Mission: Impossible to Deny (The Impossible Mission Romantic Suspense Series Book 7) - Jacki Delecki (great novels of all time txt) 📗

When the men had shown up at the bar two nights ago and heard what the ladies were planning, Finn and Lars, with dramatic eye rolls, had announced that all he needed was a workout and some horizontal time with a hot woman. The only problem was the workout with spec forces operators was nothing like what civilians did. And Reeves was more than fit, but he was never so glad for the shiatsu massage after what the Jenkins brothers put him through with their usual PT.

And thank God none of his friends had decided to play matchmaker at the bar when they all had imbibed way too much alcohol. The men were right. He needed a woman and sex. He wasn’t into booty calls as he had been in college. And he wasn’t ready … for anything else. If only XChoco could be real and hot.

He threw his coffee cup into the trash and reached for his phone when he realized he didn’t have it. Sophie promised it would be waiting for him at Dean Security’s main office. Richard Dean’s assistant had left a message at the Four Seasons that Dean wanted to meet with him this morning.

Reeves entered the black-tinted glass and steel building, nodding to the security guard who allowed him to enter the secure private elevator, which served the top floor and Richard’s office. Two men in military uniforms and another in a business suit waited with him for the elevator.

Reeves finger-combed his hair, which he hadn’t taken time to brush. He wished he had on his better jeans and a clean t-shirt for today’s meeting instead of his worn jeans and old Google shirt, an icon appreciated only by fellow geeks.

He allowed the clients to exit the elevator first when they arrived on the top floor. Richard’s assistant greeted the men and led them down the hallway.

Reeves was headed in the opposite direction toward Richard’s private office when his boss emerged from his office.

Impeccable in his Italian suit, the genius who changed the interface of software grinned before handing Reeves his phone. “Are you better now that you’ve been smudged? Or did Sophie have to balance your chakras too?”

Reeves hadn’t considered that his boss would be privy to yesterday’s activities. God, he hoped Sophie hadn’t given him the sordid details of Lily mistakenly sexting Reeves instead of her coworker, which the women had extracted from him after too many scotches. He sure as hell didn’t want any pitying looks from the man he respected.

“I was spared the chakra-balancing but nothing else. Thank you for the day off. It really wasn’t necessary …”

“Of course, it was necessary. Everyone needs time to get away to gain some perspective on what’s important.”

Richard Dean, a powerful, driven man, had come full circle and then some after both his daughters had been kidnapped by a Chinese gang interested in his older daughter’s genetic research. Richard was still as focused, but he was trying to mend all the hurt he had inflicted as he pushed his company to the top of the global market.

Luckily, Richard didn’t specify that perspective was on how a lover you trusted was a two-timing liar. The women’s outrage on his behalf had helped him come to grips with how pissed he truly was at Lily for not being straight-up with him. Why couldn’t she be honest? It wasn’t as if they had committed to a future together. And that was part of the problem. He never thought about a future with her. He was having way too much fun fighting bad guys with the Jenkinses.

“And Sophie would have never allowed me to say no,” Richard said.

The men laughed conspiratorially. Both techie nerds had an unspoken bond, appreciating that their skills were in front of a screen and not always the best in deciphering human emotions. Case in point, how Reeves had misfired with Lily.

They walked together toward the main meeting room.

“I saw some military types. Are we meeting with them about the software update?”

“You have someone waiting who you’ll find much more interesting than the navy brass. I’ll introduce you, but this is your project.” Richard grinned widely.

Reeves inspected Richard’s face for any hint of the reason for the dramatic change in his demeanor. Richard Dean didn’t grin. And this was his second grin. Richard was demanding and direct. Mysterious projects and humor were never involved in his business dealings.

Reeves entered the enormous meeting room of steel, black leather, and walls of glass with a panoramic view of downtown Seattle and Puget Sound. Shockingly for the gray Northwest, it was a clear day, giving a spectacular vista of the majestic snow-capped Olympic Mountains.

A young woman with flaming red curls severely held by a clip at her neck was seated at the conference table. A few errant curls had sprung free and danced around her pixie face. She was dressed in a navy blue business suit with an open-collared white blouse, the buttons tugging across her chest.

Reeves pulled his gaze away from the buttons as she crossed the room to greet him but not before she caught him red-handed—or was it red-eyed since he was caught lingering on her stacked chest?

Richard cleared his throat, but Reeves would have sworn that he heard a snicker. Had Sophie’s smudging altered his world somehow? Reeves always treated women professionally and didn’t leer. Damn, he had sisters. And suddenly Richard Dean had found a sense of humor?

“Reeves, please meet CIA Officer Darcy Wilson, who has flown on the red-eye from DC to meet with you.”

The beauty flushed. Bright crimson blotches appeared on her neck and moved upward, spotting her face, and making her green eyes appear brighter. Freckles were sprinkled across her pert nose. Even with her two-inch heels, the top of her head barely brought her up to his shoulder.

What was his problem? His mind was focused on how well she