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I wish I could’ve given Maddie this trip, but I don’t have the resources. Brianna does.
Damn. Brianna. Already my groin is tightening just at the thought. The thing is, I’m angry as much as aroused…which makes the arousal all the more profound. I take the last sip of my tea and replace the cup on my saucer, and then I rise.
“Would you excuse me? I need to get some air.”
“Jesse’s still dealing with jet lag,” Rory says, giving me an excuse.
“It’s the worst,” Ennis agrees. “I remember the first time I flew into Denver to go to university. I could barely function with the jet lag and the high altitude on top of it. I wholly understand. Just come right back in when you’re ready. No need to knock.”
“Thank you. The tea was excellent.” I nod and walk out of the living room, through the foyer, and out the front door.
I breathe in the fresh air, drawing it deep into my lungs. The house is gorgeous, made of gray stone with ivy growing up the sides. The green lawn is nicely trimmed. In the front is a circular fountain with bushes all around it, though it’s not running. The driveway is cobblestone, and our limo driver sits in the driver’s seat, waiting for us to be done.
I don’t want to think about how much Brock is paying him.
I walk to the black limousine, knock on the window.
It opens, and our chauffeur, complete with black flat cap, raises his eyebrows. “May I help you, sir?”
“I’m just wondering, how much do you make an hour?”
“Fifty pounds.”
“So Brock Steel is paying you fifty pounds an hour to drive us around?”
“Oh no, Mr. Steel is payin’ the company I work for.” He looks past me out the window. “I shouldn’t be sayin’ this. But he’s probably payin’ more like two hundred pounds.”
I drop my jaw.
“Don’t worry, sir. Everything is paid for in advance.”
“What about your gratuity?”
“A tip, you mean? We don’t do that in England much.”
“Okay. I’m sorry to bother you.”
“Not a problem.” He smiles and closes the window.
I need to get over myself.
I walk along the lawn for a while, breathing in more of the fresh air. Then I turn to walk back toward the door when—
Shit.
Brianna is out here. Looking beautiful, of course, in jeans and a tight T-shirt. No cowboy boots, though. Nikes. Walking shoes. They were sightseeing earlier. Brianna and Maddie, to my astonishment, didn’t take Rory up on her spa offer.
“Jesse?”
“What?”
She blinks. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“Don’t I look okay?”
“You look amazing as always. But you were so distraught the other night, and I—”
I shake my head forcefully. “The other night never happened, Brianna.”
