and that I’m good at.”
She went still. “You used me?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Y OU USED ME ?” The stricken expression on Grace’s face ricocheted through JD.
“It wasn’t like that.” He tried to dismiss his blunder. “Come on, let’s see what the rest of this place has to offer.”
He reached for her arm, but she yanked it away.
“I’m sorry, Grace.” He shifted closer and she shifted away. He had to make this right. “I didn’t mean to use you.”
“We talked about keeping our relationship professional.”
“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “I know.”
“So how did you mean it?” She cocked her head, blue eyes icy cold. “Is this one of my duties? Am I to make myself available for the occasional kiss whenever you feel the need to show your prowess? Because, oh, yeah, you are accomplished. I got hot, I got bothered.”
“Grace, you can stop. I feel bad, okay?”
“I just need to know what my job duties entail. Am I supposed to moan, to give you audible cues?”
Anger flared. She didn’t need to make such a big deal out of a little kiss. So frustration got the best of him and he lashed out, trying to grab a moment of joy at something he was good at. After the kiss in the bed that first night, he knew they were compatible.
He should have known she’d blow it out of proportion. The women he knew would just go with it. Hell, they’d make the most of the moment. But not by-the-rules Grace. She needed to talk it to death, set parameters, probably write up procedures.
He wanted to order her to forget it, but the heft of that lead balloon wouldn’t fly. He had enough brains not to let his defensiveness get the better of him.
“Can’t we just put this behind us?” He tried for a charming smile. “I probably have a game console here somewhere. We can play a bit, relax. All very restful stuff.”
She simply stared at him. “You know, JD, I’ve given you a lot of leeway. Let things go because I know you’re hurting and that the loss of memory and concussion can make things confusing. But I draw the line at being used as a sensual punching bag. If that’s a condition of helping you, I’m going to have to retract my offer of assistance.”
“Sensual punching bag?” he repeated, offended by her attitude. “You said it was good.”
“I said I got hot and bothered,” she corrected, easing some of the burn only to ratchet it back up by demanding, “Is that the point?”
“No. Look.” He held his hands up in surrender. “Hands-off. It won’t happen again.”
“I’m not sure I can trust you. Because it happened before, didn’t it? In bed that first night.”
He rubbed a finger over his throbbing temple. “It just happened.”
“It just happened?” she repeated incredulously. “How? Tell me, JD, how does a kiss just happen?”
“Right. I can see you’re not going to be happy until I spill the whole humiliating story.”
Arms crossed over her chest, she lifted one dark eyebrow urging him to get to it already.
“I guess you deserve an apology for that, as well.” To delay the inevitable he walked around the counter and stood facing her with his hands braced on the marble. “I woke up and you were sitting next to me in the bed. You probably meant to test my vitals, check on the current state of the presidency and so on. Anyway, I was half-asleep and you were there and it happened.”
“That’s your story? You woke up and it happened?”
“Yeah,” he pushed back. His actions had been instinctive. “I was half-asleep and you looked sexy with your hair all mussed up. I reached for you without thinking about it.”
With blue eyes narrowed, she studied him as she contemplated his story.
Really? As if he’d make up being a lecherous fool.
“And what happened next?”
Geez, he knew five-year-olds who asked fewer questions. Okay, maybe not, but he wished she’d bury the bone already. How was he supposed to defend himself properly when it hurt to think?
“Once I
She went still. “You used me?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Y OU USED ME ?” The stricken expression on Grace’s face ricocheted through JD.
“It wasn’t like that.” He tried to dismiss his blunder. “Come on, let’s see what the rest of this place has to offer.”
He reached for her arm, but she yanked it away.
“I’m sorry, Grace.” He shifted closer and she shifted away. He had to make this right. “I didn’t mean to use you.”
“We talked about keeping our relationship professional.”
“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “I know.”
“So how did you mean it?” She cocked her head, blue eyes icy cold. “Is this one of my duties? Am I to make myself available for the occasional kiss whenever you feel the need to show your prowess? Because, oh, yeah, you are accomplished. I got hot, I got bothered.”
“Grace, you can stop. I feel bad, okay?”
“I just need to know what my job duties entail. Am I supposed to moan, to give you audible cues?”
Anger flared. She didn’t need to make such a big deal out of a little kiss. So frustration got the best of him and he lashed out, trying to grab a moment of joy at something he was good at. After the kiss in the bed that first night, he knew they were compatible.
He should have known she’d blow it out of proportion. The women he knew would just go with it. Hell, they’d make the most of the moment. But not by-the-rules Grace. She needed to talk it to death, set parameters, probably write up procedures.
He wanted to order her to forget it, but the heft of that lead balloon wouldn’t fly. He had enough brains not to let his defensiveness get the better of him.
“Can’t we just put this behind us?” He tried for a charming smile. “I probably have a game console here somewhere. We can play a bit, relax. All very restful stuff.”
She simply stared at him. “You know, JD, I’ve given you a lot of leeway. Let things go because I know you’re hurting and that the loss of memory and concussion can make things confusing. But I draw the line at being used as a sensual punching bag. If that’s a condition of helping you, I’m going to have to retract my offer of assistance.”
“Sensual punching bag?” he repeated, offended by her attitude. “You said it was good.”
“I said I got hot and bothered,” she corrected, easing some of the burn only to ratchet it back up by demanding, “Is that the point?”
“No. Look.” He held his hands up in surrender. “Hands-off. It won’t happen again.”
“I’m not sure I can trust you. Because it happened before, didn’t it? In bed that first night.”
He rubbed a finger over his throbbing temple. “It just happened.”
“It just happened?” she repeated incredulously. “How? Tell me, JD, how does a kiss just happen?”
“Right. I can see you’re not going to be happy until I spill the whole humiliating story.”
Arms crossed over her chest, she lifted one dark eyebrow urging him to get to it already.
“I guess you deserve an apology for that, as well.” To delay the inevitable he walked around the counter and stood facing her with his hands braced on the marble. “I woke up and you were sitting next to me in the bed. You probably meant to test my vitals, check on the current state of the presidency and so on. Anyway, I was half-asleep and you were there and it happened.”
“That’s your story? You woke up and it happened?”
“Yeah,” he pushed back. His actions had been instinctive. “I was half-asleep and you looked sexy with your hair all mussed up. I reached for you without thinking about it.”
With blue eyes narrowed, she studied him as she contemplated his story.
Really? As if he’d make up being a lecherous fool.
“And what happened next?”
Geez, he knew five-year-olds who asked fewer questions. Okay, maybe not, but he wished she’d bury the bone already. How was he supposed to defend himself properly when it hurt to think?
“Once I
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