Read Online Under the Covers by Rita Herron - Free Book Online

publicity purposes."
    "I wonder who it is?" Chelsea mused.
    "I didn't ask," Abby said. "I figured if the woman wanted her privacy that much, she deserved it. And we all know how vicious reporters can be."
    "Yeah, we've all been there, done that, got the T-shirt," Victoria noted wryly.
    "Rainey even suggested I hire someone to play my husband. Can you believe that?"
    A wicked grin lit Chelsea's green eyes. "Hey, that's not a bad idea."
    Abby twisted her mouth sideways. "Don't be ridiculous."
    "I'm not." Chelsea tapped her fingernails like a drumroll. "Listen, I can hire one of the actors from the arts center to play Lenny. And no one will ever know but the three of us."

Chapter 4

     
    Body Language
     
    Abby Jensen was going to hire someone from her sister's arts center to play her husband?
    Hunter's ears perked up. He had taken the table directly behind Abby's with his back to her back so he could hear her conversation, and oh, what a conversation she was having with the other two women. A tall, potted ficus separated the space between them just enough to shield him, although he'd ditched his woman's outfit in the car. He angled his chair so he could see all three women out of the corner of his eye. One was a voluptuous blonde, much more his type than Abby Jensen, the other sophisticated with dark hair pulled so tightly into a bun her cheekbones almost poked through her skin.
    Although the three of them looked nothing alike, judging from their close comradeship, they were either best friends or sisters. The blonde and the brunette faintly resembled the girls in the newspaper picture he'd seen of Dr. Jensen at age twelve, but he couldn't be sure.
    Judging from Abby's tone, something was wrong.
    She sounded stricken. As if she'd just been delivered some very bad news.
    He fought the sympathy that welled inside him. And the other part of him that swelled at the sight of those angelic eyes and those luscious lips.
    Angelic dark eyes that held secrets and luscious lips that might be telling lies.
    Besides, she was a married woman. Attached. Unavailable to his lusting libido.
    "I can't deceive everyone like that," Abby Jensen whispered in a strained voice.
    "But it's perfect," the blonde argued. "I'm sure I won't have any trouble finding someone. Just leave it all up to me."
    "No," Abby said in a hiss. "I'll just have to find another way to address the reporters' questions."
    The blonde jiggled her silver hoop earrings. "What about Lenny?"
    "I don't know," Abby said, a note of despair in her voice. "But I'm not ready to reveal the sordid details of my private life."
    Hunter scooted his chair back farther, fighting ficus leaves that clawed at his head as he jammed himself closer to Abby's table, then leaned backward in the chair, tilting it on two legs. The waitress across the way spied him and frowned, but he merely waved and cocked his head to the side to listen for more.
    "I'll check with that friend of mine from the police force and see if I can find out any more information on Lenny," the dark-haired woman said.
    Hunter's eyebrows arched.
    "Shh, keep your voices down," Abby whispered. "The last thing I want is for all of this to get out. Those nosy reporters would ruin me. What if one of them followed me here?" She glanced around the restaurant, and Hunter jerked his head into his hand, then yanked the menu up to cover his eyes.
    Suddenly a beefy face appeared on the opposite side of the opening. Hunter froze, trying to formulate an explanation. "What are you doing, sir?"
    "I... uh, lost my sunglasses."
    The man circled the plant to glare at him. "They're on your head, sir."
    "Oh, yes." What was wrong with him? Had he lost his investigative skills?
    The man eyed him suspiciously.
    Not wanting Abby Jensen to spot him or make a scene, he pivoted and stood to leave, but the back of the chair caught the plant and sent it careening. The waiter tried to grab it, but the ficus soared sideways, and its leafy top landed in the middle