Secret Agent Boyfriend. Addison Fox

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СКАЧАТЬ heard it called more than once.

      A shockingly gorgeous stretch of land that spoke of money and promise, hard work and fierce ambition. His gaze drifted over the lush vista, the light scent of citrus wafting from the rolling hills full of grove after grove. Oranges and avocado, grapefruit and lemons.

      It was a far cry from the street gangs of LA or the more refined—yet no less devious—minds of Washington, DC.

      Which only reinforced the question he’d been asking himself since fielding a phone call from Kate Durant Adair O’Hara, former vice president and current whirling dervish.

      What had she gotten him into?

      While he respected the heck out of the former vice president—and he appreciated her belief in his abilities more than he could ever put to words—he still didn’t fully see how he could help her.

      But no amount of skepticism had put Kate off her plan.

      “What are you playing at, Mr. Winchester?”

      Landry had stilled at his rash comment, and while he’d expected the hostility, he hadn’t expected the cool, assessing look in her vivid blue eyes.

      Or the sudden realization that fake or not, no one would ever buy Landry Adair hanging off his arm.

      “Your aunt Kate wants me to look out for you.”

      “And what makes her so sure I need looking after?”

      Whatever momentary gain he had with his opening salvo faded as she collected herself, wrapped in an aura of predatory cool.

      Damn, but the woman was a looker. Tall—he’d put her around five foot ten to his six one—which gave him the unusual opportunity to practically look her in the eye without craning his neck. Her body was long and lean, lethal in its perfection.

      He contrasted that perfect form with memories of Sarah’s petite frame. They’d never quite fit, and he’d always felt like a giant standing next to her. He’d never have hurt her, of course, but he could never quite shake the feeling that he lumbered next to her small, pixie-like build.

      Shaking off memories of his ex-fiancée—memories that belonged in the locked box where he’d shoved them six months ago—he refocused on the here and now.

      And the very real fact that he needed to convince Landry Adair that it was in her best interest not only to cooperate with him, but to work with him, too.

      She brushed past him with her plate of food and took a seat at the large patio table. The morning sun beat down on her still-wet hair and he guessed at the shade he’d seen only in photographs. Dark layers, mixed with a refined blond.

      The fresh scents of citrus from the groves below enveloped him while something more potent mingled underneath. Lush and erotic with the lightest touch of honeysuckle.

      Landry.

      Heat still sparked under his skin where she’d brushed his arm, and he lifted his coffee mug for a sip, taking a moment to right himself.

       Focus on the job.

      It should have been easy, Derek knew. He’d been the job for so long he didn’t even remember how to be anything else.

      “Surely you’re not immune to what’s happened here. Your father’s killer is still on the loose.”

      Pain flashed in her eyes, electrifying those blue depths, before she laid down her fork. “You think to come into my home and scare me?”

      “I’m here to protect you.”

      She reached for a pair of sunglasses lying on the middle of the table and twirled the frame as she kept her gaze steady on his. “I’m a big girl, Mr. Winchester. I haven’t needed protecting for a long time.”

      A wholly inappropriate thought sliced through his midsection at her words. She was all grown-up, with a woman’s curves and a woman’s beauty. Although she’d put on a wrap, the swells of her breasts were visible through the dark V-neck, a greater temptation than when she’d worn only her swimsuit.

      Steeling himself against the temptation, Derek focused on why he was here. Whatever arguments she attempted to push his way, he’d deflect.

      For Kate.

      And for the very real chance to earn back a bit of the self-respect he’d lost over the past six months. He needed this job. And he needed some damn sense of purpose again.

      “You may want to rethink that, since you’ve never been up against a nameless killer or a missing-person’s case.”

      “Ah yes, family drama worthy of a nighttime soap.” She eyed him over the rim of her coffee mug, more amusement in her gaze than any trace of fear, before leaning forward. “Does my aunt Kate think my mother killed my father, too? That’s the prevailing wisdom, you know.”

      The urge to hold back was strong, but he went with honesty. For her own protection, Landry deserved at least that much. But on a deeper level, he sensed he’d gain far more by appealing to her inherent intelligence than placating her as he suspected too many others did. “She hasn’t ruled anything out. And your mother’s mad dash to Europe hasn’t put suspicious minds to rest.”

      “She’s also an easy target. Kate has never cared for my mother.”

      “From what little I’ve gathered, I’d say that’s a sport around here.”

      Derek saw the moment his words registered, her eyes going round in her face before the first genuine smile curved her lips. “Now that’s one you don’t hear every day.”

      “I’m not here to placate anyone. And I suspect I’d be rather bad at it if I tried.”

      Her smile faded, their moment of connection lost. “What else did my aunt say?”

      “She believes you’re all in danger, you especially. And she believes that danger won’t pass until the identity of your brother Jackson is discovered.”

      Landry settled back in her seat, the aggression fading from her shoulders. “Ah yes, the missing Adair heir. It’s all anyone can talk about.”

      If the past few days had shown him anything, it was that the Adairs knew how to keep to themselves. Yes, they had a legion of staff at their disposal, but they were a family that lived at the highest echelons of society. Babbling about their family business wasn’t in their nature. And he suspected that what conversation had gone on was done behind closed doors so even the servants couldn’t hear all the details.

      “No, it’s all you and your family can talk about. And it’s the real reason Kate asked me to come.”

      Her gaze roamed over his face, and he fought the urge to shift in his seat under that direct stare. Before she could say anything, he pressed on. “My expertise is missing-persons cases. It’s what I do for the FBI and I’m damn good at it.”

      Until recently.

      That admonition whispered like smoke through his mind, and he ignored it. Ignored that pervasive sense of СКАЧАТЬ