Trained for Seduction

by Mia Downing

  “Really.” Charlotte narrowed that violet gaze on her, that English accent throaty and sexy. “A pleasure to meet you, love.”

  “Likewise,” Kate responded, not feeling the least bit pleasured at meeting her. She had never been sized up on the playground as a kid because she’d been homeschooled or had tutors. But Charlotte was obviously doing just that, weighing what Kate had to bring to the table or even what Kate had to bring to Chase’s bed.

  “Charlotte is here to be your playmate for the day. We’re going to see exactly how much you know, and Charlotte will be putting your skills to the test instead of me.”

  Jake couldn’t be serious. “I have to fight her?”

  The look on his face couldn’t get much more serious. “I have to hold back with you, Kate. I’m bigger and I’ll hurt you. Charlotte doesn’t have to hold back. She can just kick your ass the way you deserve.”

  She eyed Charlotte’s slight frame. A runway model had more meat on her. “Thanks for that vote of confidence.”

  Charlotte shot her a frosty smile. “You ready for me to hand you your ass, love?”

  Kate assessed her again. One-fifteen maybe, soaking wet. Only an inch taller. This could be fun, if she believed she had a chance in hell. “Maybe I’ll hold my own.”

  Charlotte tilted her head at Kate. “Can you take down Jake?”

  “No.”

  Her smile became canary-eating cocky. “Well, I can.”

  Kate sucked in a breath and stared at Jake. “Can she?”

  “Yep.” Jake leaned up against his truck and crossed his arms over his chest. Jake who had so much to say usually, reduced to a one word answer.

  Kate stared at him. That latte he had for breakfast had to have been laced with something illegal because he had to be higher than a kite. “And you want me to fight her? Are you insane? I can’t do that.”

  “Of course you can. You have the tools. Get out there and make me proud, darlin’.”

  Make him proud, indeed. Kate swallowed and walked out into the middle of the grassy area to stand in front of Charlotte, her heart hammering a million miles a minute. If they were in the lab, she’d show the English bitch. Wire her a little something special with her favorite explosives.

  But they weren’t on her stomping ground, and Kate’s stomach sank as she looked over at Jake and he nodded encouragingly. He was going to be sorely disappointed, which meant eventually, Chase would be horribly disappointed, too. She sighed and presented herself, hands up, leading with her shoulder. But she didn’t believe, not for one second, that she was going to do more than sink like a stone in the river.

  “So you’re fucking my favorite spy, are you?” Charlotte asked with a nasty smile as she took her place.

  “I don’t think that’s any of your business.” Kate glowered at Jake. How dare he? And then the world spun. She hovered upside down for what seemed an eternity and then she slammed down on her back, the air forced from her lungs in a loud whoosh.

  Deep violet eyes blinked innocently down at her. “Don’t take your eyes off the enemy, love. Not if you want to live. Now get up.”

  Kate rose on shaky legs and tried to catch her breath as she picked grass from her hair. She didn’t look at Jake, not when she’d see disapproval on his face. She had to try harder, find a way to outsmart Charlotte. She had the advantage there, because who was smarter? Not many people.

  She and Charlotte circled each other in a crouch position, and Kate decided two could talk trash. “Did you enjoy fucking him, too, English?”

  “Which one? Maybe I’ve done them both.”

  Kate wanted to look at Jake, but she didn’t. She didn’t want English fucking Jake, either. “Chase.”

  “My dark and dangerous spy is fun to play with.” Charlotte gave a throaty laugh. “He loves spy games. But maybe he wouldn’t have played those with you, because you’re a rookie. He wouldn’t want to hurt little, new you.”

  “Do you want to hurt me?”

  “Oh, yes.” And Charlotte attacked.

  Kate blocked a kick, feinted left, and returned with a kick of her own. Then she faded back and waited for Charlotte to make the next move. She fought a lot like Jake did, which meant he had to have had a hand in teaching her.

