The Professional Alibi

Chapter 19: Power Play

I manage to get Tex out my front door after dinner, but Wade makes up some excuse to stay.

As soon as I have the front door closed and padlocked, I turn on Wade. "There is no way I can pretend to be that guy's girlfriend. I'm going to break his nose."

Wad stares at the door, his jaw pulsing as he strokes the scruff on his face. "I don't blame you." His gray eyes zero in on me. "I've never seen him act that way."

"You need to make him understand that me being his girlfriend doesn't make me his girlfriend. And if he thinks I'm gonna put up with that crap, he will learn right quick and in a hurry what happens to jerks like him."

Wade steps closer, grabs both my shoulders, and dips his head so we're eye-to-eye. "Tell you what. You go on this date with him. Let him introduce you as his girlfriend. If he gets handsy again or starts talking dirty, you have my permission to break his nose. He's been warned. If he oversteps his bounds I'll make you dinner for a week as an apology."

"Seriously?" I say, trying to ignore the heat from his hands or the way his scent does funny things to my insides. "And if I'm wrong?"

Wade tilts his head as if considering. "If you're wrong, then knock that chip off your shoulder and give the guy a chance."

"Fine." I let out a dramatic sigh. "But I don't have to like it." Plus, I'm pretty certain I'm not gonna have to make dinner for a week.

"I'm sure there will be plenty of things about this job you won't like. I'm trying to keep them to a minimum." He lets go of my shoulders and smooths his hands down my arms then steps away, clearing his throat. "I'm not sending you in there alone. Not after what happened at dinner. I'll be at the pizza place. You'll always be in my line of vision. If something happens, leave the building and don't acknowledge me. I'll follow you out and take you home once we're sure you aren't followed."

"Thanks." The worry inside me lessens. I won't be alone with this jerk. Good. I may be well-versed in self-defense and combat, but so is Tex. He's been at this longer than I have, so until I know what he's capable of, I have to assume he's got the upper hand.

Wade runs his hand down the outside of my arms again. "Are you good?"

"Yeah. Just trying to figure out my best strategy," I hold up the cheat sheet on my phone. "And I need to study and figure out what to wear for tomorrow."

"The clothes are easy," he says, flashing a dazzling grin that makes him look younger. "Did you see the samples I left you?"

"What samples? You mean the clothes?"

He shakes his head and meanders toward my bedroom. I follow, enjoying the view of him in front of me. Hot with a capital H. When he steps into the walk-in closet, he moves to the blue section color-coded with Tex's name on it.

Wade reaches into the clothing, and pushes them all aside, revealing the back wall of the closet, then moves aside so I can see. Pictures of different women in country-style clothing are taped to the wall. Except, they aren't girls in Daisy Dukes, and cowboy boots--okay, there's one like that. But the others are jeans, tank tops, baseball caps, and low-heeled lace-up boots. Some have belts with massive buckles. Outfits include lots of camo and flannel, and lowkey hairstyles like braids and ponytails.

My brows shoot up and I'm almost hopeful. "This is what you want me to wear around Tex?" I grab hold of Wade's arm. I want to jump up and down, squealing, but my brain keeps telling me there must be a catch.

"Welcome to being a country girl," Wade says. "You wear Wranglers and ropers and big buckles and baseball caps. Make-up is minimal, patriotism is required, and you'd better be willing to work hard and get dirty."