Counselor Undone Read Free Page B

Nothing good could come of a midnight tryst
with an intoxicated stranger whom you almost let get inside your panties
without even trading your real names. She needed to get away.
    “No.” She moved aside abruptly. “Let me go.”
    “Wait!”
    Their voices overlapped. Her movement caught him off guard,
and he dropped the forgotten champagne flute he’d been holding. The bubbly
liquid spilled down her back before the sound of shattering glass rent the air.
She jerked and the corded shoulder gathers of her dress snagged on the curlicue
design of his epaulettes. The cords unraveled and the bodice of her dress
drooped, completely exposing her to the waist. Her mouth dropped open.
Mortification overtook her when the gladiator’s eyes widened at the display of
her naked breasts.
    Footsteps sounded near the sliding glass door of the balcony
and a giggling voice carried across the night. “Are you sure no one else is out
here?”
    “Don’t worry, baby,” came a masculine reply. “You’re safe
with me.”
    The gladiator recovered quickly and clasped her to his
chest, shielding her from view with his larger body.
    The giggling increased when the amorous couple passed them.
“See, I told you someone else would have thought of this,” the female voice
admonished.
    The deep male voice replied humorously, “Baby, they’re so
into each other they won’t even know we’re here. C’mon. Let’s find our own
private corner.”
    The footsteps faded, and Juliet became aware of her bare
nipples squished against the gladiator’s chest. Instead of alarming her, the
warmth of him felt oddly comforting. Instinctively, she understood he’d grabbed
her to cover her wardrobe malfunction, which impressed her as oddly gallant
under the circumstances.
    “Thanks,” she murmured, disengaging to attend her bodice.
    When she couldn’t get the shoulder piece back together, he
intercepted her frustrated fumbles. “Here. Allow me.”
    The chore stumped him as well until he discovered a small
clasp hidden beneath the gold cording. The clasp was bent, having snagged on
his shoulder piece. He pressed it back into shape with a firm squeeze between
his thumb and forefinger then latched it closed over her shoulder.
    She adjusted her dress and stepped towards the door, careful
to avoid the broken glass at her feet. “I have to go.” She spoke without
looking at him.
    “I really want to see you again.”
    “No, you don’t.” She shook her head and almost laughed at
his shocked expression. “What you want is an easy lay. And I’m not that woman.”
    “That’s not—”
    She placed three fingers against his lips to silence him.
“Look, this isn’t who I am. I don’t know what came over me tonight. I’ve never
done anything like this before in my life. Ever. So, you can forget about your
all-nighter. You won’t be getting lucky with me.”
    She took a deep breath before she continued. “Unfortunately
for you—” She sighed. “—well, for both of us really. I’m the kind
of girl who needs a commitment, not the kind of girl you keep in your little
black book for late-night hookups.”
    He removed her hand. “Whatever you say. All I’m asking is
for you to give me a chance to find out who you are for myself.”
    She laughed and shook her head again. “I don’t think so.
Something tells me after tonight, we’d be hard pressed to rewind to
getting-to-know-you drinks or dinner and a movie. How about we simply leave it
at our midnight rendezvous, and I’ll revisit the memory of tonight whenever I
need to remind myself even someone as provincial as me can have a bit of a
naughty girl inside.”
    Still holding her hand, he insisted, “At least tell me your
first name.”
    She smiled fully for the first time. “What? And ruin the
mystique? I don’t think so.” She began to walk away. She made it halfway to the
balcony door before she hesitated. She turned to see his pensive profile
staring off into the night. “Hey, Spartacus,”