Worth the Risk_ A Contemporary - Megan Hart Page 0,13

noticing the sheer extravagant number of them. "I don't know what you were thinking, mister, but--"

"...prepared," Hal wheezed.

Laila noticed he was cupping his privates. Oops. "What did you say?"

Hal managed to sit up, but his face had gone pale. "We have to be prepared for anything. That's the LoveMatch rule."

"So, along with your three changes of clothing per day, you thought you'd better pack condoms." Laila stepped over the suitcase and flopped down on the bed. "Some Eagle Scout!"

"I'm sorry," Hal said. He began shoving things back in his bag. "I wasn't sure if--"

"If what?" Laila demanded. "If I'd be so horny or lonely that I'd beg you to service me?"

He didn't answer right away, and she thought she'd embarrassed him.

"I just didn't know. And I didn't want to be in a situation where I might regret not taking precautions. That's all."

She'd known many men who expected an evening to end up in sex but didn't bother with thinking about protection. Maybe she'd overreacted. But she didn't know how to say she was sorry to the man who now, silently, had taken his place on the love seat.

"Goodnight," she said finally, and turned off the light. In the light coming in through the window, dozens of little silver packets gleamed on the carpet.

So many of them. How many had he expected to need? Again, she thought, Man of Steel, and a hot blush stole across her face. What kind of man was Hal in bed anyway?

Hal's knees were on fire and his rear end felt like it had been slammed with a crowbar. The slow, plodding animal between his legs was no rodeo champion, no thoroughbred racer. Just a slow, placid horse who liked to follow the others on the trail in front of him. Without stopping. For hours.

The ride had begun at sunrise. The whole family, all but the youngest kids, gathered at the stable to get their mounts and head out into the rolling hills and woods of the resort's property. