Hot in Here (16 page)

you’re setting yourself up with this stupid idea so that you won’t have to admit you want more than his

seduction skills. I think you’re afraid to let Bryce get to know thereal you.”

Jenna dropped her legs from the desk and jumped up from her chair. “Just what exactly does that

mean?”

“Exactly what I said. You must really think Bryce is an asshole to offer him such a deal. And what do you

think Bryce thinks of his best friend now, offering him unlimited sex without having to give anything in

return but his renowned nine inches?”

Ten at least, but who was counting?

“You know, I don’t even think Bryce will go along with this.”

“Well, guess what. He’s totally on board,” Jenna snapped.

“Really? I . . . I can’t believe this. Maybe from Bryce. But you? Never. What about your pride, Jenna?”

The insinuation hung heavy between them, stopping Jenna cold. No, she was right, damn it. This was the

way to deal with Bryce. Sarah was wrong.

“Look, Sarah, for the last time, butt out. What I’m doing is right for me. I’m trying to make this

relationship work, but in a way that I can survive with my heart still intact if it doesn’t work out.”

“Just putting out isn’t going to bring him close to you, you know. You need to remind him of why you’re

so good together, why you’re such good friends, and how, good friends or not, you’ve got good

chemistry, in and out of bed.”

“Fine. You’ve said your piece. Now let it go.”

“What about coming back to Lucan with Bryce? At least for old times’ sake. You guys could get really

close here, where it all started. I know Bryce has always considered those times to be some of the best

he’s ever had. And, you know, next week is the long weekend. Monday is the planting festival. Bryce

would love that—it’s all about food and stuff. You used to always go together.”

“Oh yeah, right. Like I really want to be spotted with Bryce there. The whole town turns out for the

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planting festival. And who told you that he considered those times at the farm some of the best he’s ever

had?”

There was long pause on the phone before Sarah spoke. “No one.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m not coming home to Lucan with or without Bryce. I’m leaving the country

for the weekend, and by the time I get back, I’ll be knee-deep in work.”

“Pardon me?”

“I have to fly to Milan. I have a client there who needs immediate attention.”

“Ooh, Italy. You’re bringing Bryce, right?”

“No. Why would I? It’s not like we’re exclusive. We’re screwing each other, Sarah. We don’t need to

keep tabs on each other every second of the day.”

“But you are telling Bryce you’re leaving the country?”

“I don’t see why I need to.”

Sarah sounded incredulous. “You would have before, when you weren’t putting out. You’d think now

that you’re sharing your bodies, you’d give him the consideration of knowing you’re leaving. He might be

worried.”

“He won’t be. And our deal is no strings. No emotional entanglements. Calling him with the details of my

life is not going to interest him. It’s only going to irritate him. He might think I’m looking for him to tell me

he’s going to miss me or something. Besides, we didn’t part on good terms last night. I doubt he cares

what I’m doing. He’s only interested in the next fuck.”

Jenna’s voice broke as she said the hated words. Tears clouded her eyes, but she blinked them back.

“Oh, Jenna, I’m sor—”

“Save it, Sarah. I know what I’m doing. I’m going to Milan and Bryce can stew and sulk, or he can

forget me. Doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter, Jenna. It matters a lot to you.”

“Look, I’m done talking about this. Grab a pen and paper and I’ll give you some information. I’m only

staying a night or two at the most.”

A tear trickled down her cheek and Jenna swiped it away. She could do this. Playgirls didn’t cry. Only

awkward, lovestruck girls bawled like babies when the men of their dreams were out of their reach.

Sarah shut the lid of her cell phone in stunned disbelief. What the hell had happened to her sister in the

past twenty-four hours?

Sarah replayed their entire conversation, still not believing that it was Jenna who had said those things.

This behavior just wasn’t like her. And this behavior, Sarah feared, was going to cost her sister the guy

she wanted above all others.

Knowing what she was going to have to do, she flicked the pink lid open and hit the speed dial. The

British double ring echoed in her ear.

“Hello?”

Sarah took a deep breath. “Trey?”

“Yes?”

“It’s Sarah.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t hear you. Just give me a minute.”

Background noise drowned out Trey’s voice. She could hear laughter, both male and female, as well as

some sexy blues-type music in the background. Oh great, Mr. Stuck-Up was at some highbrow gala,

even though it was only four in the afternoon over in London.

Suddenly she heard his muted voice, followed by the velvety sounds of a woman’s husky voice. “Hurry

back. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Sarah rolled her eyes, wondering which stunningly beautiful and frightfully skinny supermodel was

whispering in his ear. Like she gave a shit, she told herself, even as she skimmed a hand down her hip.

Hips that were not in supermodel shape, but that had attracted many a guy, nonetheless.

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“Okay, I’m back. Can you hear me?”

“Yes,” she said, turning her back on a guy standing beside her. “I’m not sure if you heard me before, but

this is Sarah. Sarah McCabe.”

“I know what Sarah,” came the deep reply. “I know your voice.”

Silence. Mr. Highbrow knew her just by her voice? No way. He must have caller ID.

“Sarah, where are you?”

“Work.”

“Since when does La Belle Boudoir play Guns n’ Roses?”

“It’s La Belle Salon, and I’m not there. I’m at my second job.”

“Sounds like a bar.”

“It is.”

“Not the Cadillac?”

“The only bar in Lucan,” she said, much too peevishly. She could just see him on the other end of the

line, sneering in disgust. Mr. Stuck-Up would never find himself in an establishment like the Caddy. His

type of watering hole was some fancy martini bar, not a beer house with rock music and peanut shells on

the floor. The man would probably break out in hives the minute his five-hundred-dollar Italian leather

shoes hit the floor.

“Sarah, do you really think you should be working at the Caddy? I mean, it’s a pretty rough clientele.

The pay can’t be worth it.”

“Well, six-figure jobs are a little scarce here in Cowville, if you know what I mean. Besides, the fringe

benefits aren’t bad at all, and I’m not just talking about the tips, either. There’s something to be said for

these blue-collar boys and their rough hands.”

She smiled to herself.There. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. There was dead silence on the other end

and Sarah took perverse pleasure in robbing Mr. Highbrow of speech.

“You ever thought of getting out of Cowville,” he asked. “Or do you like the thought of shackling yourself

to one of those redneck idiots in Lucan?”

“There’s nothing wrong with being married.”

“Those fools will you give you nothing but heartache and babies.”

“I happen to like babies. I want at least four, you know. And I’ve already had heartache, and it wasn’t at

the hands of one of the Caddy’s rednecks.”

“Sarah—”

“Look, I know what you think of me and what I want in life, and I don’t really care.”

“Really? I bet you a grand you don’t know what the fuck I’m thinking now.”

Yeah, she knew—that he wished he could find something to gag her with. But what Tight Ass was

thinking wasn’t important here. Mr. Highbrow had a way of making her feel as insignificant as a pesky,

irritating bug. But she would not be baited. Not today. Today she had bigger issues.

“Look, as much as I enjoy tossing around insults, that’s not why I’m calling you.”

“No? Maybe you just like the sound of my voice.”

“In your dreams,” she groaned. “Look, something is up with Jenna, Trey.”

“What?”

“For some reason my sister has decided to act like a total moron where your brother is concerned.”

“How so?”

“She’s pretending she wants just sex and nothing else. She’s ruining everything, including our plan for

their happily ever after. I mean, they’re both out for only sex now—that wasn’t what we thought was

going to happen.”

“Well, I never thought Jenna would offer Bryce carte blanche with her body.”

“I know. She’s done this weird personality switch, like she’s trying to be all city girl and stuff. Do you

know, she actually turned Bryce down when he asked her out to dinner and a movie?”

“Not good.” Trey sighed into the phone receiver. “I wonder why she’s blowing him off. That’s so unlike

Jenna.”

