saw the pristine white cover on the bed. Everything in the luxurious suite was white, including the chairs. She couldn’t even sit down to write her story.
‘Everything OK?’
‘Of course. Everything’s fine, but I …’ She glanced down at her mud-stained clothing.
‘You’ll be fine as soon as you wash and change,’ William assured her.
‘I don’t have anything to change into.’ And she wasn’t going to go out looking like this. ‘William, if I write down the sizes, could you go to the hotel shop and buy me something to wear?’
‘Me?’ William looked baffled, but he managed to smile at her. ‘Of course. I’ll get you something suitable.’
Abbie repressed a shudder at what he might buy, scribbled a quick list of sizes and closed the door behind him. She couldn’t stay in these filthy things any longer. Maybe she could file the story naked before she climbed into the shower.
She pulled her laptop out of her bag and with it came the remains of the orchid Jack had given her. With shaking fingers, she tried to straighten the crushed petals. A burst of perfume gave her a jolt. For one instant, she was back in the jungle, Jack lacing up her boots and looking at her with those intense eyes.
She shook her head. She had a story to write. She opened the laptop and set to work.
Filing took longer than she expected. Her editor had follow-up questions, lots of them. ‘Are you working on a colour piece as well about your time in the jungle with Jack Winter? It’s a hot story.’ Abbie could hear the amusement in his tone.
‘Josh, come on, you know I don’t do colour.’ She shuddered at the thought of having to write about the days and nights spent with Jack. But somehow he talked her into writing a feature about her jungle adventures. ‘OK, but not tonight. I’m beat. I’ll be back in New York tomorrow. I’ll do it then,’ she told him. She hung up, wondering what she had let herself in for but knowing he was right: she had an exclusive, she should write about it.
She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. No wonder William had been shocked. She was sunburned, her hairwas a mess and she looked like something from
National Geographic
.
The hot shower was one of the most blissful things she had ever experienced. Abbie washed away the filth of the jungle, soaping her body and her hair several times until she was certain that all traces were gone. Except for the marks on her ass. The redness had faded, but she could still see bruising from Jack’s palm. She touched the skin there gently and felt a flicker of arousal.
Still!
She couldn’t believe it. What on earth was wrong with her?
Abbie pulled on a hotel bathrobe to cover the marks. It would have to do until William came back with some clothes. From the bathroom she heard a tap on the outside door and a muffled voice. ‘Abbie? It’s me.’
She walked out and glanced at the two key cards on the coffee table. William must have left his behind. But when she opened the door it was Jack who was standing there. He had changed his clothes and his dark hair was still damp.
A wave of desire surged through her. He was wearing dark jeans and a crisp light-blue shirt that made his eyes look even bluer than she remembered. He smelled edible. Oh god – she needed to get a hold of herself. Jack Winter meant nothing but trouble.
‘I thought you’d need this,’ he said, holding something out to her. Her recorder. He had picked it up and put it in his pocket in the jungle.
She gathered her wits. Now that she thought about it, she should punch him for his behaviour at the airport.How dare he speak about her like that in front of the cameras? Taking advantage of her moment of hesitation, Jack walked past her into the suite.
He looked around. ‘No Dullard?’
‘If you mean William, he’s gone to buy me some clothes.’
Jack’s eyes raked her up and down, taking time to rest on the bare skin at her throat. She had to remind herself to
‘Everything OK?’
‘Of course. Everything’s fine, but I …’ She glanced down at her mud-stained clothing.
‘You’ll be fine as soon as you wash and change,’ William assured her.
‘I don’t have anything to change into.’ And she wasn’t going to go out looking like this. ‘William, if I write down the sizes, could you go to the hotel shop and buy me something to wear?’
‘Me?’ William looked baffled, but he managed to smile at her. ‘Of course. I’ll get you something suitable.’
Abbie repressed a shudder at what he might buy, scribbled a quick list of sizes and closed the door behind him. She couldn’t stay in these filthy things any longer. Maybe she could file the story naked before she climbed into the shower.
She pulled her laptop out of her bag and with it came the remains of the orchid Jack had given her. With shaking fingers, she tried to straighten the crushed petals. A burst of perfume gave her a jolt. For one instant, she was back in the jungle, Jack lacing up her boots and looking at her with those intense eyes.
She shook her head. She had a story to write. She opened the laptop and set to work.
Filing took longer than she expected. Her editor had follow-up questions, lots of them. ‘Are you working on a colour piece as well about your time in the jungle with Jack Winter? It’s a hot story.’ Abbie could hear the amusement in his tone.
‘Josh, come on, you know I don’t do colour.’ She shuddered at the thought of having to write about the days and nights spent with Jack. But somehow he talked her into writing a feature about her jungle adventures. ‘OK, but not tonight. I’m beat. I’ll be back in New York tomorrow. I’ll do it then,’ she told him. She hung up, wondering what she had let herself in for but knowing he was right: she had an exclusive, she should write about it.
She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. No wonder William had been shocked. She was sunburned, her hairwas a mess and she looked like something from
National Geographic
.
The hot shower was one of the most blissful things she had ever experienced. Abbie washed away the filth of the jungle, soaping her body and her hair several times until she was certain that all traces were gone. Except for the marks on her ass. The redness had faded, but she could still see bruising from Jack’s palm. She touched the skin there gently and felt a flicker of arousal.
Still!
She couldn’t believe it. What on earth was wrong with her?
Abbie pulled on a hotel bathrobe to cover the marks. It would have to do until William came back with some clothes. From the bathroom she heard a tap on the outside door and a muffled voice. ‘Abbie? It’s me.’
She walked out and glanced at the two key cards on the coffee table. William must have left his behind. But when she opened the door it was Jack who was standing there. He had changed his clothes and his dark hair was still damp.
A wave of desire surged through her. He was wearing dark jeans and a crisp light-blue shirt that made his eyes look even bluer than she remembered. He smelled edible. Oh god – she needed to get a hold of herself. Jack Winter meant nothing but trouble.
‘I thought you’d need this,’ he said, holding something out to her. Her recorder. He had picked it up and put it in his pocket in the jungle.
She gathered her wits. Now that she thought about it, she should punch him for his behaviour at the airport.How dare he speak about her like that in front of the cameras? Taking advantage of her moment of hesitation, Jack walked past her into the suite.
He looked around. ‘No Dullard?’
‘If you mean William, he’s gone to buy me some clothes.’
Jack’s eyes raked her up and down, taking time to rest on the bare skin at her throat. She had to remind herself to
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