Read Online Bond Girl by Erin Duffy - Free Book Online

was pretty sure I would lose. I decided a better course of action was to keep munching on appetizers at the railing with my good friend, Lady Liberty.
    I was halfway through my third mini BLT when someone pulled my ponytail, yanking my head backward. I turned to see Reese with a big smile on his face, and a shrimp in his hand.
    â€œThis spot taken, Girlie?”
    â€œNope. No one else back here except for me and the swine.”
    â€œThe what?” He leaned his elbows on the railing so that we were closer to eye level. Reese must have been six foot four, and it was hard to hear him what with the noise of the wind and the boat engine, not to mention the din from the idiots bragging about the many feats of intellectual strength they’d performed over the past two months.
    â€œRemember the day I started? You asked me if I fancied the swine. I’m a big fan of the swine. I just wanted you to know.” I held up the remaining half of my bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich.
    Reese started laughing and patted me on the head. “I forgot about that! I like to unnerve the new kids right away. It’s my idea of a personality test. If you had gotten all huffy on me, I never would have talked to you again, you see? With girls especially, you gotta know what you’re dealing with if you want to stay out of trouble. Good job. So far, you’re okay with me.”
    â€œThank God! I’m Alex, but my friends call me Girlie,” I said, as I extended my hand, feeling comfortable for the first time since stepping foot on the boat.
    He laughed again. “Well, hello there, Girlie. You can call me Reese. How are you liking Cromwell so far?”
    â€œI love it.”
    â€œReally? No one’s given you a hard time?”
    â€œNope! I’m having a ball. Everything is great.”
    â€œBullshit,” he replied with a smirk. “Don’t lie to me on the first date, sugar. I only have room in my life for one woman who lies to my face, and I’ve already got a wife.” He held up his left hand and shook his ring-clad finger.
    I didn’t think complaining was a very good idea. So I stayed silent.
    â€œI’m not letting you leave until you give me an honest answer, sugar. How are you liking Cromwell?”
    He was serious.
    â€œWell, I’m just worried that maybe I’m not doing enough or that people don’t like me. I don’t want to be annoying. I’m supposed to be asking everyone questions, but also staying out of the way. That’s kind of hard to do considering I don’t have my own desk yet.” There, I said it. Now I probably should just throw myself overboard.
    â€œWhy do you think people don’t like you?” Reese chuckled. “Let me tell you something. If people didn’t like you, you’d know it. You should ask some of the other kids what their time at the firm has been like, and then you’ll see how nice people are really being.”
    â€œI was just talking to some of the other analysts and I’m the only one who has to sit on a folding chair. It sounds like they have real work to do, and so far I really haven’t been able to do anything except help Drew and a couple of others with a few things.”
    â€œIs that why you’re standing over here by yourself instead of mingling with the other rookies?”
    â€œSort of.”
    â€œAhhh. I see. And obviously, you believe everything they’re saying.”
    â€œWell, yeah, why would they lie?”
    â€œBecause they’re guys,” he said, without hesitation. “I talked to one guy who’s such a tool he doesn’t even realize that his team is ripping on him. I’d feel bad for him if I didn’t think he was such a prick after talking to him for two minutes.”
    â€œWho?” I asked, eager to discover which Ivy Leaguer wasn’t quite as impressive as he claimed.
    â€œThat guy, the one in the orange shirt. You know