“I’m worried, Trey. What if Bryce thinks that he’s getting a good deal with Jenna—I mean, he’s not even

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having to work at the sex part. He might see this as a way of getting his rep back with little effort. And

with Jenna just in it for the sex, and turning down dates, Bryce is never going to have the opportunity to

see Jenna for the person she really is.”

“I need to talk to my brother.”

“Like pronto, because Jenna for sure is losing it. Let’s hope Bryce is saner.”

“I’ll do what I can. You want this—right, Sarah? Me and you working together.”

Sarah hesitated, letting those words wash over her in a way she didn’t care to think about.

“Sarah?”

“Yeah, sure, this is what we want, for Bryce and Jenna to be together.”

“Okay, then, so that means you and I have to work together and keep each other informed of our

siblings’ intentions toward each other.”

“Then I should probably tell you that Jenna is planning to leave on a flight late tonight for Milan. She’s

making an emergency trip to one of her clients who’s decided to have a meltdown.”

“Milan? On such short notice?”

“I think part of the haste has to do with your brother. She doesn’t want to be in the city this weekend.

She wants to show Bryce that she’s not sitting around waiting for him. It’s all part of her stupid plan to

play the playgirl. If you ask me, it’s just going to make Bryce mad.”

“Mad? He’ll go ballistic. Shit,” Trey snapped. “She wasn’t even going to tell him she was leaving?”

“Nope. It’s so not Jenna. I just don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

“Did she give you any other details?”

“I have her hotel information. You want it?”

“Yeah, let me grab a pen.”

“Trey?” The woman’s voice drifted again in from the background. “Darling, are you in here?”

“Just a sec, Mandy.”

Mandy.She knew the woman now, all six feet of her, five of them long coltlike legs.Bitch. “Why don’t I

just e-mail you with it? It sounds like you’re busy,” she snapped.

“Okay, then.”

Well, that was easy. The bastard almost sounded relieved. “Yeah, well, talk to ya later.”

“Sarah—”

She didn’t let him finish. With a click she closed her phone. One sidelong glance at the bar and she was

staring at the stunning picture of Mandy gracing the cover of the latestCosmo . No doubt Mandy had

been photographed by Trey. After all, he was the most sought-after photographer in the fashion world.

Goddamn Tanya for bringing in that magazine.

The redneck seated at the bar grinned at her, then pointed at the magazine. “She’s a hottie,” he said

around a mouthful of cheeseburger.

“If you ask me, she needs a sandwich.”

The man gaped at Sarah as she walked around the bar with a trayful of beers.

Damn Mandy for being perfect, and damn Trey for liking that sort of unattainable beauty. He was such a

cold asshole—always had been. So different from both of his brothers.

“Hey, hot stuff,” Ashton called as she walked past his booth. “What’s shaking, besides that gorgeous ass

of yours?”

Sarah stopped and turned around. Ashton, her dad’s one and only employee, always had a way of

making her feel like a sex goddess. “Hey, Ash. Have you ordered yet?”

“Nah, I was waiting for you. Wanted to see if you were on the menu today.”

Normally she didn’t consider this sort of thing, but her pride for some reason was stinging. Trey. He

always made her feel this way—worthless.

“So, beautiful, what’s the lunch special?”

“If you ask nicely, it could be me.”

Aston flashed her his killer smile. “Pretty please, with you and a cherry on top.”

Sarah pressed in and whispered, “On top of where?”

“Wherever you want me to find it, beautiful.”

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Winking, she whispered. “I think the lunch special is me in the bathroom in about five.”

“Oh, good. My favorite.”

Sarah shot him a flirty smile over her shoulder. Mandy she might not be, but she managed to get the guys

just fine. Heck, Ashton was already following her. And oh, look, he had an impressive hard-on.

Lunch break today was going to be anything but boring.

Ten

Jenna heaved a huge sigh of relief. Gabriella had liked the new concept for Duchess Lingerie that she had