The Professional

“Max!” Violet screamed, her body half hanging out of the train car.

He swung himself up, his other sleeve snagging on the ladder. “Get inside before you fall off. I know what I’m doing.”

“But you’re stuck!”

He ignored his exasperation, only slightly convinced falling out of the train would make the damn woman believe that she was in danger, and climbed the ladder to the top of the car. The trap door he hoped for greeted him and he jimmied open the top, then slid through and into the car.

The face that greeted him was as welcome as it was irate.

“How’d you know to do that?”

“I played a hunch.”

“What if you’d been stuck there?”

“I wasn’t.”

“But what if—”

Max dragged her forward, crushing his mouth to hers. He spread his legs against the swaying of the train and pulled her even closer, flush against his body.

It wasn’t the time or the situation for romance, but he’d be damned if he let another moment go without touching her.

* * *

Be sure to check out the next books in the

Dangerous in Dallas series. Danger and desire fill the hot Texas nights …

The Professional

Addison Fox

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Texas transplant ADDISON FOX is a lifelong romance reader, addicted to happy-ever-after. There’s nothing she enjoys more than penning novels about two strong-willed, exciting people on that magical fall into love. When she’s not writing, she can be found spending time with family and friends, reading or enjoying a glass of wine.

Contact Addison at her website—www.addisonfox.com—or catch up with her on Facebook (addisonfoxauthor) and Twitter (@addisonfox).

For April

Keeper of details, a ready supply of hand sanitizer and cautionary tales about too-warm sushi.

You have a warmth and smile that is infectious and a heart that is unfailingly kind.

I’m so blessed by our friendship.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter 1

Violet Richardson removed herself from striking distance of the bouquet and took her usual spot on the wall. That place—halfway between the kitchen and the entrance—provided a comfortable perch to oversee the lavish ballroom.

It also gave her eyes on anyone coming and going.

In the past, she’d believed it was a necessity to ensure any wedding she coordinated ran well. Not well, she mentally corrected herself. Perfectly.

But since the previous week, she’d accepted that having eyes on the ballroom would ensure the threat stalking her and her business partners wouldn’t spill over to their wedding clients.

The Kelley-Gardner nuptials had been a long project, full of all the things she loved about her job. A manic mother of the bride, a guest list that could fell a celebrity chef, and a bride and groom who practically glowed with their love for each other.

The wedding had also put Elegance and Lace firmly on the map as one of the city’s premier event providers.

She and her partners, Cassidy and Lilah, had worked tirelessly to make their business into one of Dallas’s best. Despite the recent rash of danger in their lives, she couldn’t hide her satisfaction at what they’d created.

“Lilah’s wheeling out the cake and all’s on schedule.” Gabriella Sanchez took a spot beside her, her unobtrusive black suit doing nothing to hide the saucy curves beneath. Gabby had started out as a caterer they partnered with on events and had quickly become a friend.

The clock that perpetually ticked in Violet’s mind counted off the required time to cross the ballroom to the cake and gave Lilah a few extra minutes to fuss. “She’s been working on this one for almost a week.”

“It’s a good thing she started early after—” Gabriella broke off, her soft brown eyes marred with the memories of the prior week. Lilah and her new fiancé, Reed, had faced off with the threat that had stalked their business, only to discover the name that went with the threat was Reed’s stepfather, Tripp Lange.

Shaking off the rush of anger and sadness at what her friend had experienced, Violet gripped Gabriella’s hand, desperate to hang on to something solid. “She and Reed found each other and Cassidy and Tucker did as well. It is a good thing.”

Gabby squeezed back before she offered up a small moue of disgust. “As beautiful as this place is, the catering needs a serious overhaul.”

Her friend’s dig had Violet refocusing on the event. The hotel was doing the formal catering, but they’d brought Gabby along as extra arms and legs. “Please don’t tell me you snuck into the kitchen.”

“It wasn’t sneaking.”

Violet ignored the delicate sniff and only pressed harder. “Gab—”

“My cousin’s best friend works here, and I wanted to say hi.”

Violet knew Gabby was a walking connection to half of Dallas, either as family or as friends of family. But none of it hid the fact that she wanted eyes on the kitchen. Her own catering business had been on the rise, but the competition between the local caterers and the large hotels had gotten fiercer in the last few years.