  That also meant she’d make the same mistakes, mistakes that Kate knew too well. She’d almost taken Jake down a couple of times when he failed to block her properly. It was a technique thing, but she wasn’t strong enough to follow through. However, if she could get Charlotte to make the same mistake…

  “So, back to Chase,” Kate said as Charlotte circled again. “I would assume you’re old news, since I happen to be in his bed, and you’re…not.”

  “I have a lot more sway than you do, love. Don’t think because he’s between your legs that you have any claim on the man.”

  Charlotte attacked again, and Kate defended, blocking, then kicking. But then she hesitated as a vehicle pulled in. Charlotte took her down again by swiping her feet out from under her in a totally unJake-like move.

  “Good one, Ginger,” Jake called from the truck.

  “Whose side are you on?” Kate snapped as she stood.

  “I love you both equally. I’m impartial.”

  Charlotte shook her head and circled her again. “He’s lying, love. They both love me best. Get used to it. You’re nothing better than second best.”

  Well, that stung, probably because a part of her sensed English was right about the love. They treated Charlotte very differently. Plus she called her love, Chase’s pet word for her.

  Kate shook her head. No, she had to believe in Chase. Charlotte was the past. She was his future. “If you’re so first in their lives, then why is today the first day I’ve ever heard your name?”

  “Spies don’t talk about each other. The more you love someone, the more you keep them a secret. You wouldn’t want them getting killed, now would you, love?” Charlotte attacked again, driving Kate backward. “And I’ve heard all about you, Kate Wells, collateral damage. I would guess they both want you to die.”

  Chase didn’t want her to die, did he? He said she’d hate him. Sending her to die would definitely be a deal breaker. Still, she had to believe. It was just trash talk. Kate took a deep breath and centered herself. And decided if she could kick Charlotte’s ass, she could come back from whatever Chase sent her to do and make him love her.

  “How’s she doing,” Chase asked as he walked over to Jake and leaned next to him against the door of Jake’s truck. Charlotte was driving Kate downfield with a series of moves that would make a Ninja envious. Poor Kate blocked the best she could, and Chase felt a little sorry for her. Charlotte was damned good.

  “Well, not so good.” Jake looked over at him. “She’s taking the trash-talking a little harder than she should. If Kate just attacked instead of listening to Charlotte, she’d be better off. She doesn’t believe in herself, and if she doesn’t suck it up and start believing, she and I are dead in a few days.”

  Chase sighed. Charlotte was the queen of trash talk. “What’s Ginger trashing her with?”

  “You.”

  “Christ, what did you tell her?” Charlotte adored him and was incredibly protective. She’d eat Kate for breakfast and spit her out as nails.

  “The truth. That you were sleeping with Kate.”

  “Inappropriate.” He was the boss, damn them. Kate was his, only in his bed. Not here. Not anywhere else. They had to respect that.

  Jake grunted. “You think the guy who attacks her is going to be polite and nice? You have to trust me on this. She’ll rally. Our Kate doesn’t believe in herself, but she believes in you. She has spunk. She’ll rise and claim you.”

  “Jesus, I don’t want her to claim me.” But he did, and he resented Jake referring to her as our Kate. She was all his the last time he checked. Or maybe she wasn’t, since he’d made it quite clear he didn’t do girlfriends.

  “Wait, here she goes. That’s my girl,” Jake murmured with approval.
And sure enough, Kate was finally attacking, driving Charlotte back, not with any finesse or fancy moves, but she was finally holding her own. “You watch—she’s setting Char up. God, she’s so smart. She just waits for an opening. She’ll do that with me. Just wait. She’s got your patience, buddy.”

  Kate drove Charlotte left with a kick, and then when Charlotte feinted right, Kate grabbed Charlotte’s arm and flipped her. Kate dropped and pinned Charlotte’s shoulders to the ground. And then stared down at a panting Charlotte with surprise.

  Jake stepped forward and said over his shoulder, “Don’t hate me for what I’m about to do, buddy. You know it has to be done, or she’ll never get through this in a few days. We don’t want Paris, take two. Take a deep breath and just let it happen.”

