Page 1 of The Female Warrior & The Charming Gentleman

Chapter

One

Jarom Love eased openthe door of his suite and sauntered in. His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he allowed himself to ignore it for the moment. It had been a basic night at a lackluster party with bodyguards surrounding him instead of enjoying his own friends. Playing the role of an endangered man had really cramped his style. He always ate up the flirtations of his crowd of adoring women, but being a target was wearing on him and the empty flirtations had been more of an annoyance than a distraction tonight. He’d wondered lately if his mother was right and he needed to find the ‘right woman’ who didn’t care about his ‘pretty boy’ face and billions of dollars.

As he traversed his suite, he imagined he felt an outside breeze of crisp autumn, pine, and falling leaf air. Though it was a beautiful October evening in Aspen, Colorado, his security wouldn’t allow an open window. They were too concerned about Benjamin Oliver plucking Jarom out from under their iron fists.

So the infamous scoundrel wanted him dead? He was over the drivel.

Jarom signed. He was the lackluster one, not the party or the ladies. Hiding from a criminal was exhausting. He’d rather face the man than hide from him. If the famed Aiden Porter was so high and mighty, why didn’t he capture Benjamin? All Jarom had done was a simple favor for his good friends Captain Eli and Livvy Grant, pretending to be engaged to Elizabeth Oliver for one evening to protect her from her father. Little had he known his moment of chivalrous bravery would throw his life into such upheaval.

“Low lights,” Jarom said, wrenching his tie off and unbuttoning his dress shirt on his way to his closet. He’d designed this shirt, his pants, and dozens of other men’s wear items. His team had worked out the details, manufactured, and marketed his creations.Love Designer Wearwas all the rage and more expensive than Brioni.

He stopped short, eyes widening in surprise as he rumpled his Stefano Ricci tie in his hand.

An exquisitely gorgeous brunette lounged in an overstuffed chair by the unlit fireplace and open patio doors. That explained the fresh breeze but raised more urgent questions. How did those doors get opened and how did this woman get past his security?

He should hold down the buttons on his cell phone or call out to bring security in. He found himself frozen, staring in awe at the beauty smiling up at him.

She wore a black fitted T-shirt and tights, reclined with her legs crossed as if she were wearing a sultry evening dress and heels. Her face was smooth and naturally tanned, with high cheek bones, full pouty lips, and unique molten-gold eyesframed by thick lashes.

She arched a perfect eyebrow and said, “Jarom Love. I know it is with great pleasure that you cast your eyes on my unparalleled beauty.” She smiled. There was an angelic innocence about her face that may have been a front. That smile and the flash of humor in her eyes … she was mischievous, knew how to get what she wanted, and no one had better dare to stop her.

He’d never been so intrigued by a first glance.

“And who should I thank for the blessing of such a pleasure?” he asked. It was quite possible she was an assassin sent by Benjamin Oliver. Why, then, did he find himself enchanted by her golden eyes and doing nothing to save his own life?

“Are you certain it’s a blessing? Or do I come from the devil himself?” Her smile was sarcastic now. It was clear she enjoyed taunting him.

“Ah, love.” His smile matched hers. “You are far too beautiful to be created by purgatory.” His words were smooth as always, but he didn’t mean them. Beauty didn’t denote sweetness. He’d learned that lesson dating a wide variety of women.

“Beauty is very deceiving. Especially yours.”

Jarom wasn’t certain how to respond to that. He was a man and preferred handsome, but the entertainment news writers and social media influencers loved to spout about his ‘beautiful face and body’, naming him the world’s most eligible bachelor at different times and in various publications. ‘Prettiest Hot Man on Earth’ and ‘Most Handsome Pretty Boy’ were terms that had been thrown around quite often.

He stood with his chest out, shoulders straight, one hand casually in his pocket, leaning slightly forward, intent on his beautiful intruder. Noticing his posture, he realized he stood in the same position as the one that appearedin many of those very magazine and blog articles. A very James Bond type of look that came naturally to him.

His intruder stood. He should’ve backed up or yelled for help. One of his own security guards or the guards assigned to him by Aiden Porter would surely come running.

Instead he stared, his jaw slack. Jarom had met thousands of appealing ladies and dated hundreds. He was no stranger to an angelic face. Still, he was mesmerized by the confidence this woman radiated. Her dark clothing outlined a fit body and curves that any man would appreciate, but it was the way she held herself that enthralled him. She would and could triumph over anyone and would take delight in the victory. Whether that was only mental superiority or physical as well remained to be seen.

The media assumed he only had ‘pretty boy’ muscles and ‘billionaire bravado’, but Eli had been working with him for over a year now to teach him how to defend himself. This woman was half his size. He didn’t know if any of his skills would work against her and wasn’t certain he wanted to find out. Especially because he wanted to be putty in her hands.

He reminded himself to hold his erect posture. He couldn’t let down his guard.

“Why have I been honored with this visit?” he asked, watching for her to throw a hidden knife through his heart or spring at him and attempt to break his neck. Eli always praised his lightning-fast reaction time when they sparred, but could he save his own life tonight if he needed to? He could feel the danger lingering in the air and his heartbeat was off the charts. He might be in mortal peril. It was the most excitement he’d had since Benjamin Oliver’s men had tried to kill him a few months ago and he’d been placed on security arrest. No fun activities,and anything he did he had a plethora of ‘wingmen’ who didn’t understand the meaning of the word and didn’t blend in well at a party.

She smiled sweetly. “We’ll get there.”

“How did you get in, love?” He had to know. “I’m under Aiden Porter’s protection from the nefarious Benjamin Oliver. Do you work for that cad?”

“Which one?” She laughed at her own joke.

Anticipation of how things would shake out if she attacked him had his entire body tense. He prepared himself for defense, even as he couldn’t bring himself to be afraid of her. There was something mesmerizing about those golden eyes and her innocent-looking face. She put him under a spell, and he was happy to be there. That should concern him more than anything. It didn’t. He’d rather live life than hide behind his bodyguards. Especially if he could live life flirting with this woman.

“I threw a grappling hook over the patio railing and climbed up.” She tilted her head to the open doors to the right and didn’t answer his second question.

Slowly approaching him, a tiger on the prowl, she had a secretive smile that made his pulse race and his palms sweaty. He should be apprehensive about his own safety. Instead, he wondered who this fabulous lady was. Jarom was loved by many women and returned their ardor, but he’d been searching for a challenge and his mom was constantly praying for the right angel for him. He’d never seen the likes of this would-be assassin. She was clearly a challenge, but he doubted she was an answer to his mother’s prayers.

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