Page 7 of When He Plays

Oh, was that what he thought? Soft laughter rolled from her.

He blinked. Twice. And looked, for just a moment, spellbound.

Her hand rose and touched his jaw. She felt the prickle of stubble against her palm. “I’m afraid you don’t get to decide when we’re done. I’m here with you until my mission is complete.”

“You haven’t told me what the mission is.”

That would be because it was classified information, and Logan Sterling—one-time petty thief turned criminal mastermind turned hotel and casino magnate—he was not someone she was supposed to trust. He didn’t get classified intel. No civilians ever got classified intel, not on day one of the mission.

“It’s my life you’re invading,” Logan told her. “So you follow my orders.”

The valet attendant opened the door.

She and Logan were positioned close to one another. Intimately so. With her hand on his jaw. With his hand on her. It probably looked as if they were about to kiss. They weren’t. Kissing was not going to happen. She’d play the role of his assistant. She’d do her job. Get him to provide her with the access she needed in order to reach a certain twisted and depraved individual.

But she would make no promises to Logan. Certainly not about allowing him to shield her from his enemies. That just would not work at all.

Because the big plan was for her to attract major attention from one of his enemies. Not just attract that attention, but to become that man’s next potential victim.

Her hand slid away from Logan’s jaw. Her shoulders squared. “Is there anything else you need tonight, sir?”

His eyes glittered. She could hear the sound of voices beyond the vehicle, rising and falling. Car horns honked in the distance. Music played. For just a moment, as Logan stared at her, she thought he might say…

You.

Instead, he shook his head. “I’ll give you a week. Hell, maybe not even that long. Five days.”

There was no timeline on how long she worked undercover. She stayed in place until the job was done.

“Five days,” he repeated. “Before you run screaming from me. I am certain that I will drive you crazy by then.”

She exited the vehicle. As she climbed out, his hand released her wrist. Heat lingered against her skin, like a brand he’d put on her. “I won’t run screaming.”

He exited. Stood beside her. Tall and strong. Six-foot-three. An easy two hundred pounds of muscle. At least.

“We’ll just see about that,” he murmured.

“It takes a lot to make me scream.”

His sensual lips curled. “Trust me, I’m up for the challenge.”

And, for some reason, she felt the impact of that particular vow all through her body.

Logan Sterling is dangerous. Logan Sterling is trouble.

Logan Sterling…was going to be her companion for the foreseeable future.

This particular case might just turn into a nightmare.

Chapter Two

Her boss was naked in bed.

Correction, her pretend boss was naked in bed.

A big, king-size bed. Black sheets. Looked to be silk, black sheets. Not that she was spending a great deal of time focusing on the sheets. Her attention was mostly focused on the giant, naked man sprawled in the middle of the bed. His powerful shoulders. His muscled chest. His abs of steel. His big, saluting di⁠—

“Good morning, Charlotte.”