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  “I think I like you better sleeping,” he teased.

  “Shut the hell up and let me go. What on God’s green earth do you think you’re doing?”

  “We’re lovers, sweetheart. Or at least that’s what the file said. I was just getting into character.”

  I snorted and elbowed him again. “In public, asswipe. Behind closed doors, I want you to keep your grubby little carny hands off me.”

  Chuckling, he let me go and I rolled out of bed. Leaning on his elbow, he looked at me with a devilish smirk. “What happened there?” He pointed to my neck.

  I quickly put my hand over the scar. “Mind your own business. If you’re trying to run me off by being a dick, it’s not going to work. I know who you are and what you’re like, Mr. Avery. You like to work alone, I get that, but being an arrogant fool isn’t going to help us solve the case. You need to work with me on this one.”

  “I am, or at least I’m trying to. We’re supposed to be lovers. I don’t see how that’s going to work, considering you hate my guts.”

  I rolled my eyes. “If you read the complete file you’d see I’m actually going to be your companion. I fooled you earlier didn’t I?”

  He pursed his lips. “Don’t you know how dangerous this is going to be? When we get on the inside, you’ll be the target.”

  I shrugged. “That’s the plan. I’m willing to put myself on the line for this.”

  “Why, because it’s your job?” His piercing stare bore into mine.

  “I have my reasons. Now can we get to work? We have a lot of ground to cover.”

  Throwing the covers off, he got out of bed stark ass naked. “Sure, but I should probably get dressed first.”

  Holy shit. Mouth gaping, I watched him walk out of the room. What had I gotten myself into?

  “Ariel, let’s go,” he called.

  I finished the last touches of my makeup that ended up being about an inch thick and stuck my head out the bathroom door. “Are you seriously going to call me that?” When I got a good look at him, my breath caught. He was dressed in a suit with a pair of aviators hanging out the breast pocket. Why are all the hot guys such douchebags?

  “If you don’t like it you know where the door is.” He smiled wide, daring me to leave.

  “Nah, it’s cool. I’ll just call you Lester.” I stepped back into the bathroom. “I’m not going anywhere, so you can stop trying to push me away.”

  “We’ll see about that,” he murmured low, probably thinking I couldn’t hear him.

  Sighing, I glanced at myself in the mirror. My hair was perfectly coifed and my black dress hugged my curves. Going undercover as a prostitute wasn’t what I would’ve chosen on this case, but it was the only card I had to play. “Here goes nothing,” I mumbled.

  When I walked out, Jason’s jaw clenched and instead of acknowledging me, he went straight for the door, opening it wide. He had both of our bags draped across his shoulder, and when I tried to grab mine, he gripped it tighter. Rolling my eyes, I strolled past him toward the elevator and pressed the button.

  “Are you ready for this?” he asked.

  I snorted. “I’m always ready. You?”

  The elevator door opened and he followed me in, dropping our bags to the floor. Snaking his arm around my waist, he pulled me in close. I tried to stop from shivering and failed. He chuckled and slid his hand lower, but I knew what he was up to. Instead of removing his hand, I stood there, smirking.

  “Very good, firecracker. I guess you are ready. Now what are you going to do if I do this?” He caged me in and backed me up against the wall, pressing his body into mine. His lips were so close I could feel his breath on my neck.

  “I told you I’m fully dedicated to this case. I knew what I was going to have to do with you. It’s a small price to pay.”

  “And with the men we investigate . . . are you prepared to fuck them too?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “I have my own agenda for them. And let’s get this straight, I have no plans on fucking anyone while I’m here.”

  “Why not, you married?”

  “No.”

  “Boyfriend?” he asked.

  “Why do you want to know?”

  He shrugged. “Don’t want him trying to kick my ass after he finds out what we’ve done together.”

  “And what exactly is that?”

