Hers for the Evening

An exclusive and secret agency, for over two hundred years Courtesans has specialized in providing entertainment of a sexual nature. Its clients are rich, powerful, and influential men and women, and one only meets a courtesan through referral from trusted sources. Courtesans facilitates bringing together men and women to satisfy any sexual need imaginable, matching the perfect courtesan with just the right client. The agency prides itself on training its courtesans, male and female, to interpret and fulfill its clients greatest fantasies, even the secret ones no one dares to say aloud. The price is high, but everyone who’s ever had the pleasure of a date with a courtesan will agree, the fantasy is worth every penny.

Hers for the Evening (Book 2)

With Courtesans you get more than you pay for…

In
“Three’s a Crowd,”
a couple’s steamy ménage à trois fantasy seems destined to tear their marriage apart. So husband Seth plans to fulfill Courtney’s every desire—by giving her his undivided attention. Now all he needs is a little bedroom help from the ever-inventive Courtesans.

She knows it’s unethical, but CEO Devon Parker’s whole body burns for CFO

Hunter Nash. So she consults the Courtesans, who figure that sleeping with a

“Stand In”
should suffice. A perfect plan, but for one thing: the real Hunter’s watching.

In
“Surrender to Me,”
when Haley’s husband dies in the arms of another woman, she can hardly forgive his business partner, Simon, for keeping the infidelity a secret. For Simon, there is no forgiveness to be had. Until he forms a plan with the Courtesans. And in it, Haley might just lose her inhibitions—and her heart.

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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England This book is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Copyright © 2010 by Jennifer Skullestad.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. HEAT and the HEAT design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Heat trade paperback edition / May 2010

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Haynes, Jasmine.

Hers for the evening / Jasmine Haynes.—Heat trade paperback ed. p. cm. eISBN : 978-1-101-18742-5

I. Love stories, American. 2. Erotic stories, American. I. Title. PS3608.A936H47 2010

813’.6—dc22

2009053450

http://us.penguingroup.com

To Kathy Coatney, for brainstorming me out of the holes I dig myself into

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to Jenn Cummings, Terri Schaefer, and Rita Hogan for always being there. To my agent, Lucienne Diver, and my editor, Wendy McCurdy.

Three’s A Crowd

THREE’S A CROWD

7

Three’s A Crowd

1

GOD, SHE NEEDED SEX.

Seth had been busy with a new product release, and making love had been low on the totem pole for more than a month. She’d been telling herself nothing was wrong, that he wasn’t bored with her. He’d just been so busy. If Seth were game, Courtney would have dragged him into the woods right now, or even to their SUV in the parking lot. She wouldn’t give a damn if anyone at the company barbecue noticed them slipping off.

It had been years since they’d done something wild and crazy like that. Working, raising the girls, building college funds and nest eggs had kept them both busy. Chelsea would be a sophomore in the fall term and Shannon a senior, graduating from college in another year.

Though both the girls had now been off at college almost a year, she and Seth had yet to get wild and crazy.

Courtney O’Brien put her arm through her husband’s and smiled. Anyone else at the July Fourth picnic would believe her to be listening politely to CEO Walter Trousdale, Seth’s boss. Instead, she was thinking deliciously dirty thoughts.

“O’Brien, your lovely wife is being neglected with all this business talk of ours.” Walter had a big voice and a big laugh that complemented the size of his belly. He played Santa at the Christmas party without requiring any padding, and the children adored him. “She looks like she needs another margarita.”

Oh, she needed something all right, and another margarita might help get her plans on the way.

The day was a scorcher, which was usual for July in the San Francisco Bay Area, but the company had rented a redwood grove in a nearby county park, and beneath the trees a nice breeze blew gently over her. The tangy scent of barbecue sauce and grilling meat tantalized her taste buds. Wine, beer, and margaritas flowed. A raucous shout bellowed from the horseshoe pit. Arts and crafts had been organized for the kids. She’d met most of the people, their spouses and children. Seth had been with NTF, Northern Thin Films, for ten years, the last two as vice president of research and development. At forty-eight, three years older than she was, with only a dash of gray in his full head of sandy hair, Seth was as handsome and trim as the day she’d married him twenty-three 8

Three’s A Crowd

years ago.

Courtney fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Yes, honey, I’m parched.” She waggled her plastic cup. Most of the ice had melted. She hoped he noticed the sexy pout on her lips, fair warning of what was on her mind. Seth lowered his sunglasses so she could see his hazel eyes and gave her a look. Oh yeah, he knew. “Your wish is my command, darling.” He slid his hand down her arm, laced his fingers with hers, and squeezed. He was six feet to her five foot five, and the height difference when she was wearing her flats always made her tingly.

“How sweet,” Walter’s wife, Irene, remarked, with a hint of jealousy. Her lips pinched, something she did often if the lines crimping her mouth were any indication. Courtney felt sorry for Walter. He was such a jovial guy, he deserved a fat and happy Mrs. Claus.

Courtney jiggled her remaining ice cubes in farewell as Seth dragged her off. He put his mouth against her hair and blew in her ear. “Do not get naughty in front of my boss or I will make you pay big-time later.”

Shivery from the minty warmth of his breath, she tipped down her sunglasses in imitation of his earlier look. “Promises, promises. Besides, I didn’t do anything naughty.”

His mouth flirted with a smile. “You were thinking dirty, I could tell.”

“You’re right,” she leaned in to whisper. “Do me, baby.”

This time he laughed outright, then pulled her close. “Slut.”

She loved the sexy banter, the naughty name-calling. They hadn’t indulged in ages, and she’d missed it. They were quiet, no one could hear, and that made it all the more titillating. Her motor was certainly running. The drink table was do-it-yourself. Seth plopped in more ice cubes, poured the margarita, then grabbed a soda for himself since he was driving.

“Hi, Seth.” The sultry feminine voice came from right behind Courtney. In the midst of popping the can top, Seth glanced up. “Hey, Amanda.”

There was something in his tone that had Courtney turning. A hint of annoyance perhaps?

In her late thirties, Amanda was petite, pretty, and dark-haired, with Catherine Zeta-Jones curves, and an enormous chest no one could ignore. She stuck out her hand. “You must be Courtney.”

“Why, yes, I am.”

9

Three’s A Crowd

“Seth’s always talking about you.” She smiled. Courtney didn’t believe her friendliness for a second.

“Amanda is Walter’s new admin,” Seth supplied. Amanda shrugged. “Not exactly new. I’ve been with the company six months. Seth has been so good at helping me understand all the nuances.” She beamed at him.

Courtney glanced at the woman’s hand. Wedding ring and an enormous diamond. “He’s such a helpful man.” She ran her fingers down her husband’s arm, beaming in a cheeky imitation of Amanda. “What would we women do without him?”

Seth closed his fingers around Courtney’s. “Looks like the food’s ready, honey. We’d better get in line. Nice talking to you, Amanda.” He pulled Courtney away.

“The food is not ready,” Courtney murmured when they were out of earshot.

“And that woman is hot for you.”

Seth propped himself against the end of an empty picnic table. When the barbecue was set out, they’d darn near be first in line since everyone else was under the shade trees avoiding the sun. Or watching the kids.

“She’s a pest,” he said.

Courtney moved in front him, leaving enough room to hold her drink against her chest. “A very pretty pest.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“I hadn’t noticed.”

She took off his sunglasses, folded them, and patted them into the pocket of his polo shirt. “Liar. How could you miss those breasts?”

He squinted his hazel eyes against the sun. “All right, she’s pretty. She’s also married and a pain in the ass.”