Page 75 of Dignity

The styles of suits he picked for me aren’t flashy. They weren’t even super-expensive. They aren’t Armani or Brioni. But they’re excellently tailored and actually give me a shape the ones the network provided for me did not, despite those also being tailored.

“I don’t understand the suits,” I say. “Why these look so much better on me.”

“That shop provides suits for a lot of agents.They’re used to fine-tuning not just to a body, but to hide gun prints, or body armor profile.” He smiles. “They have it down to a science.”

“Ah.”

He hands me my blazer. I put it on, button it, and shoot the cuffs.

He’s right—I look good.

He wraps his arms around me from behind, his chin on my shoulder again. “No alcohol tonight,” he quietly says. “Let Shae do most of the talking and listenclose for Calvin Mattis. He’ll be seated at the table right behind you and Shae. He’s a braggart, and he runs his mouth when he shouldn’t and usually gives shit away. You should be able to hear him.”

“Calvin Mattis as in Pacific Trench Oil and Gas?”

“Yeah. He’s going to want to throw money at Shae in exchange for favorable views on offshore drilling and explorations. But he nearly always givesother shit away.That’swhat you want to listen for. Because knowing the stupid shit about him is what will get you what you want with him.”

I turn in his arms and look into his eyes. “How do you know this?”

“Because what do Secret Service agents do?”

I have no idea what answer he wants. “Uh, meat shields?”

He gooses my ass. “What else?”

“I don’t know, Chris. I’m too nervous for guessinggames.”

“We stand there, blend in, observe, andlisten.”

“Oh.”

#duh

“Oh.” He smiles. “He’s probably going to try to schmooze his way into a post appointment, even though he’s a DINO. Still, it’s theinfoyou want from him.”

“Thanks.”

“How do we know each other?”

He’s grilled this into me all last night and today. It probably won’t come up, but in case it does, we need to have our storiesstraight. “We met in college through friends, fell out of touch, and bumped into each other in Florida a couple of weeks ago when you were doing research for Senator Samuels for her new house.” I’m trying to get myself into the habit of calling her Senator because I need the formality with others right now. We can’t afford for people to start sniffing around us.

“And how did you end up goingto work for Senator Samuels?”

“You mentioned to her I was one of her new neighbors, and she asked to speak with me. You brought her to my house, we talked, she hired me.”

He nods. “Good. Stick to the script.”

“Is she on the same script?”

“Yep.”

He kisses me, and for a moment I want to say fuck everything, including working for ShaeLynn Samuels, and beg Chris to marry me and move me into hisplace to be his happy little househusband.

He ends the kiss and pats me on the ass. “You’re sooo getting fucked in that suit when you get home, by the way.”

He leans in to nibble on my earlobe. He’s been careful not to mark me on the neck other than the one hickey he put on me that’s long since faded. “I’m going to use your neckties on you for bondage,” he says. “That way, no matter what you’rewearing for work, you can look down, see your tie, and remember how it pulled against your ankle while I fucked you. Or how it felt wrapped around your wrists behind your back while you blew me.”

Jesusfuck, I’m glad he let me wear briefs tonight. I’d have multiple wet spots on my slacks already if he didn’t.