Page 39 of The Mastermind

Michelle elbowed me. “Would you date him if we can prove he can’t resist you? You’d make a fantastic-looking couple.”

That question had hovered in my brain. I looked at the pros and cons of this mission. What would I gain if Remi kissed me? I would know he was attracted to me and how wonderful his kiss would be. What if I failed? That would mean he wasn’t attracted enough to kiss me. It seemed like a clear-cut case, so why did it feel more complicated?

License to Kiss was to see if I was brave enough to go after something that scared me. In a sense, going forward with this mission was stepping into fire. I knew his reputation, yet I couldn’t help but wonder how his lips would feel on mine. I was playing with fire, knowing I could get burned.

I couldn’t share this with my friends. It was too private a decision. It was me discovering an aspect of myself Remi unleashed.

“That’s not the reason for License to Kiss, Agent Michelle. We’re only determining if he has the hots for me and if his kiss measures up to his looks.That’s all. Everything else isirrelevant. We should stay focused, my SSG 003.”

A burst of laughter erupted from a table beside us. An elderly lady with short white hair wearing a pink jacket exclaimed, “I still wonder if my husband has the hots for me.”

Her friend with the animal-print sweater laughed. “Maybe you need a ‘License to Thrill,’ Margaret . . . but be careful with his heart condition.”

“Don’t worry, Eleanor. My hips don’t shake like Elvis anymore.”

I clamped a hand over my mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. Kiera and Michelle giggled with embarrassment.

“Sorry, girls. We didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but your conversation sparked some excitement. Makes me want to role-play a secret agent for my husband tonight.” Margaret wiggled her eyebrows.

“Me too,” Eleanor said. “I have plans for my man. Thanks, girls.”

The ladies got up from their table and stepped over to ours, and Margaret leaned in toward me. “Go get him, dear. He’s a fool if he lets you escape.”

“Thank you.” When they left, I turned to my friends. “I love those ladies!”

“I hope we’re still that horny when we’re their age.” Michelle stared after them.

Kiera wiped tears from her face. “That had to be the best conversation I’ve ever had with strangers.” She faced me. “As for the idea of how or when to start our License to Kiss mission, I’ll leave that up to you, darling. This is your mission. You’re in marketing, so market yourself. Make him kiss you. Seduce him. Then tell us all about it, and don’t leave out any deets!”

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

AUDRI

For the next few days,work exhausted me, not giving me time to work on my jewelry. I was going to decline Grayson’s invitation to his BBQ, but after the unforgettable lunch date with my friends, I had a mission to complete. Agent Audri needed to seduce Remi into a kiss. I’d never done this kind of thing, so this was new territory.

I looked at the scenario from a fun perspective to make it less nerve-racking. In order for a kiss to happen, he and I had to be close.

So here I was standing in Grayson’s lovely back yard in late April, where the grass was a beautiful green, and the salty breeze from the Providence River freshened up the air.

Part of me wished Kiera or Michelle was here to help me move this mission along, but they had already left the city.

Like his housewarming party, he had invited people I didn’t know. He and Giselle wore aprons at the grill under an outdoor patio with a roof. I smiled when I noticed he was using the grill set I’d given him. The smell of sausages, chicken, and teriyaki steak filled the air, but I wasn’t hungry.

I studied Remi as he leaned against the wooden railing of the deck, talking to Royce. He wore a black knit shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms over light-washed jeans ripped at the knees. His long, lean body cut beautiful lines, dragging my gaze up and down. Holding a beer bottle with one hand while the other was tucked into his pocket, he looked more gorgeous than any man had a right to be, and my heart twirled like a carousel.

Remi and Royce went inside through the sliding door.

Someone shouted about sumo wrestling, and Grayson responded, “Why don’t you ask Audri? She looks bored. Am I right, Moy Moy?”

He always used the Chinese reference for “little sister” when he wanted to annoy me.

“I amnot.” I flicked him an irritated look. “Why don’t you pay attention to the grill, so we don’t have to spit out burned food?”

“Audri, that essential oil diffuser is the best. I unpacked it and placed it in his office.” Giselle bumped her hips with his.

“Thanks,” I said.

Remi came out of the kitchen, smiling at me while he chatted with some guy I didn’t know. When Remi had left that night, he looked angry, but the face staring at me now showed a relaxed man—a man in control. I hadn’t received any more random texts. I should tell him that, but Royce tapped my shoulder as he walked by, dragging two sumo wrestler outfits ready to be inflated for battle.

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