The pain in Jasmine’s throat intensified. She told herself it was anger. She couldn’t even justify why.
“My dad took my daughter to Six Flags today, so I’ve got nothing but time on my hands,” he explained.
“You didn’t want to go?” May asked.
“I had a meeting this morning and didn’t want to hold them up. Plus, between you and me, roller coasters and I don’t get along so well.”
May laughed. “Jasmine gets motion sick too. Me, on the other hand? I love ‘em. The steeper and loopier the better.”
“Better you than me.” He set his bag of tools on the floor. “I don’t want to keep you from what you were doing. I’ll be all right on my own.”
“Thanks. Let me know if you have any questions about the list.”
“Will do.”
Jasmine pretended to be absorbed in her pose as May returned to her mat to complete the yoga exercises. The truth was, she probably shouldn’t bother going through with the rest of the video. Her sense of centeredness and inner peace had already been well and truly shattered. Having Will there in his well-worn jeans and white T-shirt was bad enough, but when he added a tool belt around his hips that he pulled from the bag, it amped things up to a level of hotness she wouldn’t ever get out of her head.
She decided to ignore him. It was her only defense against her tumultuous feelings.
The video concluded fifteen minutes later. By then, Will had finished whatever he needed to do with the oven and was removing one of the dining area wall sconces…the one prone to flickering. She silently hoped he didn’t electrocute himself as she headed upstairs with May.
“What’s up with you two?” May asked in a whisper as they paused outside the bedroom they shared. “I thought things went well on your date. You used the condom.”
Although Jasmine hadn’t said a word about her encounter with Will, she supposed it wasn’t shocking that May had reasoned things out herself.
“That was a mistake.”
May folded her arms and stared at her.
Rolling her eyes, Jasmine threw up her hands and said, “Fine. It was a glorious mistake, okay?”
May nodded. “That’s perfectly fine then. I’m showering first.”
Relieved that her sister let the subject drop, Jasmine didn’t argue about the shower order. She changed into her robe as May took the bathroom, then killed time scrolling through Instagram and rubbing Dido’s head since the cat insisted on some attention. Ten minutes later, May crossed the hall from the bathroom into the bedroom, freeing Jasmine up to go shower.
Her traitorous mind kept conjuring up images of Will as she stood beneath the streaming water. She did her best to think of other, less arousing things, but it was no use. She turned off the water with the image of him smiling as he promised her a second orgasm fresh in her mind. It fueled her frustration over him being there.
This is why your audition didn’t go as well as you wanted, she tried to convince herself.
So when she opened the door a few minutes later wearing nothing but her robe and saw him loitering in the hallway, it set her temper off again.
“What are you doing up here?” she asked, holding the top of her robe closed with her fist.
He took a step closer. She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze.
Her heartbeat skyrocketed.
“Waiting to get into the bathroom,” he replied.
“There’s one downstairs.”
“Not one with a leaky faucet.”
Once again, he was pointing out that he was there to help May. It made her want to storm into the bedroom and slam the door in his face. Because it did, she straightened her spine and held her head higher.
Her tone was cool as she said, “Fine.”
Before she could move past him, he reached out and took her by the arm. Just that simple touch made her entire body respond. She gave him an ominous look.
“Is it really so horrible for me to want to see you again?” he asked.
The question was asked in such a gentle tone that it slipped past all her defenses. Her temper fizzled.
“No,” she said just as quietly. “But I haven’t changed my mind. I can’t get involved in a relationship with you. Between Katie and my dancing—”
“What if it’s just sex?”
She gaped at him.
He closed the short distance between them. His body heat washed over her like a seductive wave. Without her heels on, she felt tiny next