The Job Offer - By Eleanor Webb Page 0,32

that she needed to treat the next five days like a job and keep her head where Ben was concerned. She was going to tell him today that anything more than a kiss or touch in front of Chelsea would be out of the question. She just was not the kind of woman to engage in meaningless sex with near strangers, her behavior the night before and their past friendship notwithstanding. If he had not held back, had not been the sensible one last night, she would be regretting much more than what they did do. But the minute he walked into the room dressed as he was looking sexy without a shirt over his hair covered chest and with the low riding sweatpants, all of her sound reasoning flew out the window. She was in serious trouble from this man and more so from herself.

"Good morning, Anne," he said cheerfully as he walked into the room and sat next to her. The sensual look in his brown eyes caused a flutter in her belly and her loins to contract with remembered pleasure. Her mouth went dry suddenly, and she gulped her coffee causing her to burn her mouth. Ben smiled in understanding when she grimaced at the pain of the hot coffee.

"Good morning, Ben." She was able to talk after a moment. He watched her closely, his smile gone as he looked for something, a clue perhaps, on how she would act with him after last night. She gave him a strained smile, and he let out a disappointed breath.

"Having regrets and second thoughts?" She sighed then looked at the pattern on the carpet.

"I don't know what came over me last night. That wasn't like me at all," she told him sadly. He nodded his head quietly and picked up the donut. They sat in silence while he took a bite and chewed. It was clear to her that he was thinking and was worried.

"Look, Anne. I would never force you into something you did not want or was not ready for. I hope you know that. But I would still like your help with Chelsea. I know that I am asking a lot." He had been looking earnestly into her eyes when he spoke, and she could feel herself becoming lost in her desire to spend more time with him once again.

"Alright," she eventually told him.

"Good. We will follow the same plan we discussed last night." He finished off his donut then went over to pour himself a cup of coffee which he took straight without cream or sugar. Then he sat back down beside her on the couch again and turned to look at her. "You're worried about what happened between us last night, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm worried." She was worried. Was her response to him a fluke? Would it happen again? She just did not know about this new aspect of herself.

"I won't force myself on you, Anne."

"I know you won't," she jumped in to reassure him. "I just..." She did not know how to complete her thought and caught her bottom lip between her teeth. He looked at her questioningly with an eyebrow raised but did not say anything. He was waiting for her. She took a deep breath and started again. "I just did not recognize myself last night," she said truthfully. "Everything between us just sort of exploded."

"And you are wondering what happened? Was it an anomaly? Would it happen again? Will it go further if we began kissing again?" He looked at her closely. She realized that he understood and did not think poorly of her.

"Precisely."

"I think that you are over thinking this, Anne. But if it helps, I’m game for an experiment. The only way to find out if it happens a second time is if I kiss you again. No surprises. No romantic dinners and walks..."

"Just the cold light of day," she finished for him. He gave a wry smile then took the coffee cup from her hands and put it on the table. "I want you to kiss me, Ben."

"I'm going to." He turned on the couch so that he could put his right elbow on the back rest and hold her head with his hand. Her hair was down again, and she felt his fingers weave into her curls at the back of her head. With his left hand he found the pulse beating at her neck and caressed it with his thumb. She put her hands