  He smacked my ass and winked. “You’ll see.” The elevator doors opened and we stepped out into the lobby, his arm securely around my waist, with our bags hanging on his shoulder. A black limousine waited for us outside. Jason guided me toward the door as the driver opened it. “In you go.” I slid in and he joined me, his thigh brushing mine. “Caesar’s Palace,” he commanded to the driver.

  Jason pressed a button to lift the privacy window. “All right, let’s quickly go over everything. Whatever you do, do not go anywhere out of my sight. I want to keep my eyes on you the entire time.”

  “Same goes for you. No horny waitresses, no corner prostitutes, no escorts. I need to make sure you don’t get distracted.”

  He chuckled. “Baby, I don’t have to pay for sex. But now that I have you helping out, I might be able to squeeze in some fun time.”

  “By all means. Just make sure you go somewhere else and not in our room.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m going to get us a suite with two rooms. That way we don’t bother each other.”

  “As long as they have noise deadening walls, I’m good to go.”

  “So you’re a screamer then?”

  “What? I was talking about—” I shook my head. “Never mind.”

  His laugh made my teeth clench. “Looks like I made someone blush. I think it’s kind of sexy.”

  I huffed. “All you’ve done is made my trigger finger twitchy. Keep it up and I’ll be working this case alone.”

  The driver dropped us off at Caesar’s Palace and before checking out the casino, Jason reserved us the penthouse suite. It was huge with two bedrooms, the epitome of luxury and elegance.

  “You must’ve earned some serious money while you’ve been out here.”

  He chuckled. “You have no idea. Pick which room you want and I’ll take the other. I made sure they were on opposite ends so you couldn’t hear the screams of pleasure about to ensue. Wouldn’t want you to get jealous.”

  “Jackass,” I mumbled under my breath. “Doesn’t matter much to me.”

  “And then once you’re settled we’ll have to work out a system.”

  “For what?”

  “Like hanging a sock on the door knob when you’re horny and looking for a little of this.” He gestured down his body.

  “Oh, good grief. That will never happen. Ever.”

  “Just remember . . . if you ask me to, I’m willing.” He turned and walked away, shaking his butt before disappearing into the second bedroom.

  As good looking as Jason was, I would never look at him that way. When working on a mission, it wasn’t a good idea to get physically involved with a partner. That led to certain emotions and those types of feelings weren’t good in life or death situations.

  I walked into the first bedroom and set my bag down. I wasn’t there to enjoy the scenery. Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the bedroom and straight to the bar. There was an assortment of liquors so I poured myself a vodka shot and downed it.

  “Take it easy, killer. I don’t want you getting too comfortable with the fellas tonight.”

  I snorted. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ve seen pictures of the men we’re investigating. The liquor is to help me see them in a new light.”

  “You did pretty well with me earlier,” he noted. He stood in front of me as I poured another shot.

  “It’s all part of the job. Besides, I knew you.”

  “I see. So you think you know me, huh?”

  “Well, maybe not really know you, but everyone in the field has heard your name. You have a reputation.”

  Pouring himself a shot of whiskey, he held the gl
ass to his lips. “And what’s said about me?” he asked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

  I tossed my shot back and cringed when it went down. “Stuff I’m sure you already know. You’re a smooth talker, like breaking the rules, and a master manipulator. Not to mention you’re a complete pain in the ass. I’ve also noticed you get angry when you don’t get what you want. Some would call that temper tantrums.”

  “It looks like you have me all figured out. It’s a shame I don’t know much about you.”

  “Like you care anyway. I seem to recall you trying to get rid of me.”

  He winked. “I still am. You ready to go?”

  I set my glass down and waved toward the door. “After you.”

  I didn’t want to be a dick, but dammit to hell, I was pissed. Even with all the work I’d done on the case, I knew without a doubt the FBI would take all the credit for solving it. The file was what really got me going. I didn’t like people telling me what to do. It was my idea to hire Aylee in the first place, not knowing she was a fucking FBI agent. That was all me.

