Collide Into You: A Romantic Gender Swap Love Story Read Free Page A

Prim and Proper happened to move in.
    I smile as I recall how red Keira’s face had become when I opened the bedroom door to find out what was going on and she witnessed the full glory of my manliness. I’m shocked she could even look me in the eye this morning.
    But, at the moment, I really don’t want to be thinking about Keira Holtslander.
    “Who am I being loaned out to this time?” I pull out a notepad, ready to take notes. Normally, I have a few weeks to prepare for such a role. LouAnn won’t throw me in willy-nilly.
    “Johnson Brookshire’s office. I’ve heard a—”
    This wasn’t good. I stand up abruptly, interrupting LouAnn. “Wait a minute now. Johnson Brookshire hates my guts, LouAnn, and you know it.”
    “The president of Brookshire Mierkle has never verbalized his feelings for you one way or the other, Dillan. Admittedly, dating his daughter wasn’t your brightest idea. If you’ll remember, everyone, including the janitor, advised you against it.”
    I run a hand through my hair. “Are you trying to get me fired? Are you unhappy with me for any reason?”
    LouAnn chuckles. “Stop acting like a girl, Dillan. This isn’t about you, it’s about me. Now sit down, because what I’m about to tell you is confidential.”
    I sit down. “I’ll never break your confidence, LouAnn. I hope you know that.”
    “Why do you think you’re still with me all these years later, kiddo? I’ve heard a rumor that Johnson is retiring this summer. The board of directors will take into account my seniority as well as my thirty-five-year tenure with the company, but I know deep in my gut that Johnson will not select a female. He’ll go for one of the other vice presidents. Probably that asshole Terry Richmond from the New York office. I know I should have taken up golf in order to schmooze with the bosses, but the only balls I’ve ever wanted to hit were the ones between their legs.”
    I clear my throat and cross my legs. “You want me to go in and convince him you’re the right person for the job?”
    “That’s the end state, yes, but first I need you to convince him that you’re not such a douche bag for dating and then dumping his daughter. No offense, but you are sort of a liability right now, and I’d like you clean up your own mess.”
    “That’s harsh, LouAnn.”
    “You’ll get nothing but the truth from me, Dillan. Johnson doesn’t know I know. He thinks you’re coming in to help with a new client in our federal business sector. Apparently there’s hostility with, or maybe from , this client, I’m not sure, but Johnson was pleased with your performance in Senator Murphy’s office. Johnson thinks he’s ‘reassigned’ you, but in reality, I put a tickle in the right ear and ‘offered’ you. Naturally, Johnson assumes he came up with the idea. I have no intention of disagreeing with this assessment.”
    “When do I infiltrate his office?”
    “I like how you think.” She hands over an accordion-style packet. “One week. Take that time to do research on the client and the Brookshire Mierkle team handling the account. If anyone can tame the beast, it will be my son , Dillan Pope.” LouAnn did finger quotes around the word son .
    I couldn’t hold in a bark of laughter.

Chapter Three

    Keira

    T HANK GOODNESS S TAFF S ERGEANT J USTIN Hauten is a patient man, because it takes me twenty-five minutes to find the office. I think about the things I can normally complete in that time. I could run three miles. I could cook a fairly decent dinner. I could take a nice bubble bath. I could have sex, twice.
    I’m a little flush, and embarrassed, when Justin introduces me to the rest of Colonel Benson’s team. Benson is one of the Chief of the Army’s military assistants. General MacWilliams has five military assistants. One is a one-star general, two are colonels, one is a command sergeant major, and the last one is Justin. I’ve never heard of a junior enlisted advisor before, and Justin