“I wish I could.”Nina sounded genuinely disappointed.“But I’m not one of Sierra’s known friends or associates.It wouldn’t look right.”
“But you’re the boss’s wife,” Sloane pressed.She really wanted to share this with somebody, and she couldn’t think of anyone better than her close friend and coworker.
“And how would it look for me to use that excuse to enter a client’s home?”
Good point, but Sloane wasn’t ready to give up just yet.She stretched across the humongous bed in one of the home’s bazillion bedrooms, her feet dangling over the edge.How did they even find sheets for something this big?They sure as hell didn’t stock them at the local Walmart.Odds were, like the mattress, they were custom made.“In that case, how about you come over as one of the staff?”
Uncertainty tinged Nina’s voice.“I don’t know…”
“Oh, come on, I bet you have one of those little French maid outfits stashed away in your lingerie drawer.”
There was an awkward pause on the other end of the line, and Sloane barked out a laugh.
“Oh, my God.I was just kidding.Youdohave one of those outfits, don’t you?Wait, don’t answer.It’s probably better if I don’t know, but I’m really dying to know.”
A heavy sigh carried over the phone’s speaker.“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“The odds are against it.”Yes, Nina was the boss’s wife, but they were also close friends, and friends wouldn’t let something like this go until they got a few juicy details.She propped herself up on one elbow and waited for Nina to crack.
After another long, awkward pause, Nina finally said, “If you really must know, then yes, I have one.I bought it for our wedding anniversary.I thought it would be fun to surprise Austin with it when he got home from work.”
“And did he like it?”
“Yes.”
“What did he do when he saw you wearing it?”She probably shouldn’t have asked that.Those sorts of mental images didn’t need to be bouncing around in her head.But she just couldn’t seem to help herself.It was almost as if filling in for Sierra Page had empowered her with a boldness that she’d never experienced before.It felt surprisingly good.
“What do you think?”Nina replied.“We missed our dinner reservation and ended up having a pizza delivered.”
Sloane laughed as she hopped off the bed.Her friend had certainly hit the jackpot when it came to Austin Flint.Handsome, well built, successful, and totally devoted to the woman he loved was a tough combination to find these days.Not that she was actively searching.At this point in her life, she’d rather remain single.Been there, done that, and in spite of Nina’s good fortune, she wasn’t in the mood to kiss more frogs in the hopes of finding a prince.
“Are you sure you can’t sneak over?”Sloane asked one final time as she stepped into the hall.It was likely an exercise in futility, but she felt compelled to give it one last try.“You should see the room that doubles as Sierra’s closet.I’m pretty sure it’s bigger than my whole apartment.”
Actually, it was Sierra’s secondary closet.The primary closet was located in Sierra’s bedroom, and nobody was allowed in there for obvious reasons.Sloane was, however, allowed to enter the secondary closet because that’s where the clothes she’d be wearing this weekend as Sierra’s body double were being stored until they left for North Carolina.
Sloane crossed to the room and opened the door.A flick of the switch and…good grief.It was like stepping inside Neiman Marcus.Try as she might, she couldn’t get over one person owning all this.She took in the racks of designer clothing, from tailored suits and elegant dresses to casual jeans and T-shirts.Floor-to-ceiling shelves displayed bags and shoes, organized by style and color.Most of the items appeared brand-new; many still had the tags attached.How much of it would never get worn?She imagined it was a lot.It struck her as obscene, especially when there were so many people one paycheck away from financial devastation.
A small rolling rack in the corner contained the designer clothes chosen for Sloane by the people in charge of Sierra’s wardrobe.Each piece had been tailored to fit her body while minimizing the differences in proportions between her and Sierra.Those differences weren’t as much as she’d expected—except for the chest, but the mother of all pushup bras compensated for that.Perhaps, if she did a good enough job, they’d let her keep the clothes at the end of the assignment.After all, it wasn’t as if Sierra was ever going to wear them.
“I’d love to, but it’s probably best that I keep my distance.You can tell me all about it later,” Nina said.“Listen, I gotta go.Austin just walked through the door and he brought Thai food for dinner.”
“Sounds good.I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”Sloane turned off the light and closed the door behind her.Now that the clothes had been altered, her hair trimmed, nails manicured, and eyebrows tweezed to within an inch of their lives, there wasn’t anything on her official to-do list until tomorrow morning.
A few of the guys who were off duty tonight had invited her to join them in the screening room to watch a movie.Last she heard, they were still debating the evening’s film selection:Seconds to Midnight, which was one of Sierra’s first action films, orDeadpool and Wolverine.Either selection was fine with her, but they didn’t plan to start the movie until nine, so she had some time to burn.
She could always find things to do online, but she felt too restless for that.Normally, that meant she’d go for a nice, long walk while listening to an audiobook, but that was out of the question.Instead, she went downstairs, cutting through the main living room that stretched the width of the house, to the sliding glass doors that led to the lanai.The lights must have been equipped with motion sensors, because they flicked to life before she even had a chance to look for a switch.
She walked past the sleek, modern outdoor kitchen, with its high-end stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops, to a swimming pool so large it seemed to stretch into the horizon.The surrounding deck was lined with lounge chairs, perfect for sunbathing or relaxing with a good book, while a humongous hot tub was nestled off to the side, flanked by large, lush tropical plants to create a sense of seclusion.
It was peaceful out here, with only the sound of crickets chirping, a sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of activity inside.Her offers of help had been repeatedly declined, so she might as well enjoy the amenities while they were at her disposal.She toed off her sandals, sat at the edge of the pool, and dipped her feet in water that was a bit chilly for a Florida girl but likely would have felt like heaven to anyone who lived up north.With her arms braced behind her, she let out a long, soft exhale, her head tilting back and eyes drifting shut as the stress of the day ebbed from her system.
A girl could definitely get used to this.Maybe she’d get lucky and Sierra would need her again, and then she could really—
“What are you doing out here?”The terse tone of Navarre’s voice made her muscles jerk.
So much for the stress draining away.Sloane’s eyes popped open and found him staring down at her, hands planted on his hips, disapproval plain on his handsome face.
“Is there a problem?”She wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation, but she also wasn’t in the mood to put up with his crap.As a rule, she never started a fight, but she always made sure to finish it.