  Seeing the way she handled my bullshit, there was no way I was going to be able to get rid of her. It was fun trying, even though I felt like a douche putting the moves on her when I knew she was only letting me touch her to prove a point. I couldn’t deny the attraction I felt. Not only was she sexy as fuck, but she was strong and totally not interested. I had yet to meet anyone like her.

  “Where do you want to start?” she asked, gazing around the casino.

  Her body fit perfectly into my side as I held her close. “Have you ever been in a casino before?”

  She shook her head. “I’m from Maine. The only casinos we have are in Oxford and Bangor. It’s not exactly my cup of tea.”

  “I didn’t know you were from Maine.”

  “That’s because you’ve been too busy messing with me to ask. Have you ever been there?”

  “No, but I’ve always wanted to visit the state. Unfortunately, nothing ever happens up there that needs my attention.”

  “Why do you think I live there? Okay, where do you want to start?” She glanced up at me, all business.

  “Why don’t you play tonight?”

  Her eyes went wide. “Me? Are you insane? I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”

  Grabbing her hand, I pulled her with me and bought her a thousand dollars in chips. “It’s easy. I’ll show you what to do.”

  “I can’t spend this,” she gasped, refusing to take them. “I’ll get my own.”

  I pushed them toward her and chuckled. “Tonight’s on me. Let’s just say it’s an apology for being a dick.”

  “What if you’re a dick tomorrow? Does that mean you’ll give me two grand?”

  I winked. “Only if you promise to win it back.”

  “What if I don’t?”

  I leaned down and whispered in her ear, placing my hands on her bare shoulders. “Then you’ll owe me.”

  “Or,” she murmured low, tilting her head to the side. “I can just kick your ass. What happens if I earn your money back and then some?”

  “Then I’ll stop fucking with you. But you’re more than welcome to try and kick my ass. You’ll have to do it in that dress though.”

  Snickering, she started toward the Blackjack table. “You are so gonna regret saying that.”

  “Oh yeah? How come?”

  Looking back at me, she grinned wide. “You’ll see.”

  Taking a seat at the table, she was up against two other men who couldn’t stop making side glances at her. I wasn’t the only one enamored. The best part was she didn’t even notice the attention. She put her chips on the table and waited for the first card; it was a four of spades. I waited on her to ask me for guidance, but she didn’t. She tapped the table for another card, and then another, smirking at me over her shoulder.

  Kneeling down, I put my arm around her chair. “You dirty little liar. You know exactly what you’re doing, don’t you?” She won the match and pocketed an extra two hundred dollars.

  “Of course, I do. I’d have been stupid not to. So stand back and watch how it’s done. After tonight, you’re going to get over yourself and work with me. Deal?”

  She held out her hand. The girl was sly, I had to give her that. Her trick reminded me of something I’d do. Taking her hand, I pulled her to me. “Deal. But sooner or later you’re going to play against me. Let’s see how you do then.”

  For the rest of the night, Jason watched me go from table to table, winning some and losing some. Luckily, I was able to earn over a thousand dollars. The only downside was that none of the men we’d been searching for visited the casino.

  “Where do you think they are?” I asked, getting into the elevator. “These men are well-known. Surely, someone at these casinos knows them.”

  “I have no doubt, but we can’t go around asking questions. We don’t want anyone getting suspicious. It’s not something we can risk right now.”

  “What about tailing them?”

  The elevator door opened. “Tried that, didn’t work. I’ve even ridden by the ranch where the girls live. It’s like the playboy mansion on steroids. I’m sure any woman would sell her body to live there. The only way you get in, is if you pay. And I’m not talking just a hundred dollars.”

  “How much?” I asked.

  We got to our suite and walked in. “Five grand. You also get a sample of the product. I think I had a choice between a hand job or getting my dick sucked.”

  I scoffed. “Are you serious? How do you know this?”

