He starts to speak, but then closes his mouth and shakes his head.

“Don’t you dare say that it isn’t the same thing. A crush is a crush is a crush. Brad has as much a chance getting in my pants as any one of those pathetic women has getting into yours.”

He exhales loudly. “Well, I guess I can see your point.”

“Go work. I’m going to take a shower.”

“Are you still mad at me?” He closes the gap between us and grips my hand in his tightly.

“A little. I’ll get over it. Go work and call me later.”

“Okay.” He bends down and runs his lips lightly over mine, then pushes his fingers in my hair and pulls me to him, kissing me deeply, as if his apology is in his kiss and I can’t help but melt against him.

“You make me crazy,” I murmur against his lips.

“Ditto, baby. I’ll talk to you tonight.”

He leaves me on the porch and I watch him slip into his sleek black SUV. He smiles and waves and pulls out of my driveway.

I’ve fallen in love with a beautiful, sexy, sweet, jealous control freak.

Shit.

***

Jules is in the kitchen when I go inside. I slam my purse on the breakfast bar and yank the fridge open looking for a water.

“Well, hello sunshine,” Jules says sarcastically.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

“I’m working from home. Hey, you’re really pissed. What happened?” She plants her hands on her hips and scowls at me, and I immediately feel better.

“He just irritated me at the gym. Luke has a jealous streak.”

“Scary jealous, or sexy jealous?”

Jules asks, her eyebrows raised.

“Stupid jealous.” I sigh and fall into the deep cushions of the red couch in the living room. Jules follows and sits in the armchair opposite me, her bare feet propped on the ottoman.

“He’s obviously crazy about you.”

She takes a swig of her own water.

I shrug. “I guess. I’m new to all this, Jules. I don’t like being questioned about things I do.”

“He’s not being a controlling asshole, is he?”

“No, but he does have a bossy streak.

Not in a bad way. I know he cares about me. He’s really sweet and gentle with me. But boy, he does not like Brad.” I roll my eyes and lean my head back against the cushion.

“Sexy model client Brad?”

“Yeah.” I explain about Luke walking in on us in the studio yesterday, and running into Brad at the gym today.

“Gee, I wonder why. That kid has it bad for you.”

I scowl at her. “He does not! He’s just flirty! Don’t you start, too.”

“You never could recognize when someone was interested in you, Nat.”

“Luke has nothing to worry about.”

“Oh, I know that.” She brushes my words aside with the wave of her hand.

“Why doesn’t he?”

“This is new to him, too.”

“Whose side are you on?”

“Yours, sweetie. Always yours.

Where is he?”

“He went home to work. Someone called while we were working out.”

“Maybe you could use a day apart.”

“Probably. Hey, what are you really doing here? You’ve been working from home a lot lately.”

Jules

frowns

and

shrugs.

“Telecommuting is easy.”

“Uh uh. I don’t buy it.” She’s not telling me something. “I know you too well, Julianne Montgomery.”

“My new boss is kind of a dick.” She shrugs again, but she looks like she might be fighting tears. Alarmed, I sit on the ottoman, making her lower her feet, and grasp her hands.

“Has he hurt you?”

“No, he’s just a condescending asshole.” She shrugs again, but then breaks down in tears. Holy shit.

“Sweetie, what is it?” She drops her head in her hands and cries, a hard, sobbing cry.

“I fucked him.” She cries through her hands.

“What?” I sit back, my jaw dropped, shocked. Jules has a strict policy, no screwing co-workers.

“The night you first brought Luke home.” I remember that night, when Jules went straight upstairs without coming to the kitchen to meet Luke.

“How? Jules, this isn’t like you.”

“I know.” She wipes her eyes and her nose on the back of her hand. “We went out for dinner with some other people from the office, and I had too much to drink.”

“Honey, is he trying to ruin things for you at work?”

“No! No, nothing like that.” She takes a deep breath and I hand her a tissue. “It’s just so uncomfortable. And it doesn’t help that he’s freaking hot.

Almost Luke Williams hot.” She smiles at me and my shoulders relax just a little.

“Wow, that’s pretty hot.”

“I know, right?” She shakes her head and looks sad again. I hate seeing Sad Jules. “And Nat, you’d be shocked what he’s hiding under those business suits he wears to work. Wow. It was the best sex of my damn life.”

“Jules, are you hung up on this guy?”

“It doesn’t matter even if I am. There is a no fraternizing policy at our office.

We could both be fired.” Her eyes well again, and I just feel so helpless.

“What has his reaction been to all this?”

“Well he was pretty pissed when he woke up the next morning and I was gone.”

“Ah, so you did the whole sleep-with-‘em-then-bail-when-they’re-asleep move.” I nod knowingly.

“Yeah. I didn’t want to face the ugly morning after.”

“Can’t blame you there. But if he was pissed you were gone, maybe he really likes you.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s hopeless.”

“But…”

“No, don’t try to fix this, Nat. It’s done. I’ll go back to the office eventually; I just need a little time to regroup. I took a few vacation days and now I’m working from home until I work up the nerve to see him again.”

“Okay.” I rub her arm soothingly, and then stand. “I’m going up to shower.

Let me know if you need me.”

“Thanks.” She gives me a watery smile. “Oh, Nat?”

“Yeah?”

“Stupid jealous is kinda hot.”

Chapter Eighteen

I’m picking you up in an hour.