Close to Perfect Read Free Page B

gun?”
    â€œAll the time.”
    Josh struggled for a moment, then let his gaze trickle back down her. Where in the world could she have concealed a weapon in that outfit? The suit fit her nearly as well as skin. As far as Josh could tell, the only thing pushing against that fabric were curves that were supposed to be there.
    At last, he glanced at her thighs. Was it possible that she was sporting a gun in a frilly garter? Did bodyguards do that? Did ex-cops?
    His brows lifted as he considered that. Maybe that’s why she had that slit on the side of her skirt, instead of in the back. Maybe she reached beneath that slit to pull a weapon out when she needed it.
    Amazing, but nice. Josh figured even the most hardened criminal would definitely notice that frilly garter and her sleek, tanned thigh, whether she was pointing a fucking cannon at him or not.
    â€œAnd you have credentials to prove this?” Alan asked.
    â€œProve what?” Josh asked. Hell, had he spoken his thoughts aloud?
    â€œIt’s all in here,” Tess said. She waved the envelope in her hand as she went to Alan.
    Josh followed.
    Her gaze noted that, before she looked at him.
    Josh looked right back.
    Tess’s brows lifted before she turned to Alan.
    Once the envelope was in his hand, the attorney gingerly pulled papers from it as if they might be hooked to a bomb. After he glanced at the first, he actually smiled. “Ah, well this explains everything.”
    Josh craned his neck to see whatever had amused Alan. The man rarely smiled, so this was a problem. Already Josh liked Tess far too much to be disappointed by whatever she had brought.
    â€œYour resume,” Alan finally added. “How fortuitous that you thought to bring it.”
    â€œYou know it really is,” she said in a surprisingly agreeable voice. “Until I get coverage in a tabloid, I’ll just have to rely on my resume, now won’t I?”
    Joss laughed. Tess looked at him.
    He cleared his throat. “Give me that,” he said to Alan.
    As Josh bent his head to her resume, he again caught her powdery scent. It was on these papers and that envelope; it filled this room.
    Inhaling deeply, he forced himself to concentrate. After a moment and some quick math using her dates of employment, he figured she was twenty-eight.
    The resume didn’t indicate whether she was involved with anyone. Of course, she wasn’t married, Josh had already checked for a wedding ring.
    â€œIf you’ll look at the second page,” Tess said, “you’ll see I’ve successfully completed FBI training programs.”
    No shit? Josh looked at her, then right back down, really reading her resume this time.
    It was surprisingly impressive.
    She had been a police officer for six years prior to working for Privacy Dynamics, Inc., a firm offering celebrity and VIP protection, private investigations, background checks, and a whole slew of other services, including witness protection and relocation.
    Damn. Josh hoped this tabloid thing didn’t come to that.
    He glanced at her employer’s brochure, seeing that the firm had recently been launched and was headed by a man named Fred Franklin.
    Josh’s gaze jumped up.
    Tess’s gaze was on his chest. She was moistening her lips again.
    Okay, so Fred probably wasn’t a current or ex-husband, not with the way she was looking at his chest, and how she had previously looked at his tabloid photos. Could be this Fred was an uncle or her dad.
    Josh wondered how the man had known he needed a bodyguard, unless Fred just figured he’d give it a shot by sending his lovely daughter or niece over here to sell him a contract.
    Smart man.
    Josh returned his attention to her resume, nodding in approval to those commendations she had accumulated during her short time on the force. One was for bravery in the line of duty, several were for civic activities, and others were for her excellence in firearms and