Page 26 of Lone Spy

"True, but we can at least put in a little effort." I laugh again. They reach down, pulling out a pair of bright red patent leather heels and hold them up to me. Looking at the stiletto makes my toes ache. But Zade is right, they are better than the boots.

I take them and head to the bench at the end of the bed. "Tell me more about Lloyd."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't fall in love with me." Zade is half in the closet, flicking through my clothing.

"Impossible, Zade." I slip on the shoes, instantly feeling sexier, more powerful. Taller.

Zade shrugs like they know I'm right. "We need to get started if you want to be on time."

"Did Ash send you in here? Or is Lloyd already so empowered?"

"The two of them may be conspiring against you. Or for you, depending on your perspective."

"I see you're their willing accomplice."

"I like hot nerds with posh accents."

"Who doesn't?"

"See, this," Zade says, "is why we're friends."

We head back into the suite’s living room where Zade has their makeup table set up. Lloyd stands from the couch. He's tall and lanky, wearing a fitted suit too stylish for the corporate world but not wild enough for fashion. It's dark blue with pinstripes of gold and lighter blue. The colors bring out the warmer tones in his brown eyes.

Lloyd offers me a broad smile. I return it. "Hi," I say, offering my hand. Lloyd takes it. His palm is warm and dry, his grip the right strength. "Thanks so much for being here."

"I'm very excited for this opportunity, Ms. Daniels."

"Please," I say. "Call me Angela."

"Thank you, Angela."

Zade clears their throat from where they stand next to the chair they've placed in front of one of the large windows. Lloyd follows me over and takes a seat nearby as Zade covers me in a makeup gown. "I've been going over your schedule and thought you might like a run-down of what's on the docket for the next few days with an overview of the following weeks."

"Sounds good," I say as Zade starts to apply base to my skin.

"Today we have the photoshoot in Soho and then your meeting at Violet Glamour, which is in the same neighborhood. We should be done by six. You've had an invitation from Prince Omar bin Rami of Jordan to join him for dinner." Lloyd looks up from his iPad. "He says he is free anytime that you are. He is at your disposal."

"Oh, I like that," Zade says, their brush fluttering over my nose.

"I'm free tonight?"

"Yes, it's your only free evening before we leave England. The prince's equerry made it clear the prince would be willing to make any arrangements necessary to dine with you, including meeting you anywhere along the press tour that would fit into your schedule." Lloyd says all this like it's normal.

Zade meets my eyes and totally gets that all those sentences are just insane. From prince to equerry, to the offer of meeting me anywhere in the world that works for me.

"Your next free evening is in Rome. It sounds like he’d be willing to meet you there as well."

Zade turns away to get another tool, and I look over at Lloyd. He waits patiently for my response to tonight’s invitation. Zade comes back holding an eye brush. "Don't pretend like you don't want dinner with that sinfully hot prince, Angela. Come on." They sound pretty outraged at how long I'm taking to answer.

"I don't know," I say, closing my eyes so they can work on them. "He's…"

"Was he terrible?" Zade asks.

"Definitely not." I'm smiling again as memories of his body heat my cheeks.

"So?" Zade asks. "What's the problem?"

"It's Julian 2.0," I say. "Any relationship is doomed."

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