Taking the Bait: An ARC Operatives Romance Read Free Page A

butterfly in stilettos.
    Nicolai was standing by the mirror at the door, straightening his tie and then fastening his cufflinks before he turned to look at her. An odd frown crossed his face before vanishing, and she clutched a little tighter at the beaded and fringed purse that was tangled in her one hand. During training he’d alternated between joking around with her and giving her the cool-silent treatment, and never once had he even flirted with her despite his reputation for being a total man-whore. If he made a practice of eye-fucking everything with legs, that moment in the bedroom where he’d eyed her up as she put on her makeup had been the first she’d seen of it being directed at her. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it either, since they had a job to do, and personas to fill, he was probably just getting a jump start on their whole love-you-hate-you marriage facade. He lifted a long velvet box off the black-marble counter and flipped it open. Inside a single strand of diamonds set in a matching rose-gold to her ring lay on a bed of cream silk, and he lifted it out with gentle fingers, mindful of the hidden camera and microphone contained within the centre diamond. He motioned for her to turn.
    “Really? I’ve been dressing myself for at least 23 years, I think I can handle-” her words cut off with a yip when he blurred and was behind her, pulling the necklace around her neck and fastening it.
    “I am faster,” he said, and for the second time that evening (and what she hoped would be the last), the skin on the back of her neck shivered and tingled at his nearness. It was annoying.
    “Fine, got it. Fast. Let’s go, at a more leisurely pace though. I’m not ripping my dress unless we’re making a grand escape.” She moved to the door, but of course he was there already, opening it for her and offering her his arm. At the first hint of light from the hall, she fell into her role, and clasped her hand lightly on his forearm. He smiled down at her, pouring on the charm, and she didn’t have to act with the way her body was warming just in his presence. He was damn good at his job, had the smoulder of a husband in his eyes and everything. He lead her out, the door clicking shut behind them as they made their way to the elevators.
    “Let us try to enjoy ourselves this weekend, darling,” he said smoothly, voice a low purr as another couple approached from down the hall. He reached out to press the button, and smiled at the elderly gentleman and his very young wife that met them there. Daria thought the girl was younger than her, and wondered for one ridiculous moment if her older husband had traded in for a newer model (most definitely given the size of the rock on the woman’s finger), and if looking at her and Nicolai made him think of his first wife who had been long discarded. She must’ve clenched her hand on Nicolai’s arm, because he shot her a look, his eyebrow barely raising in concern. She loosened her grip as the elevator came.
    “I love your dress,” gushed the other woman suddenly as they stepped into the elevator. “It’s a Temperly, right? I adore them. Eldrich says he may as well buy shares in their parent company what with all the money I’ve been giving them, he might get some cash back from the dividends.”
    Daria smiled at her blandly, and looked down, skimming a finger over one of the longer paillettes draped over the curve of her hip. The woman’s husband eyed her for a moment and then glanced at Nicolai with an amused and patronizing expression as the floors ticked down.
    “Oh, this thing,” Daria said with a bored sigh, “it was a surprise for our six month wedding anniversary.” She petted loosely at Nicolai’s chest with her fingertips, as if she didn’t care to touch him all that closely. As they exited the elevator, Nicolai murmured in her ear, just loudly enough for the other man to hear,
    “It would have looked better on the bedroom floor than on you, if