Read Under His Cover-nook for Free Online Page A

way.” What did they want from him? He sure hoped Jade found out soon.
    “In my line of business,” she said, scooting a little farther away from him. “I’ve learned unless you find out the who, what, when, where and why before the axe falls, you’re liable to end up with a knife in your back, sometimes literally. And it won’t be pretty.”
    Even though he realized the damage that could be done to his family if the truth behind Maya’s identity got out, right now, the only thing on his mind was Jade. “You plan to talk about anything else tonight?”
    “I thought that was the reason you hired me. The reason you wanted me to join you tonight.”
    He relaxed his arm on the seat behind her shoulders, unwilling to let her get too far away. “And you can’t think of any other reason I’d ask you out tonight.”
    She visibly swallowed. “No, I can’t.”
    “You’re a beautiful woman, Jade. We shared a wonderful night together. Are you sure you can’t think of any reason?”
    Her eyes shifted from fear to wonder to apprehension, then the shutters came down on her expression. Silence stretched between them. Just as he opened his mouth to tell her exactly why he asked her to join him, the car came to a stop. She didn’t even wait for the driver to open the door.
    Rhys smiled and followed her out of the car, willing to let it go for right now. But soon enough, she’d know exactly why he hired her firm, specifically her, for this job.
     
    Though Jade had no idea where she was, she bolted out of the limousine. She didn’t even stop to see if Rhys was behind her as she stepped inside the hotel. What the hell had just happened in that limo? One moment they were talking about his case, the next he was insinuating he had ulterior motives for inviting her to this fundraiser. She stopped and raised her hands to her heated cheeks, unable to believe it. Could he actually still be interested in her?
    “Hey, slow down,” he said, sliding his arm around her waist.
    The moment he touched her, an invisible line of heat zinged right to her center. She stilled and looked down at it his hand lingering on her waist.
    “Lieutenant Governor,” a male voice called ahead of them. Relief swept through her. Surely, he wouldn’t try to continue the conversation he started in the car. And why hadn’t he removed his arm? He slid his hand to the small of her back and led her forward.
    “Senator Franklin,” he said. “How are you?”
    They were about twenty feet from a ballroom. Inside people milled about, champagne glasses in their hands. A slow, easy love song filtered out to them, as well as the smell of freshly cut flowers. In the middle of the dance floor she saw a couple twirl around. It was a wedding reception.
    The lobby was dimly lit with intimate seating arrangements of two or four chairs littered around the area. Several uniformed people stood at the desk, waiting to be checked in. With his other hand, Rhys reached out and gave the senator a firm handshake. An elevator door dinged in the distance.
    “And who’s your beautiful companion tonight?” he asked.
    Jade was almost flattered until she noticed the man wasn’t looking in her face. Instead, his gaze swept her from head to toe and back up again, and lingered on her chest. Dirt seeped into her pours and something akin to a snake slithered over her skin.
    Rhys didn’t seem to notice her reaction. “This is Jade Conner. She’s going to be my executive assistant while Kathy is on maternity leave.”
    Only an ingrained sense of respect for where she was and who she was with made Jade reach out and take his hand. He engulfed hers in both of his, his thumb lingered on her wrist. She resisted the urge to jerk it back. He was definitely going on her suspect list.
    “Nice to have you in the office,” he remarked, still not focusing directly on her face but in the area below her chin.
    The jerk.
    Finally, he released her. “You save me a dance now,” he said and