The Billionaire's Prize: Taken & Tempted: (Book 3 Billionaire Bodyguard Series) Read Free Page B

Hollywood or Victoria’s Secret?”
    Cade exhaled. “I’m not flying her to Denver to have sex with her. What kind of guy do you think I am?”
    “Do you really want me to answer that?” Mindy asked with a pleasant smile. “I was at the art gallery fundraiser we hosted last weekend, remember.”
    “I wish I could forget.” Within an hour of arriving, he’d lost count of how many women had slipped him their numbers. When Mindy announced who he was, as the patron of the event, an admiring circle of arm candy and gold diggers trapped him. He barely had a chance to talk to the important clients he’d invited. “I didn’t go home with any of those women. I swear to you.”
    She raised her eyebrows. “Why not?”
    “They’re all the same,” he muttered. “Besides, you should know me better than that.”
    With a shrug, she admitted, “Five months ago, you would have. Usually you handle the attention like a seasoned pro.” She tapped her pencil against her chin again, sizing him up. “Now that I think about it, you haven’t been yourself when it comes to your female entourage. What gives?”
    “I got bored. Can we go back to the shopping list, please?”
    “Our resident playboy has lost his mojo?” Her eyes glittered with interest. “Fascinating.”
    “Could you take off your journalist hat for a minute, and stay on subject?”
    She leaned toward him and whispered, “I think I know why.”
    “Can we stick to the damn list?” He didn’t care to discuss his recent disinterest in the dating game, mostly because he hadn’t pinned down the reason himself. He had more pressing problems weighing on him.
    She nodded as if confirming a thought to herself. “Your brother is married now. He’s about to acquire an instant family, three little adopted children to keep him busy at home. You’re feeling left out.”
    “I’m not feeling left out.” He ground his teeth. “I’m on edge because this week is the anniversary of my dad’s death, and I don’t need more guilt or blood on my hands. The list, Mindy .”
    She held up her hands to quell his anger. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
    “Yes, you did.”
    “Sorry, I can’t help it. Okay, back to the list.” She drew lines through the lingerie options. “What else?”
    “No, you’re right. Kylie will need the basics in that department.” He wouldn’t have considered the detail, and was glad he’d come to Mindy for help. “She’ll be here at the office with me part of the time, so a few suits wouldn’t hurt.”
    “Ah, I see. Trying to replace me.” She wrote down suits.
    “Never.” Physical pain shot through him at the notion. “I can’t live without you. Don’t take that out of context—you or Isaac.”
    “Wouldn’t dream of it.” She grinned. “But that’s a nice compliment. What else?”
    “Your call. Whatever you think she needs.”
    She peered at him with one eyebrow arched. “What’s her size?”
    Remembering back to the day they met, he thought a moment. He pictured Kylie in his mind like photographic recall. “She’s five-foot-five. Thirty six D cup. Waist size eight. Hips more generous, size twelve.”
    Mindy glanced at him like he’d morphed into a serial stalker. “And how on earth would you know that from one meeting with her?”
    “Not what you’re thinking.” He wasn’t going to delve into his first job as a carnival barker, when he spent his summers at the county fair guessing people’s weight and age. That period of his life seemed like eons ago.
    “Um…okay, budget?”
    “I’m not familiar with the word. Can you spell it?”
    Her smile widened. “Nice.” She tucked the unfinished list into her purse. “I’ll make sure you redeem yourself for yanking Kylie away from her life and all she holds dear to assuage your conscience.”
    Unable to argue with her blunt assessment, he spread his hands. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”
    She patted his arm. “I’m just giving you grief.”
    “Thanks. I