  Chase stiffened because he guessed what Jake was about. Jake started toward the two women, applauding. Kate squealed, leapt to her feet and ran to Jake. She catapulted against him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Jake spun her so she faced away from Chase. He stopped breathing. Swore his heart stopped because what would he give to have her run to him like that?

  Jake met his gaze over her shoulders for a moment in warning. Then he smiled down at Kate and dropped a kiss to her lips, one that was too much to be just friends but not enough to be lovers. That kiss was a sucker punch in the gut, stealing Chase’s air, sending shards of pain through his chest, to his heart. Jesus, did it hurt, because Chase knew it wasn’t the first time he’d kissed her. Or held her.

  He breathed in, around the pain. Soon, she would be Jake’s for the day. This was Jake’s way of getting her ready, used to him, so when it happened she wouldn’t freeze and get them killed. But fuck it hurt, his chest squeezing tighter around every breath, his heart feeling as if it would rip in two.

  It hurt because it was out of his control. If he were offering her, for a ménage with him and Jake, it would be different. He’d feel different. He knew this. But it was out of his control, and it fucking sucked.

  “Are you proud of me?” she was asking Jake.

  “Yes, darlin’. I’m so proud.”

  “What about Chase? Would he be proud?”

  Those questions hurt almost as much as the kiss. She believed in him, the devil that was going to destroy every shred of belief and trust she’d ever had in a human.

  Jake brushed a lock of hair from her cheek and glanced up at Chase with a look of warning. Feed her need, or she would kill them both. “Why don’t you ask him? He’s over by my truck.”

  She froze in Jake’s arms, every muscle stiffening. It stung as much as seeing her kiss Jake. He didn’t want her to be wary of him, ever, not like his uncle scared the shit out of him. Chase knew he was a cold bastard sometimes. He’d be a cold bastard to her again, and he hated that. But right now…

  She turned and met his gaze, her eyes wide, needing his approval. A part of Chase wanted to turn away, the pain unbearable. But her eyes trapped him, the blue depths so conflicted, full of love for him, so unsure.

  Guilt gnawed his insides. He had done this to her, making her feel loved because he held her all night, only to dash that away when he became cold at work, driving her harder, just like his uncle drove him.

  Chase glanced from Jake to Charlotte, both staring, waiting. If he were to have an equivalent of siblings, these were his, Charlotte more than a sister, Jake more than a brother. He loved them both. There was no one else here to see, and if he let his guard slip, just a little, it wasn’t anything these two hadn’t seen before. He loved Kate, and right now, he didn’t want to be her boss.

  He took a step away from the truck and opened his arms, welcoming her, wanting her to run to him like she had run to Jake. Her face lit up like Christmas morning, and she ran to him, launching herself at him, her arms around his neck, legs around his waist.

  He hugged her, inhaling the scent of sunshine and grass mixed with Kate’s sweet skin, allowing himself to bask in her joy, just this once. “Good job, love.”

  “That’s what she calls everyone,” she said against his neck.

  “Don’t let Charlotte get to you. She was just talking trash to get you riled.” He called Kate love because he could say it, mean it, and she’d never know the truth, and it satisfied a deeper need he couldn’t name. But he couldn’t tell her that.

  However, he could ease the jealousy he’d heard in her voice because though he liked the idea of Kate claiming him, being possessive, she didn’t need that stress right now. He might be a cold bastard, but he wasn’t cruel. “She’s like my sister, Kate. Just like Jake is my brother. You have nothing to fear from her. Not now, not ever.”

  “Okay.” Kate pushed away from his chest. “I know it’s stupid to be so excited about this. But you know this physical aspect isn’t my strong suit.” She unwrapped her legs from his waist and struggled out of his arms, looking anywhere but at him. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”

  “I think it would take a bit more than a hug to embarrass me. I’m a big boy.”

  “You’re not mad that Jake—”

  “No,” he lied.

  She met his gaze, again unsure and conflicted, and he couldn’t help kissing her in a possessive way that was more than work appropriate. To remind Jake who she really belonged to, even though she technically didn’t. He broke the kiss and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Charlotte still won, though.”

