Free The Candidate (Romantic Suspense) (The Candidate Series) by Josie Brown

leading him to her, he’d forget all he wanted to ask–all he should have asked—weeks ago. 
    “I was invited. Remember?” Maddy sounded annoyed. She flipped over onto her stomach and turned her head so that it faced away from him and toward the wall. Because she was slightly spread-eagled, a dainty lacquered toe gently grazed his ankle. 
    He nearly came right then and there.
    When he came to his senses, he croaked out: “Had you arrived with someone?”
    “No.” Her voice was muffled, a million miles away.
    She’s lying.
     “Who is—the Invisible Man?”
    Dead silence. 
    “Was he there that night?”
    Instead of answering him, she got up out of bed, collected the clothes she’d strewn around the room and headed to the bathroom. He groaned at the thought of losing her—both in his bed that very minute, and out of it for the rest of his life. 
    Jesus, why am I being so paranoid? Because of Spooky Fred? Well, fuck that shit...
    Ben could hear the shower running. He forced himself to get up. When he knocked, there was no answer, but she hadn’t locked the door so he opened it and peeked inside.
    The steam had already enveloped the room, and he could make her out through the beveled shower door. 
    She was sobbing.
    He wrapped himself around her and held her like that for what seemed an eternity. Or at least long enough for the water to go from scalding hot, like she had it, to tepidly cool. It made them both shiver, which made her laugh finally, which made him want to kiss her—
    But she kissed him first.
    By the time they came up for air, the water was ice cold. But instead of leaving the shower, he got behind her, tilting her forward just enough so that she had to hold onto the tile and stand tall on those beautiful toes he loved so dearly while he thrust deep inside of her, cupping her breasts and her taut nipples with his wrinkled fingertips.
    Afterward they fell into his bed, still wet.
     

     
    He was shaving in the bathroom and she was getting dressed in the bedroom when her cell phone chirped. He pretended to be looking in the mirror at a sideburn, but in truth he was watching her when, instead of picking up, she noted the Caller ID, then muted the ringer. 
    “Why didn’t you answer it?”
    She looked up startled, then smiled coyly. “Because it’s my sugar daddy.”
    But Ben wasn’t laughing. “Maddy, I tell you everything. But I know virtually nothing about you. What, is it Mr. Invisible?”
     “Jesus, Ben! Get real.”
    “I am being real.”
    “Then, for real , it’s none of your business.” 
    “I want to make it my business.” He laid down his razor and wiped off the last few wisps of shaving cream with the back of his hand. “Maddy, sweetheart, I want you all to myself.”
     “Forget it, Ben. I like things just the way they are.”
    “You mean that you want to stay fuck buddies?”
    “Sure. Why not?” Maddy picked up her bra then turned her back on him as she hooked it. Her way of saying END OF STORY.
    “I don’t get it. Why can’t we take this—this whatever it is—to the next step?” 
    She quit buttoning her blouse and sighed. “Ben, it’s not happening, ever. And if you push it, you’ll lose me. For good.”
    She went into the bathroom and slammed the door.
    He waited until she turned on the blow dryer before pulling her cell phone from her purse and reading the Caller ID: Anonymous .  
    Of course, he could just hit redial and see who picked up...
    But he didn’t. Because she was right. 
    There was no way in hell he’d risk losing her. 

Chapter 14
     
    Manolo Padilla’s personal physician, Jorge Leon, was considered the rising star of Venezuela’s medical community. He was young and handsome. He had graduated at the top of his class at St. George’s, University of London. And most importantly, he was devoted to Padilla’s policies, without question.
    That might have had something to do with the fact that he was married to Padilla’s niece, Lina.
    It