A Kept Man Read Free Page A

though I’m forcing him on you. You
don’t have to take him to bed, though I think you’d be
crazy not to. The man is amazing—”
    “Felicity—”
    The older woman released a long-suffering sigh. “Fine. Work if
you want, though I think you’re crazy to. You won’t even
notice he’s there.”
    “Felicity, I am neither blind nor dead. Of course I’m
going to notice him.”
    That bawdy laugh trilled across the phone line. “Glad to know
you haven’t lost all your feminine instincts. He is quite the
dish, isn’t he?”
    “He’s the whole damn place setting,” she grumbled.
“How am I supposed to get any work done with this half-naked
man wandering around the place?”
    “Only half-naked? I’m surprised. He must be feeling
modest meeting you for the first time.”
    Jess ground her teeth together so hard she was sure she heard one
crack. “Felicity—”
    “Perhaps he can help you. He can inspire you.” There was
a slapping sound, and Jess could picture her aunt clapping her hands
at her own genius. “Oh, that’s perfect. Let him be your
muse.”
    Jess slowly closed her eyes. That was Felicity. As far as she was
concerned, there was no problem in life that couldn’t be solved
with the addition of a man.
    “You told me the house would be empty. I can’t believe
you lied to me.”
    “I can’t imagine why not. I do it all the time. You know
that.”
    The woman had a point.
    “And this time I didn’t even lie. He lives in the
guesthouse.”
    Jess looked over to where the structure in question sat on the other
side of the pool, a mere hundred meters from the main house. It was
hardly a comforting distance.
    “It was a lie of omission.”
    “My dear, that is surely the least of the many fibs I’ve
told in my life, and I did it out of love. Now enjoy yourself, dear.
Do everything I would do.”
    Jess opened her mouth to respond that she would be doing no such
thing. There was no point. Felicity had already hung up.
    Jess sucked in a huge breath and slowly exhaled. She had nobody to
blame for this but herself. She should have known better than to take
Felicity up on her offer. This was exactly the kind of stunt she
would pull.
    The only question was what Jess was going to do now.
    If she had any sense, she’d pick up her bag and walk straight
out the front door. That man was a distraction she didn’t need.
She’d already wasted three days on a cross-country drive that
was supposed to have cleared her mind but instead had left her all
too much time to think about everything she didn’t want to. She
needed to get to work.
    Which meant she didn’t have time to make a Plan B, let alone
the finances to pay for somewhere else to stay for the next month.
    She stared at the pool’s shimmering waters. A gentle breeze
sent a ripple across the tranquil surface. The sun was already
beginning to sink below the treetops, its golden rays spilling across
the patio. God, it was peaceful here. She could feel that same
tranquility she’d experienced earlier falling over her again.
    This was what she needed in order to work. This kind of peace.
Besides, she could ignore Charlie. Unlike Felicity, she wasn’t
a woman ruled by her libido. This place was big enough for the two of
them. All she needed to do was hole up somewhere with her laptop and
she’d never see him at all.
    She’d just about managed to convince herself when she turned
back around. And started.
    He was standing on the other side of the patio doors, leaning against
the wall with his arms crossed over that sculpted chest, watching
her. When their eyes met, he slowly slid the glass door open and
stepped outside.
    “How’s Felicity?”
    Diabolical . “The same as ever.”
    “And?”
    Jess sighed. “Fine. You can stay.”
    A trace of amusement flickered across his face. “I never
thought leaving was an option.”
    Jess grimaced. She was being rude. It wasn’t his fault Felicity
hadn’t told her he would be there. It was his fault he was a
kept