Tarzan & Janine by Delilah Devlin, Elle James

okay. Answer your phone. Please.”
    Ignore it. Forget how he makes you feel when his hands skim across your naked skin. You don’t need a man. He’d just slow you down in the pursuit of your dreams. As though her hand had a mind of its own, it reached out and snatched the phone from the cradle.
    The answering machine beeped the end.
    “Janine? Are you there?”
    For a moment, her voice lodged in her throat. She swallowed hard, her body awash with need. “I told you I quit.”
    “Will you go out with me for a drink? We can go somewhere neutral.”
    “No.”
    “I promise not to touch you unless you want me to.”
    Oh, dear God, she wanted him to touch her. That was the problem. “I can’t. I’m too tired.”
    “Then let me come by. I’ll only stay a minute. I’m worried about you, after the snake and all.”
    “I’m fine.”
    “Prove it to me. Let me come visit.”
    “No. I’m about to go to bed.” Wrong thing to say. The images the word bed ignited in her imagination, and her breathing grew more ragged.
    A knock on the door made Janine jump. “I can’t talk anymore. Someone’s at my door.”
    She should have pressed the end button right then, instead she walked toward the door, hoping Tanner would end the call.
    “Don’t hang up on me, Janine.”
    Another knock at the door.
    “I have to.” Janine stopped and leaned her forehead against the cool wood of the front door. She swallowed hard against a dry throat. “I’m not coming back to work for you. Look, Tanner, I need to answer the door. I don’t want to see you anymore. I’m done.”
    “Please, Janine. Open your door.” The voice came through the receiver pressed to her ear, an echo coming from the other side of the door.
    Janine pressed her free hand against the wood, moisture pooling between her thighs. Holy hell, he was on the other side of the door, and she wanted to open it so badly, her hands shook.
    “Please, open the door,” Tanner whispered in her ear.
    She reached for the handle, turning it slowly, realizing what the action meant and helpless to stop herself.
    The door swung open as if in slow motion.
    On the other side, Tanner leaned in the doorframe, a sexy smile sliding up his cheeks.
    “Oh, you!” Janine pushed the door closed in his face. “You knew I’d open the door.”
    “No, Janine, really. “ The smile wiped clean, Tanner stuck his foot in the door to keep her from locking him out. The door bounced hard against Tanner’s foot. “Holy Jesus, Mother of God.”
    She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Tanner? Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Janine dropped to her haunches beside him, her brows V’d. “Are you okay? Did I break it?”
    Tanner rubbed the injured foot. “I’ll live.” He reached out to grab her hand. “And for the record, I didn’t think you’d open the door.”
    She stared hard into his face and damned if she didn’t believe him. “Then why were you smiling like the cat that ate the can of berries?”
    “Canaries,” he corrected. “And I was smiling because I got to see you again. Outside of work. And you’re even more lovely now than in your Jane outfit.”
    She glance down at her breasts, clearly visible through the sheer pink fabric. The nipples puckered under Tanner’s scrutiny.  Janine crossed her arms and frowned. “Some gentleman. You should have called before you came.”
    Eyebrow quirked, he grinned. “Technically, I did.”
    * * *
    “I can’t believe I let him talk me back into this cheesy outfit, especially after that snake tried to kill me.” Janine paced in the bathroom at Peschke Motors Saturday morning, berating herself for her Tanner weakness.
    That was all she could figure. Every time he came near her, she totally lost all focus and sense of reason. If he had a mind to, he could talk her into walking off a cliff. As crazy stupid as she had been lately, she’d probably do it. What was it about him that made her absolutely addlepated?
    A tap on