Page 2 of Boyfriend for Hire

Montez popped the locks on his dark gray Lincoln Navigator. Instead of getting in, he cast a glance at Kizzie’s door. He’d bet last month’s salary that she smelled great too.

A slow smile crossed his face. Only one way to find out.

Montez hit the key fob and locked his vehicle. Then he followed her inside.

2

Desiree let her eyes adjust to the dark interior. She had worked late at one of the Carolina’s Closet stores down the street, and since she wasn’t used to being on this side of town, she had asked about a place that served good food where she could purchase a late-night meal. The sales clerk recommended Kizzie’s Diner, but this wasn’t what she’d expected at all. She was getting more of a club vibe from the small place.

She marched up to the bar, and the attractive bartender immediately came over with a smile.

“What can I get for you, pretty lady?” he asked.

Her eyes drifted appreciatively over his exposed muscles in the vest.Your number, she thought.No. Food. That’s what she came here for.

“I’ll take a menu and a Long Island iced tea. Don’t skimp on the liquor.”

“It’s been that kind of week?” he asked, his eyes sparkling with humor.

“You have no idea,” Desiree responded.

They both laughed.

“I got you,” he said with a wink. He handed over a menu and then went to fix her drink.

Before she could peruse the choices, her eye caught movement at the door, and she saw the man from the parking lot enter. Huh. He’d said he was leaving. She watched with interest as he scanned the interior.

He was quite good-looking, with short hair, coppery brown skin, and a sexy beard that wasn’t too thick or bushy. It was low cut, the way she preferred, and circled his mouth, bringing attention to his lips. What was it about a beard on a man that made her long to toss aside good sense and open her arms—and her legs?

Her gaze traveled down his torso. He wore a dark jacket and Tiffany-blue shirt underneath. The outfit emphasized his physique. If a man’s tailor did a good job with his suit, it was hard to tell what kind of physique he had, but based on this man’s strong jaw and the way he moved, she knew that beneath those clothes was a sexy body she wouldn’t mind exploring.

He finally saw her, and their eyes locked on each other. Even in the dark interior, she caught the faint smile on his lips. He sauntered over, and her blood pressure rose at the way he moved. Slow and confident. Yeah, he knew he was the shit.

As he reached her side, the bartender placed the drink in front of her.

He looked at the stranger, and his eyebrows lifted. “You’re back.”

Mr. Confident flashed a smile, this time showing a little bit of teeth. Wow. She thought he was good-looking before, but now he was freaking gorgeous. The smile transformed his face, and her heart took off in her chest, beating rapidly with excitement.

“What can I get for you?” the bartender asked.

The stranger kept his eyes on her the entire time. “Nothing right now.”

His voice was silky smooth and sinfully dark, with a hint of playfulness around the edges.

When the bartender left, Desiree turned her body toward him and inhaled the pleasing sandalwood notes of his cologne.

“Well, hello again,” she said.

“You knew I would come in here,” he said.

Eyes widened, she laughed. “Honestly, I didn’t.”

“After you said ‘that’s too bad,’ what choice did I have?”

“I was making an observation,” she said with a one-shoulder shrug.

A man bumped her from behind, and she stumbled into Mr. Confident’s chest.

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