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“I’m not really hungry.”
“Darlin’, you haven’t eaten a bite all day.”
She’d forgotten about that. The sack he’d brought that morning probably still held the uneaten burritos. Her stomach growled.
Jackson pointed to the robe hanging from the hook on the back of the bathroom door. “Until I get your clothes dried, you can wear this.”
God, she could get used to this treatment. “Thank you.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “I’m just glad you’re okay, Jessie.”
“You know I will have to investigate the accident that happened today along with the others.”
“Sweetheart, you do your job. I expect you to. You and me...let’s keep us separate from the mine. Seriously, I’ll help you in any way I can. If you find infractions, so be it.”
“What will your brother Austin think about that?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“We’ll see.”
“Jessie, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who I was at the Horseshoe.” His face showed honest repentance. “Please, forgive me.”
She couldn’t stay mad at him with those puppy dog eyes. “Okay. But we need to keep what happened at the hotel a secret.”
“Absolutely. Now, enjoy your bath.” He stepped through the door. “I’m going to leave the door cracked open just a bit. If you need me, just holler, okay?”
“I think I yelled enough this morning, don’t you?”
“I deserved it, sweetheart. Just let me know if you need anything.”
She brought her hand up to her forehead in a mock salute.
He nodded and, as promised, pulled the door to not quite closed.
Jessica closed her eyes and let herself drift off. She’d never been treated like a queen until Jackson.
* * * *
A deep male voice and a knock on the door woke her. “Jessie?”
For a moment, she had to get her bearings. Where was she? A house not far from Wilde...in a bedroom. The voice was Jackson’s, the man who had been her first real lover.
“You awake, sweetheart?” he said, walking into the bedroom.
How long had she been out? After her bath, he’d brought her an amazing meal that Phoenix had prepared. His brother’s concoction of a salad of mixed greens, grapes, nuts, and grated cheese topped off with vinaigrette thrilled her taste buds to no end. After her meal, Jacks
on had insisted that she stretch out on his bed to rest.
“Yes, I’m awake.” Suddenly, she remembered that she’d taken her laptop to the mine. Had she left it there? Stupid mistake. She sat up in the bed and pulled the robe tight around her body.
“You okay? You seem tense.”
“Do you know where my laptop is?”
“We must’ve left it in the mine’s infirmary. I can call and find out.”
“Do that.” She’d screwed up again. What would her boss think if he knew she was in the bed of one of the owners of the mine? Sure, Jackson was telling the truth about how he felt about her. Did that change how inappropriate this was? No. “Where are my clothes?”