  Kate sighed but couldn’t seem to keep the wicked grin from spreading. “I know. I’ll buy your pseudo-sister lunch to make friends. Okay?”

  “Me, too?” He wanted lunch with her more than anything. He was the boss. He could take the time.

  She smiled up at him. “You, too.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The day after Kate pinned Charlotte, Chase told her to stay home. Take the day off. She was done training, and the next day she would learn about her assignment. But first she had to rest.

  “But what will I do?” she wailed in the kitchen as he got ready to leave for work. “I’ve already snooped.”

  “You could play with the toys I bought you,” he said as he gathered his things for the day. Though Chase at the office was a bit daunting at times, Chase at home, in a suit was hotter than hell. He smiled at her, that dimple working evil magic on parts of her that should be sated.

  “So I’ll be entertained for five minutes.” And it wouldn’t be nearly as fun as coming with him, so why bother?

  “Quick on the trigger today, love?” He grinned, the damn dimple making her want him even more. “And here I thought I satisfied that itch an hour ago.”

  “Stay home with me. You look…sick. Hot. Bothered, even. I think you have a fever.”

  “The Lord of the Spies doesn’t get sick days.”

  “No, the lord just doesn’t utilize what the government has given him.”

  He wrapped his free arm around her and squeezed her ass. “I think I’ve utilized what the government gave me quite well. I love utilizing government property over and over, especially when that property screams my name when she comes.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’ll stay home if you come home at a decent hour. We haven’t had dinner together in ages.” He started to protest, and she shook her head. “You’ve worked too many hours, and you’re exhausted, too, Chase. You can’t keep going at this pace. Get what you have to do done, and then bring Jake home with you. I’ll spend today learning to cook.”

  Chase looked doubtful at the thought of her cooking. He’d done all of it since their birthday weekend, letting her do no more than make a bowl of cereal, and he had protested at that. “I think we’d both be happier if you spent the day playing with your toys.”

  She smacked him.

  He grinned again. “I’ll be home at eighteen-hundred with Jake in tow, as ordered.”

  “And that better be six, Chase. You know I hate military time.”

  She spent the day haunting the Internet and came up with a menu of roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, and apple pie. A salad for her and Chase
, since picky Jake didn’t eat veggies.

  She put the finishing touches on dinner while listening to her MP3 player. It was funny how Chase rarely listened to music. In the car sometimes, but mostly he did the news. The house was often quiet unless he had the TV on, and he loved cooking shows. She asked him once about music, and he had shrugged.

  Jake listened to music constantly. He had many playlists on his phone, and he’d let her choose the music she wanted to hear while he kicked her ass daily. He had several he had created just for her, labeled from mild ass kicking to extreme, depending on what they were doing for the day. She usually picked extreme. Lately, they’d done all combat stuff, which to her was extreme, which made him laugh harder.

  A pop song with a driving bass drum beat came up next on her player, and she danced a bit as she stirred the gravy. It had the same rhythm that Chase’s hips used to fuck her into oblivion. Maybe she could get him to listen to this, and then take her that way. She swayed her hips in time as she turned off the range top and glanced at the clock. Six. He should be home any second.

  She turned and there was Chase, leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, his expression totally unreadable. When would she not be a deer in the headlights with this man? She had dirty, hot sex with him in very naughty positions, with toys shoved up her ass. She should be able to meet his gaze and not freeze.

  She pulled one ear bud out of her ear and forced herself to speak. “Hi.”

  “I hope you’re thinking of me when you dance like that.” A ghost of a smile played at his lips as he assessed her with a tip of his head.

  “Of course,” she said and walked over to stand in front of him. In her bare feet, he seemed so much taller, larger. It had to be the suit. She pushed replay on the song and popped the ear bud in his ear. “Do you dance?”

  “No.” He cocked his head, listening.

  “Do you have any musical ability?”

  He sighed. “No.”

  “That’s too bad.” She swayed her hips, brushing against him suggestively. “Because I’d like you to fornicate with me to this.”