AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Asia leaned back in her chair and toyed with a pen in her hands. “Sorry, I would make a horrible decoy, but I’d like to take lead on the trial run.”
“Eric will be in charge,” Perry kindly informed Asia. “But you would make a great decoy. I know you had practice on the force.”
“The focus on those stings was different. We weren’t targeting a specific person. Anyway,” she said with a shrug of her shoulder, “I don’t approach men—they approach me.”
Julie silently nodded in agreement. She had seen it countless times. She was sure Asia could approach men with success, but her friend never needed to practice.
“However,” Asia continued, “I think Julie would make a great decoy.”
“Thanks,” Julie said softly as she kept her head down and her gaze firmly on her clenched hands in her lap. She appreciated what her friend was trying to do, but it wasn’t any use. She wasn’t like Asia. She wasn’t even Asia-lite.
Eric exhaled sharply. “We can always hire out an independent contractor.”
Ouch. Julie squeezed her eyes closed. Could the humiliation get any worse?
Asia abruptly leaned forward in her chair. “That would be a waste when we have someone right here.”
Julie reached out and placed a restraining hand on her friend’s arm. “It’s okay, Asia,” she whispered. “Let it go.”
Asia reluctantly backed down and Julie felt her friend’s arm shake with the restrained aggression. Julie also found it difficult to stay in her seat for the remainder of the meeting. She knew people were giving her pitying looks, but that didn’t sting as much as Eric’s firm and swift rejection.
She hunched her shoulders, trying to appear smaller and invisible as the tears pricked the back of her eyes. Julie heard Eric’s voice as he outlined the strategy, but she wasn’t listening.
What exactly did Eric think she couldn’t do? Did he think she couldn’t seduce a man? Or was he unsure if she could be helpful in an investigation? Maybe it was both? Julie pressed her lips together as the pain ricocheted in her body.
Okay, so she wasn’t hot like Asia. This was not breaking news. She wasn’t mysterious or exotic, but she didn’t look like a zombie, either. All she needed was to take on a sexy alias and she could be the best decoy Eric had ever seen.
But maybe he thought it was impossible. The guy had seen and done it all while hunting down artifacts. He’d probably bedded gorgeous women across the globe and met his match with the best seductresses who hid important treasures. Julie couldn’t compare to that kind of competition.
Julie gave a start when her coworkers got up from their seats. She hadn’t noticed the meeting had ended and she watched the others leave the room, buzzing with enthusiasm about their assignments. She was envious, knowing she was probably going to be stuck with a desk job. There was nothing exciting about that, even if she got to work on the case. Why should she be thrilled at being a Bosley when she wanted to be a Charlie’s Angel?
She cautiously glanced in Eric’s direction and found him watching her. He held her gaze for a moment and she couldn’t look away. His blue eyes were stormy and intense. Eric seemed as if he was about to say something. She braced herself. She had no doubt it would be blunt and brutal.
Eric decided against it and set his mouth in a grim line. He walked out of the conference room without saying a word.
Julie sagged against her chair and took a deep breath.
“That could have gone better,” Asia muttered.
“Thanks for coming to my defense,” Julie said as she patted Asia’s arm. “But if you want the decoy assignment, you should go for it.”
