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Chapter Twenty-three
Rylee’s first response to his attempted seduction was to get as far away from the man, his attractiveness and killer body as possible. Her mind was cluttered with so many emotions, that she feared her judgment.
No man, ever, had made her feel this tingling awareness or the need to get closer, to see if his lips tasted as good as they looked. Lordy, she was a hot mess.
And that never happened to her.
Ever.
But the image of her new young friend, Miguel, made her fight off the crazy response and turn to her professional persona to get her through the next hour or so.
Watching him order the food, the considerate but firm way he spoke on the phone had her attention, and she knew he wasn’t out to impress her. She’d seen him on the dock and then again last night and knew it was in his nature to behave kindly to everyone.
Before she did something stupid like lead him to the bed and have her way with him, she followed him to the living room and steered the conversation to a completely new topic. “So, Jake, tell me what fills your days. Are you still working with computers and creating new programs?”
He slid his arm over the top of the sofa so that it almost enclosed her shoulder, his hand inches away from where the skin prickled, and bumps formed on her skin.
Intensely aware of their intimacy, she shifted and tried to shake off the picture of their naked bodies joined in a passionate embrace and forced her mind on his answer.
Why the hell those images had suddenly appeared, she had no idea. But she did know that his other large hand softly stroking the sleeping kitten was one she yearned to have caress her skin instead.
Pulling her gaze away and feeling silly for her resentment of the tiny ball of fur, she tried to concentrate on his answer.
“Actually, my partner Leo and I keep very busy. One of the interests we’ve taken on is a ranch in Montana where they have all kinds of animals as well as horses. They even breed German Shepherds and train them there too.
“A close street friend from the early years, Stevie, met a fellow called Brad James who’d grown up on a ranch. He’d gone through some bad times and ended up a booze hound. With his father’s help, they fought their drug dependencies together and eventually, they married.
“When his parents were lost in a boating accident, Brad had to step up, take over their rundown place and be accountable. Nowadays, working together and with a bit of capital from investors, they’ve fought the hard battle to make the place successful, and they’ve done so and very well I might add.
“Now, it’s set up as a rehab facility where they help others from the streets that face the same battles. Mostly, they take younger kids with nowhere to go… but hell.” His voice almost whispered the last two words, but she heard them, and shivers broke out from the raw emotion he’d revealed.
Enthralled with his story and the telling of it in his husky voice filled with an understanding that only a person who’d lived in that world would have, he’d drawn her in. When the knock at the door came, she jumped.
Carlos carried off his act to perfection. Nodding her way with a subservient “Buenos Tardes, Señorita,” he didn’t wink until Jake’s back was turned.
Sticking her tongue out and making him grin might not have been very professional, and not something she would ever have done on a normal job, but there was nothing normal about being on this ship.
Eating on the balcony, relaxing in the hot shade, they enjoyed their meal, and she waited until he’d poured the last of the wine and sat back in the lounger.
Looking her way, he opened the discussion, “So… what’s the favor you need from me? And just so you know, I’m feeling that good, I can’t think of a thing I’d say no to.”
