play, no expectations of commitment or a relationship.
It was all in the communication, Luke decided. As long as they both understood the rules, no one would get hurt or could complain.
It was the adult, rational, sensible solution. And if she stuck to her guns and maintained that she couldn’t, wouldn’t , sleep with a client, then he’d do what any rational, determined man would do.
He’d seduce her into it. With the heat they generated, he didn’t think it would be too difficult.
* * *
Thirteen hours in a car gave a girl lots of time to get her mind sorted, Jess thought as she turned down the long driveway leading to St Sylve. It was nearly ten at night and she was utterly exhausted. Her eyes were gritty, her body stiff, and she could murder a cup of tea.
She’d initially thought she’d take two days to do the trip, but when she’d reached halfway she’d thought she would push through. She now wished she’d stopped. She had a massive headache and, although she’d done nothing all day but steer, she felt dirty and sweaty. Her hair was unbrushed and her teeth felt as if they were dripping enamel from the energy drinks she’d chain-drunk earlier.
Jess saw lights blazing from the guest house, and when she saw Luke’s Land Cruiser parked in the driveway she knew that he was home and not out on a date or— eeew —a sleep-over. Thank goodness.
Right. Before she saw him again, a quick recap on all she’d decided during the day. Living and working so closely with Luke was going to be a challenge. She got that. He was gorgeous, and she was crazy-mad attracted to him, but she couldn’t act on it.
‘No acting on the attraction.’ She muttered her new mantra. ‘No acting on the attraction.’ She just needed to say it forty times a day—an hour?—and her brain would be reprogrammed. Maybe.
When she wasn’t so tired she’d sit him down and lay out some simple ground rules. She was here to do a job, so kissing and touching and most especially sleeping together were out. She’d didn’t sleep with her clients. It was unprofessional. And when trouble brewed it always mucked up the business relationship. Always.
Besides that, attraction spilt over into involvement, which tended to make her end up feeling as if she’d tossed her heart to a pack of rabid, starving wolves.
Luke would just have to understand that for the next few weeks he might own her time, but her body wasn’t included in the deal. Her body, slutty thing that it was, wasn’t very impressed with that decision. Tough. Someone had to be the adult...
In the light of her headlights she saw the front door of the guest house open and Luke’s tall silhouette in the doorway. She parked her car next to his Cruiser and switched off her iPod, playing through the car speakers. Hard rock stopped mid-wail and there was blessed silence in the car. Why hadn’t she done that earlier? Oh, right—the edgy album had kept her from falling asleep and drifting off the road.
Jess released the seat belt as Luke opened her door. She smiled wearily up at him, her eyes wide and blinking against the interior light. ‘Hi.’
Luke rested his arm on the top of the car and stood in the doorway. Instead of giving her a smile and a warm greeting, she saw his face was hard in the dim light. ‘When did you leave home?’ he barked.
That wasn’t a friendly woof. Jess frowned. No hello ? No good to see you ?
‘Uh...this morning,’ Jess replied. ‘Is that a problem?’
‘Damn right it is,’ Luke whipped back. ‘What do you think you are doing, driving thirteen hours straight? Without letting anyone know? If you’d had an accident how would I have known? You could be lying in a ditch somewhere and I’d still think you’d be arriving tomorrow!’
Jess blinked at his tirade. ‘Uh−’
‘Did you let anyone know?’ Luke demanded, increasing his volume with every word.
‘No, I—’
‘It’s stupid and irresponsible. Do you know what can happen to a
It was all in the communication, Luke decided. As long as they both understood the rules, no one would get hurt or could complain.
It was the adult, rational, sensible solution. And if she stuck to her guns and maintained that she couldn’t, wouldn’t , sleep with a client, then he’d do what any rational, determined man would do.
He’d seduce her into it. With the heat they generated, he didn’t think it would be too difficult.
* * *
Thirteen hours in a car gave a girl lots of time to get her mind sorted, Jess thought as she turned down the long driveway leading to St Sylve. It was nearly ten at night and she was utterly exhausted. Her eyes were gritty, her body stiff, and she could murder a cup of tea.
She’d initially thought she’d take two days to do the trip, but when she’d reached halfway she’d thought she would push through. She now wished she’d stopped. She had a massive headache and, although she’d done nothing all day but steer, she felt dirty and sweaty. Her hair was unbrushed and her teeth felt as if they were dripping enamel from the energy drinks she’d chain-drunk earlier.
Jess saw lights blazing from the guest house, and when she saw Luke’s Land Cruiser parked in the driveway she knew that he was home and not out on a date or— eeew —a sleep-over. Thank goodness.
Right. Before she saw him again, a quick recap on all she’d decided during the day. Living and working so closely with Luke was going to be a challenge. She got that. He was gorgeous, and she was crazy-mad attracted to him, but she couldn’t act on it.
‘No acting on the attraction.’ She muttered her new mantra. ‘No acting on the attraction.’ She just needed to say it forty times a day—an hour?—and her brain would be reprogrammed. Maybe.
When she wasn’t so tired she’d sit him down and lay out some simple ground rules. She was here to do a job, so kissing and touching and most especially sleeping together were out. She’d didn’t sleep with her clients. It was unprofessional. And when trouble brewed it always mucked up the business relationship. Always.
Besides that, attraction spilt over into involvement, which tended to make her end up feeling as if she’d tossed her heart to a pack of rabid, starving wolves.
Luke would just have to understand that for the next few weeks he might own her time, but her body wasn’t included in the deal. Her body, slutty thing that it was, wasn’t very impressed with that decision. Tough. Someone had to be the adult...
In the light of her headlights she saw the front door of the guest house open and Luke’s tall silhouette in the doorway. She parked her car next to his Cruiser and switched off her iPod, playing through the car speakers. Hard rock stopped mid-wail and there was blessed silence in the car. Why hadn’t she done that earlier? Oh, right—the edgy album had kept her from falling asleep and drifting off the road.
Jess released the seat belt as Luke opened her door. She smiled wearily up at him, her eyes wide and blinking against the interior light. ‘Hi.’
Luke rested his arm on the top of the car and stood in the doorway. Instead of giving her a smile and a warm greeting, she saw his face was hard in the dim light. ‘When did you leave home?’ he barked.
That wasn’t a friendly woof. Jess frowned. No hello ? No good to see you ?
‘Uh...this morning,’ Jess replied. ‘Is that a problem?’
‘Damn right it is,’ Luke whipped back. ‘What do you think you are doing, driving thirteen hours straight? Without letting anyone know? If you’d had an accident how would I have known? You could be lying in a ditch somewhere and I’d still think you’d be arriving tomorrow!’
Jess blinked at his tirade. ‘Uh−’
‘Did you let anyone know?’ Luke demanded, increasing his volume with every word.
‘No, I—’
‘It’s stupid and irresponsible. Do you know what can happen to a
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