Boy, you really are desperate, aren’t you?”

“Desperate?” He sighed. “If I thought begging would help, I’d be prostrate at your feet right now. Angus isn’t just a client, he’s my best friend. You’re exactly what he needs.”

Her mind spun, and again she hesitated. “Why me, Mr. Jergen?”

He crossed one well-shod foot over his knee. “I checked Safety First out very carefully before I called for an appointment. I know your employees are the best trained in the business. Some of the biggest industrialists in the state swear by your services. You’ve developed quite a reputation for getting things done, Miss Carson. You’re smart and savvy. If anyone can protect Angus, it’s you.”

Temptation had her heart pounding, her nerves tingling. She gave her head a tiny shake. What the hell was she thinking?

That damn poster. That’s what she was thinking about.

Warily, she eyed the man opposite her. “Not that I’m even remotely considering this job, but out of curiosity, what makes you think he wouldn’t send me packing like he’s done everyone else?”

Jergen smiled. “He won’t. This time, I have a plan.”

Without thinking, Kate licked her lips again. Her hormones went into a wild version of the happy dance every time she thought of Angus McLeod. Would it be such a sacrifice to actually sleep with him? Especially when there was the money to consider. Money she needed badly if she were going to help her sister save her fledgling clothing boutique. Safety First was lucrative, but it had got that way because every penny not needed for survival was plowed back into the business. There was none left over to play with.

The cash offer, combined with heated images of the man on the poster, was enough to have her lips trembling eagerly, acceptance of the job ready to spill out. Until reality came crashing down with a harsh thump. It took an effort to stifle her groan of frustration.

What about her reputation? If something like this got out, she’d never get another job. It was hard enough being a woman in the security business as it was.

No, she couldn’t risk it. There was still time for her to get the money another way. She only had to figure out how.

Standing to indicate the meeting was over, she smoothed sweat-dampened hands over her skirt. “I’m really sorry I can’t help you, Mr. Jergen.”

Following her example, he also rose to his feet. He looked tired, defeated, but apparently he wasn’t ready to give up yet. He reached into his wallet and extracted a card, handing it across the desk. “If you change your mind, Miss Carson, give me a call at any of those numbers.”

Without glancing at the white rectangle, she stuck it in her pocket. “I won’t change my mind.” She watched him walk to the door, then vanish down the hall, taking the chance to make all her fantasies come true with him.

She nibbled her bottom lip in annoyance. It was insane to even consider his offer. What did she know about being a mistress? She hadn’t even dated in the last two years.

Annoyance faded as she thought about the poster, and a smile curved her lips. Maybe she couldn’t actually do the job, but boy, could she get some mileage out of the images it inspired. A shiver of excitement shimmied along her nerves. No one could stop her from dreaming.