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“What did he say?”
Raphael yawned big. “He agreed as long as it’s okay with ye.”
I couldn’t say no, not when my brother had worked so hard. Nor could I explain my hesitation. Instead, I just nodded. If things got weird, I could always bail and stay with Gabe and Effie. “When will you leave?”
He slumped in apparent relief. “Tomorrow night. I’ll have time to talk to Dad with ye before then.”
“We’ll call him before you go. Go get some sleep.”
He gave me a salute and then retreated to his bed.
I skipped back into my room and closed the door. Taking up my phone, I fired off a message to Jackson before I lost my nerve.
Ariel: Hey, babysitter.
Jackson: Good to know you said yes for your brother’s sake.
I grinned and tapped a reply.
Ariel: Having you around is going to make it difficult for me to move on with my list #cockblocker
Jackson: I tried to forget what was on it. It was causing me to be a hazard at work.
Ariel: Want a reminder?
For several minutes, he didn’t reply. Then a single-word answer,yes,popped up on my phone.
A thrill shot through me, catching alight the lust he’d kindled earlier. I took a photo of the page then blurred all but the top two lines and sent it to him.
Lose virginity fast with straight-up missionary. Full-body contact. Moving slow.
Get on your knees for him. Have him go down on you. Sixty-nine until you’re both on the edge.
Almost instantly, my phone buzzed.
But it wasn’t Jackson calling, it was Daisy.
“Hello,” I crowed.
“Hello to you, too. About later, I’ll be done by three, so Ben and I will come get you. He’ll have to return to work, but if you sneak out the back of the castle, dive into the car and hide, we’ll get you to the cottage safely.”
“Deal,” I said, not even trying to hide the smile in my voice.
“What’s got you purring?” my friend enquired.
“Tell you when I see you. Oh, by the way, Jackson’s coming over after the interview so we can call your old housemate. Is that okay?”
“To question him about Landon? Good idea. See you soon.”
We hung up, and I lay back on my pillows, reliving every second of that kiss.
Jackson didn’t reply, and I wondered if I’d broken him.
A few hours later, I was finally out of the house, trundling through the countryside in the back of Ben’s car.
“Tell me about the woman who’s coming for the cleaning job,” I asked from low down on the seat.
Daisy replied without twisting around. “Her name’s Mia. She’s a single mother, and she sounded so sweet on the phone. Ben’s checked her out, so I know she’s who she says she is. Get this, it sounds like someone’s done a number on her self-esteem. One of the first things she said to me was not to judge her by her appearance.”
