it. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had sex. That was all this was. A raging case of blue balls.
Maybe he could talk her into a quickie in the changing room, wherever they ended up shopping? A frown slowly pulled Burke’s face into a dark scowl. Cady was a good girl. She had principles. She wasn’t the type a guy took advantage of just because he was horny.
Great. He’d just spent a sleepless night replaying their kiss over and over. Now he was trying to figure out the best place for a clandestine rendezvous. She was a small-town girl, an innocent looking for fun and excitement in the city. He was a jaded jerk, who was used to getting whatever he wanted—and discarding it when he got bored. Money did that to a person. He was a shark. Cady would do well to steer clear of him.
The sharp trill of his cell phone sounded from his pants pocket. Who the hell would call at, what time was it? Six a.m. Who called people at six a.m.? Checking the screen, he snorted. His mother. He’d lay odds she was in Europe again and hadn’t even bothered to take the time difference into account. Shoving the phone back into his pocket, he let it go to voicemail. No, thank you.
Burke closed the laptop and concentrated on the small amount of coffee he had left. It was profoundly quiet out here. Just a few days ago, this would have sent him into a panic attack. He needed chaos, cacophony—or at least, he thought he did. Now, staring off into a row of thick pines, he was stunned to find that the lack of hustle and bustle on his current assignment was actually relaxing. His eyes widened as he spied a small brown bunny nibbling at a clump of clover just feet from where he was sitting. Okay, so make that relaxed
and
charmed.
Gathering his things as slowly as possible so as not to disturb his new little woodland friend, Burke headed in to take a shower. An undisciplined writer was an out-of-work writer and he had a series of articles to shape. It was time to get focused.
The cottage’s shower could barely manage tepid water at the best of times, so today’s chilly dribble was not altogether unexpected. And it worked to chase the fuzziness from his brain and tamp down the hormones raging through his body.
Re-energized, he settled at his desk, glanced longingly at the ocean view from his window and flipped up the screen on his laptop to get to work. He checked his email first, to see if there was anything from Meredith, his editor. This assignment being her baby, she was a lot more involved in the day-to-day than he was used to.
Just an email from his mother. God, the woman didn’t quit! Ah, crap. The subject line read “Your father.” Had something happened and she called to let him know? And he’d just blown her off. Way to go, jerk! Burke tapped the mouse to open the missive.
“I know very well you were awake, just now, when I called. Must we play these games, Burke? Honestly, sometimes you still act like a small child.”
Really? Something was wrong with his father and she was taking the time to scold him? If he could flip off the computer screen with any hope of the gesture reaching his mother’s shocked face, he would. Well, okay, he wouldn’t, but he’d want to.
“As you are aware, we have been most indulgent of your little writing hobby. You have had yourself numerous adventures all over the world. Hurrah for you, darling. However, you are nearly thirty years old and it is time for you to become a responsible adult. Enough of this globetrotting nonsense. It is time for you to take your position as head of the company.”
Burke felt his stomach fall, down, down, hurtling into a chasm with no bottom.
“Your father has announced to the board that he will retire, effective this September. We need you to come back immediately, so that he can sit down with you and explain your duties.”
Aw, hell no!
“I am certain whatever assignment you are working on can be passed along to the next available writer. If there
Maybe he could talk her into a quickie in the changing room, wherever they ended up shopping? A frown slowly pulled Burke’s face into a dark scowl. Cady was a good girl. She had principles. She wasn’t the type a guy took advantage of just because he was horny.
Great. He’d just spent a sleepless night replaying their kiss over and over. Now he was trying to figure out the best place for a clandestine rendezvous. She was a small-town girl, an innocent looking for fun and excitement in the city. He was a jaded jerk, who was used to getting whatever he wanted—and discarding it when he got bored. Money did that to a person. He was a shark. Cady would do well to steer clear of him.
The sharp trill of his cell phone sounded from his pants pocket. Who the hell would call at, what time was it? Six a.m. Who called people at six a.m.? Checking the screen, he snorted. His mother. He’d lay odds she was in Europe again and hadn’t even bothered to take the time difference into account. Shoving the phone back into his pocket, he let it go to voicemail. No, thank you.
Burke closed the laptop and concentrated on the small amount of coffee he had left. It was profoundly quiet out here. Just a few days ago, this would have sent him into a panic attack. He needed chaos, cacophony—or at least, he thought he did. Now, staring off into a row of thick pines, he was stunned to find that the lack of hustle and bustle on his current assignment was actually relaxing. His eyes widened as he spied a small brown bunny nibbling at a clump of clover just feet from where he was sitting. Okay, so make that relaxed
and
charmed.
Gathering his things as slowly as possible so as not to disturb his new little woodland friend, Burke headed in to take a shower. An undisciplined writer was an out-of-work writer and he had a series of articles to shape. It was time to get focused.
The cottage’s shower could barely manage tepid water at the best of times, so today’s chilly dribble was not altogether unexpected. And it worked to chase the fuzziness from his brain and tamp down the hormones raging through his body.
Re-energized, he settled at his desk, glanced longingly at the ocean view from his window and flipped up the screen on his laptop to get to work. He checked his email first, to see if there was anything from Meredith, his editor. This assignment being her baby, she was a lot more involved in the day-to-day than he was used to.
Just an email from his mother. God, the woman didn’t quit! Ah, crap. The subject line read “Your father.” Had something happened and she called to let him know? And he’d just blown her off. Way to go, jerk! Burke tapped the mouse to open the missive.
“I know very well you were awake, just now, when I called. Must we play these games, Burke? Honestly, sometimes you still act like a small child.”
Really? Something was wrong with his father and she was taking the time to scold him? If he could flip off the computer screen with any hope of the gesture reaching his mother’s shocked face, he would. Well, okay, he wouldn’t, but he’d want to.
“As you are aware, we have been most indulgent of your little writing hobby. You have had yourself numerous adventures all over the world. Hurrah for you, darling. However, you are nearly thirty years old and it is time for you to become a responsible adult. Enough of this globetrotting nonsense. It is time for you to take your position as head of the company.”
Burke felt his stomach fall, down, down, hurtling into a chasm with no bottom.
“Your father has announced to the board that he will retire, effective this September. We need you to come back immediately, so that he can sit down with you and explain your duties.”
Aw, hell no!
“I am certain whatever assignment you are working on can be passed along to the next available writer. If there
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