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Rob grunted and picked up the longneck, deciding he was thirsty after all. Real thirsty.
“I’m sure Jane intends to choose Kensington,” JP continued. “Viewers should like that. Marketing shows he holds the highest audience appeal.”
Since she pretty much only spent time with Jeff or Steve except during group and planned individual activities, and Kensington got the preferential treatment, Rob agreed.
A romantic week on a tropical island with Jill.
Jeff Kensington was a lucky man.
Rob took a slow, cool sip letting the smooth liquid slide down, soothing his dry throat.
“Do you think he’ll go for the money?”
“Or for love,” Rob snorted as his gaze went back to the monitor. The bachelors and Jill were laughing and carrying on like they were having a blast. Jealousy slammed him. He was as jealous as jealous got. Damn.
Had he ever been jealous of a woman? Not since Mandy, and never with this intensity. Rob set his beer down, not liking how the cold brew churned in his flaming body. Or maybe it was the green monster agitating his insides. Either way, he didn’t like the unsettled sensation.
“Huh?” JP stared at him, rocking back in his chair.
“You missed it. Jill’s card was ‘For love or money’.”
JP cackled. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope. And, of course, loverboy picked right up on it.” Rob put his hand over the computer mouse and clicked to zoom in on camera number two.
“Kensington answered?”
Rob nodded. He turned and saw JP’s eyes practically glowed. Was that dollar signs he heard cha-chinking inside his friend’s head?
“We’ll have to use the footage,” JP said. “Did you plant the card?”
“I figured you had.” Rob returned his attention to the screen. Just in time to see Jill kiss Kensington.
Okay, so it was just a quick smack of her lips, but fierce longings shook him. Or maybe he shook because that green monster battered his body, trying to break free.
“Nope. What a damn coincidence.”
Rob had decided long ago that there were no coincidences. Only actions and reactions. The fact he wanted to punch Jeff Kensington in the face--now, there was a classic example. Jill had kissed Kensington and was possibly going to go on a “honeymoon” with the guy, and Rob wanted to punch his lights out. Action. Reaction. Simple enough.
See, he was still keeping it simple. JP should be proud.
Nonetheless, he squeezed the computer mouse as if he could somehow diminish his frustrations by doing so.
“A few months after the show airs, when the media hoopla has died down, look her up if you’ve still got an inkling to have her.”
Rob forcibly loosened his hold on the defenseless computer mouse. “You don’t think Jill and Kensington will stay together?”
JP snickered and shook his head. “She wants you. A blind man could see the lust in her eyes when she looks at you. Frankly, I’m damn jealous of the way women fall at your glorified feet. And Jane’s a looker. Three or four months from now, you should go for it if you still want her as another bedpost notch.”
Hell, he had a feeling he might still want Jill in three of four years, possibly longer. Why did life have to be so complicated? And he cringed at classifying Jill as just another notch on his bedpost. Somehow thinking of her in the terms he connected with the kind of women he generally dealt with just didn’t fit.
“Three months from now, I may be on the other side of the world,” Rob answered noncommittally staring at the monitors.
“Great. That should put you right smack dab in California where she just so happens to live when she’s not fulfilling her royal duties as a European princess.”
“Smart ass.”
“And don’t you forget it, boy.” JP guffawed as he took another sip. “I like her, you know.”
