Read Franco's Fortune (Redemption Book 2) for Free Online

man,
buying her clothes made her feel like a kept woman. No, she
wouldn’t go there. She wasn’t anyone’s woman. She’d been on her own
since she was eighteen, and she could take care of herself. At
least he hadn’t insisted on coming shopping with them.
    Plastering a smile on her face, she waved goodbye to
the others in the shop and followed Anita out the door to the
boutique, her mind awhirl. Franco was picking her up in two hours
to take her to dinner. Their farce would begin tonight. Not for the
first time she wondered if she’d been too hasty to agree to this
whole masquerade. She’d never convince anyone that handsome, rich
Franco Callahan could be in love with someone like her.
    <><><>
    Two hours later Jo stood in Anita’s now-closed shop
and smoothed her hands down the sides of her short black dress. The
dress flared around her thighs, giving her movement. She’d insisted
on that. Above that, though, the stretchy material clung to every
curve, making her feel exposed, vulnerable. With each new piece of
clothing she’d slipped on she’d felt like she’d lost a little of
herself, lost the armor that had protected her all these years.
    She tugged on the hem of her dress again and looked
down at the strappy black high-heeled sandals she wore. The sexy
shoes were surprisingly comfortable, and with her good sense of
balance, she’d gotten used to the high heels much quicker than she
would have imagined. A part of her longed for her sturdy, familiar
combat boots. Wearing fatigues and boots felt right. The slinky
black dress and high heels didn’t. At least the silly little
jewel-encrusted purse she carried was large enough to hold her gun,
in addition to her lipstick, a comb, and her phone.
    “Stop trying to pull down your dress,” Anita said
beside her. “You look amazing. Who knew under those fatigues and
T-shirts was a sexy woman with a great body? You’ll floor
Franco.”
    “I told you I’m here to do a job. I don’t care what
Franco thinks of my disguise.” But a part of her did. The low
neckline of the dress and the lacy push-up bra made her breasts
look bigger. She hated to admit it, but she felt sexy. Jo knew she
had a good body. She worked out and kept in shape.
    “You’re just what Franco needs,” Anita said.
    Jo’s response drifted away as the Town Car eased up
to the curb out front and Harris jumped out, then opened the door
for Franco. Dressed in a dark blue suit that fit him as if it were
tailor-made, which, Jo decided, it probably had been, and with his
hair slicked back, Franco’s elegant look spoke of a world where she
didn’t belong.
    She yanked on the hem of her dress.
    Anita slapped Jo’s hand. “Stop fooling with the
dress,” she said as she hurried to unlock the door for the men.
    “Hey, cuz,” Franco said, sliding in and giving Anita
a light kiss on the cheek. Harris gave Anita a curt hello before
she closed the door behind them.
    Franco slid his glance to Jo and froze. His brow
furrowed, then his gaze made a slow trip down her body and back to
her face. His eyes grew dark and hot. He walked toward her, then
took one of her hands in his. He lifted her hand and turned it
over, brushing a soft kiss on her wrist. Her skin tingled where he
touched. He leaned toward her and whispered in her ear, “I like
your hair. You look amazing.”
    He was focused on her like a laser. Jo felt the rest
of the world fade away as his eyes devoured her. No wonder he had
so many beautiful women after him. She wanted to shoot back with a
smart retort but words dried in her throat.
    He smiled as if he could read her thoughts. “First
time I’ve ever known you to be speechless, Fortune.”
    His teasing tone broke through the spell he’d held
her in. “Don’t get too used to it, Callahan.”
    He laughed. “That’s my Jo. I knew you were in there
somewhere.”
    Heat suffused her cheeks and she lowered her
eyes.
    “I guess you’d better get going.” Anita strode to
the reception desk and