J. Lynn - Tempting the Bodyguard

Chandler knew the rules. He’d fucking written them.

He just didn’t always follow them.

Besides, he hadn’t technically been hired by Miss Gore, so what the fuck ever.

Picking up the card, a slow smile spread across his face. He wanted to say that it would’ve made a difference if she had hired him, but Chandler hadn’t made a habit of lying to himself before.

Why start now?

There was something about Little Miss Alana Gore that got to him, crawled under his skin, and had him acting worse than Chase and Chad combined. He didn’t know what it was or what it would mean, but he would find out.

Because unlike his brothers, when he wanted something, he didn’t fuck around and neither did he spend time bullshitting himself. When Chandler wanted something, he went right for it.

And he wanted Alana.

…

Every time Alana walked into her office at Images, she was reminded of exactly where she came from. What she had to overcome to get to where she was now. If Granny were still alive, she would’ve been proud—bitter as all hell, but she would’ve been proud.

Smoothing her hand across the polished oak desk, she inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. Nothing was going to screw this up.

The door to her office flew open and Ruby Baker stormed in, her blond hair sticking out at the temples. Her partner at the publicist firm was only a few years older than she was and had reminded Alana of a librarian, with her collared shirts and pressed linen pants. “We have a problem.”

Alana stiffened behind the desk. “What?”

“End-of-the-world scenario,” she said. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it. “We just got a call from a journalist at the Washington Post , inquiring about Dick in A Box.”

Her eyes widened as her stomach dropped. Okay. That could screw this up. She smacked her hands down on the edge of her desk. “How?”

“I don’t know.” Ruby strolled forward, slumped in the chair, and threw her arms up. “Everyone who knows about this has been either paid off, warned off, or suddenly sent off vacationing in the sunny tropics of Jamaica.”

“Someone had to have said something.” Alana cursed under her breath as she mentally sprinted through all those involved in the latest shenanigans. “I bet you it’s the maid. I told you she was going to be a problem. She has two kids she wants to put into private school. There’s money in this story.”

Ruby groaned.

Damn senators and their dicks all the way to hell and back.

Every publicist’s nightmare was getting saddled with a horny politician who had no control over what hung between his legs. Of course, Alana had been assigned to Senator Grant, along with Ruby and the last publicist. Key word being last , as in no longer worked for Images. This senator had been around the block a time or two when it came to scandalous activity.

Alana was a firm believer in the fact God and the Holy Ghost hated her.

Apparently the name Dick in A Box had came about two years ago, when the senator had his junk out underneath a FedEx box, giving one of his fake secretaries easy access. Someone in the office had played the Saturday Night Live skit and the name stuck.

“The reporter was asking about the call girl.” As Ruby continued, Alana swore wispy strands of hair further escaped the woman’s bun. “I deterred him, made up some bullshit lie about the senator hiring new staff for his house, but…”

“But now the Post will be watching him. Great. We need to talk to the senator.” Sighing, she felt like face-planting into the desk. “Rock. Paper. Scissors?”

A grin appeared on the woman’s face. “On the count of three.”

Alana had gone with paper. Ruby had picked scissors. It was official. The entire Holy Trinity hated her. She pushed back in her chair and bent, reaching for her purse.

Her phone rang, causing her to jump. There was no number on the caller ID, so it had to be an outside number. Picking up the receiver, she watched Ruby slide farther down in her seat. “Images. This is Alana Gore.”

“I prefer Miss Gore. Sounds like you want to punish someone when you say it.”

Holy shit. It was Chandler. She didn’t know about her punishing him, but she could totally picture him punishing her . Her cheeks felt hot, and across from her, curiosity marked Ruby’s face.

The gap of silence stretched out obnoxiously. “Alana, are you there?”

“Yes. I’m here. Sorry,” she blurted out, blinking several times. “You, uh, caught me off guard.” She wished she were alone, because he had to have discovered something. “What can I help you with?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“Yes,” he replied, voice low and smooth. “I want you.”

Her mouth rounded. He wanted her?

A deep chuckle sent a shiver down her spine. “You haven’t had lunch yet.”

For a moment, his words didn’t process, and then they did. How did he know she hadn’t had lunch? Her eyes darted to the clock on her monitor. “It’s three in the afternoon.”

“Some people have a late lunch.”

Painfully aware Ruby was listening, she tightened her fingers around the phone. “Already had lunch.”

“Liar,” came the quick reply. “So, what about dinner?”

Why in the hell was he asking her about dinner now? “Did you find anything out about what you’re looking into?”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Smothering a ripe curse, she smiled tightly at Ruby and then twisted sideways in her chair. “I will probably be working late tonight. And as you know, I’m at work right now, so I really shouldn’t be on the phone.”

“I’m at work and I’m on the phone.”

She squeezed her eyes shut as she bent over and reached for her purse again. “Well, you own your business. I do not.”

“True,” he replied, and then she heard him make a sound that had her stomach tightening. Was he stretching? Touching himself? “I spoke with Michelle Ward. She’s not the culprit. Still looking into it.”

She was totally picturing him touching himself now. Hand in his unbuttoned jeans, no shirt—he couldn’t be wearing a shirt in her fantasy—and his hand around his thickness, slowly stroking himself. A sharp pulse pounded between her thighs. Like a match thrown to gasoline, her body sparked alive. Her response startled her.

It also sort of thrilled her.

“Alana?” The way he said her name was as though he was tasting it on his tongue. “Did you hang up on me?”

“No. I’m just busy.” Busy picturing him masturbating. Her brain really needed to work itself out. She sat up, and once Ruby saw her face, her coworker frowned. “Thanks for the update. I’ll have to call you later.”

“I’ll call you.”

With that, there was a distinctive click and Chandler was gone. She slowly placed the phone back on the receiver.

“Who was that?”

She debated lying, but if he ended up working for her, she was going to be seen with him. Might as well get it out there now. “Chandler Gamble.”

Ruby nearly came out of her seat. “As in Chad Gamble’s brother, right?”

She nodded as she stood. “You know I worked with his brother a few months ago.”

“It’s what got you the job here.” Ruby stood, her green eyes twinkling. “So what were you doing talking lunch plans with him ?”

The way Ruby said “him” made her uneasy. She headed for the door. “I ran into him a few days ago, when I had car trouble, and he helped me out.”

“But that doesn’t explain lunch or dinner or why your face was red through the whole call.” Ruby ducked her, blocking the exit. “Are you seeing Chandler?”

Alana laughed. “No. We’re friends.” The word sounded lame even to her ears.