LYNDA AICHER

Damn it. He didn't want to fuck tonight.

But he had to.

Carter Montgomery shifted his car into Park and took a moment to let go of the resentment as he waited for the valet to open his door. Anger was pointless when there was nothing to be done about it. He rolled his head, pulled his shoulders back and exhaled. The stretch eased the tightness that threatened to morph into a major tension headache. He definitely didn’t need that tonight.

A waft of frigid wind gusted into the warm interior with the opening of the car door. “Evening, sir,” the lanky valet said, voice clipped and efficient, cheeks tinged pink from the cold.

Carter gave a warm smile as he stepped out and handed over the keys. He let the last of his frustration slip away with the action. “Thank you.”

He tucked his scarf into his coat, smoothing it down against his suit jacket beneath. The covered area offered protection from the flurry of snowflakes that had been falling since late afternoon, and the heat lamps warded off the icy air that was known to freeze nose hairs in a second. Minneapolis could be brutal in January for those who weren’t used to it. Having lived in the land of ten thousand lakes for the last twelve years, it didn’t bother him. Complaining about the weather was a useless waste of energy, much like being angry over his job.

The hotel was on the high-end of the luxury scale, which was what he’d come to expect. This particular hotel was a favorite of one of his regulars. Large enough for a person to remain anonymous and classy enough to be discreet, even if the staff suspected something. Proof that money could buy privacy.

He kept his hands deep in the pockets of his wool trench coat, his chin up as he made his way through the sleek lobby to the bank of elevators. An inconspicuous check in the line of mirrors along the wall confirmed he looked good, as did the appreciative glances from a cluster of women standing to the side.

The short wait for the elevator gave him time to send a quick check-in text to the agency. He scrolled through the text messages, confirmed the information he’d already memorized, silenced the ringer and slipped it into his inside suit pocket as the elevator doors slid open.

It’d been over three years since he’d walked blind into an engagement, but it was far from his first. That didn’t dispel the small knot of tension that sat low in his stomach. His client was an unknown, which meant his evening was too. He’d gotten comfortable with his select list of regulars. A list he’d worked seven years to cultivate and nurture. He knew exactly what to expect with each one.

Tonight was a clean slate that could go anywhere. He had to admit there was an element of excitement in that aspect.

He expelled a long breath, adjusted his coat collar and used the rest of the short ride to settle into the right mental space. He could usually classify a client within moments of meeting, based on appearance, visible nerves, room setup and the first words spoken. It was his job to adjust accordingly.

Most people didn’t get the art and challenge of what he did. He didn’t rise to the top of his field by providing a one-size-fits-all service. The true work was in being whatever each client wanted him to be. Shy, confident, submissive, dominant, talkative, quiet—that was him. Anyone could fuck. He was a fantasy come true.

And in order to be that, he needed to be at the top of his game. He’d deal with his irritation with the agency later.

The fact that this client had specifically requested Carter and hadn’t flinched at his rate suggested he was referred by someone. But who? None of his regulars had said a word to him and the agency hadn’t supplied the information, if they knew it.

The pricey hotel indicated the client had both money and influence, but it didn’t say squat about personality, appearance or desires.The elevator doors swished open and he stepped into the ammonia-scented hallway. He unbuttoned his coat, popped a breath mint, checked the room numbers and followed the industrial brown-print carpeting to his destination​.