  He rolled his eyes. “I called and asked.” Then he winked. “But don’t worry, I have no desire to be with a woman who’s had her mouth on ten thousand dicks.”

  I snorted. “A little hypocritical aren’t we? I’m sure you’ve had your cock in a fair share of women.”

  Loosening his tie, he sat down on the couch, smirking. “You’re right, I have, but a guy has to have some sort of standards. Besides, I think I’m starting to prefer the unattainable. I don’t like having things handed to me.” He gazed at me like I was an obstacle that needed to be conquered, but I didn’t back down.

  “Neither do I, but if you’re referring to me you might as well get your jollies at the whorehouse, because you will never get any of this.” I pointed to myself.

  “Then I guess it’s a shame the ranch isn’t open for business.”

  “Thank God for that,” I mumbled.

  Turning on the television, Jason sat there with a smile on his face. I hated that he enjoyed tormenting me. What I really wanted to do was beat the shit out of him, but the last thing I needed was for him to know he could get under my skin. Instead of continuing the conversation, I started for my bedroom and slammed the door shut. I kicked off my high heels and peeled off the skin tight dress. I hated wearing dresses and I abhorred wearing a lot of makeup. Give me a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and I’d be happy.

  After scrubbing the shit off my face, I hopped in the shower and sighed. My muscles were tense and loosened once the hot water ran over my skin. I don’t know how long I stayed in there, but my fingers were shriveled prunes by the time I got out. There was no sound coming from the living room, so I dressed in a pair of pajama pants and a T-shirt before quietly opening my bedroom door. Once I saw the room was dark, I tiptoed to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

  “You look different.”

  Gasping, I grabbed my chest and turned around. Jason flipped on the lights and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. “You scared the shit out of me,” I hissed, reaching for a bottle of water and slamming the refrigerator closed.

  “Sorry, I heard your footsteps.”

  “No, you didn’t. You were being a creeper. There’s no way in hell you heard me.”

  Chuckling, he sat down and patted the stool beside his. “You’re right, I didn’t. I couldn’t sleep.”

  Now that my heart stopped racing, I sat down and watched him take a bite of his apple. “So I look different, huh?
Good or bad?”

  He chewed his apple, smiling wide. “Good. You’re much prettier without all that shit on your face.” Lifting his finger, he traced it over my cheeks. “Your freckles are cute.”

  “Cute?” I scoffed, slapping his hand away. “Do you have any idea how many times I hear that crap? It’s annoying and makes me feel like a child.”

  “Believe me, you don’t look like one. I wouldn’t be wasting my time on you if you did.”

  “You’re already wasting your time. The only action you’re getting from me is a job well done. That’s it.”

  He took another bite of his apple, smiling. “I’ll take any job you’re willing to give me. It’s better than nothing.”

  The man was insufferable. “I take it you don’t have a girlfriend waiting on you back home.”

  Tossing the rest of his apple into the trash, he wiped his hands on his shorts. “Nope. I’m too busy to date.”

  I understood that all too well. “Tell me about it. When I’m not away on missions, I help my uncle and his partner with their bed and breakfast. It’s nice to get that time away with the stuff we do.”

  “Escape from what?” he asked, moving to the couch.

  I followed him into the living room and sat in the chair across from him. “Do you even care to know?”

  His smile faded. “You won the deal and I promised I’d get off your case about leaving. I never said I’d stop fucking with you. It’s who I am and what I do. You just have to get over it. On the other hand, you’re basically my partner. Your wellbeing depends on me and vice versa. I think it’s time we establish some trust. I may joke about your hot pussy, but that doesn’t mean I’m trying to get in it.”

  I blushed at the ease in which he said the word pussy. “Easier said than done. I’ve put my trust in other agents before and suffered the consequences. I know not to make that same mistake again.”

  “What happened?”

  “It’s not really something that’s easy for me to talk about.” I leaned over on my elbows and yawned.