The Professional Read Online Free PDF Page B

friendliness, but the more time he spent talking to people, the more information he was likely to be able to gather. As this was his first assignment for Ranger Security, he wasn’t too keen on the idea of blowing it.
    The alternative had been working for his father—which really meant he’d be working for his grandmother—and that wasn’t an option. The autocratic old biddy was about as warm as an ice cube, as sweet as a persimmon and better at giving orders than some of his former commanding officers.
    And he was done taking orders.
    “Carl,” as he’d introduced himself, chuckled. “Foy’s quite a pip.”
    His companion nodded. “And our reigning Scrabble champion.” A hint of color bloomed in her lined cheeks and she patted her hair. “He’s certainly got a way with words.”
    Hmm, Jeb thought, suppressing a smile. Clearly this lady had been for a ride on Foy’s scooter as well.
    Carl scowled, his wiry brows knitting. “Come along, Martha. We should let the boy finish his dinner.”
    At thirty-two, he was hardly a boy, but Jeb didn’t take exception. The pair shuffled off, only to be replaced by another group. He smiled and nodded and repeated himself, and all the while his awareness of his mystery woman intensified, the compulsion to look at her causing a muscle ache in his neck from holding it in check.
    Sheesh, Jeb thought, determinedly taking a sip of his iced tea. What the hell was wrong with him? When he looked up, another person had stopped at his table. The woman was in her mid-fifty’s. Business casual dress, minimal jewelry and make-up. Short, no-nonsense hair.
    “Let me guess,” she said with an arch of a brow. “Foy’s notorious grandson?”
    Jeb chuckled. “Hardly notorious, but yes.” He’d guessed her identity as well. “Marjorie Whitehall?”
    She smiled. “That would be me. I’m the managing director, more affectionately known as the Drill Sergeant around here, but someone has to keep them in line.”
    He feigned a wince. “I don’t envy you that.” And based on what he’d seen so far, he really meant it.
    “Your grandfather certainly doesn’t make it easy, I can tell you that.” She paused. “To tell you the truth, it would be especially helpful if he’d stop selling his Viagra pills. Everyone here is on some form of medication and the potential for a harmful combination is very real.”
    Jeb blinked, not altogether certain what sort of response was required. “I—”
    “If you could have a word with him about it, I’d appreciate it.”
    Ah . He nodded. “Of course.” Like hell.
    She nodded her goodbye, then moved away and it was in that split second of unguarded disbelief at the turn this case had already taken—since when was he responsible for his faux grandpa’s sexual enhancement drug racket?—that his gaze inexplicably moved to her.
    The tug behind his navel jerked so hard it pulled the breath out of his lungs and, like a zoom lens, she loomed so clearly into focus that the rest of the room blurred. His mouth went bone dry and his pulse thundered in his ears as though he’d taken a shot of adrenaline directly into the heart. The forgotten fork in his hand clattered against the plate, revealing a slight tremor in his fingers.
    Bloody hell …
    He didn’t get it, could not understand what it was about her that elicited this singularly insane reaction. She looked exactly the same as she had minutes before—perfectly ordinary—and yet something about her kindled a fire in his loins faster than he’d ever experienced. Heat slithered along his dick, making it stir, and his groin tightened.
    She looked up then and caught him staring. The impact of her gaze when it met his made the hair on the back of his neck tingle, the soles of his feet vibrate and even more strangely, an odd sense of relief suddenly overwhelmed him, as though he’d found something presumed lost forever.
    Predictably, his cell vibrated at his waist, but he didn’t reach for it. No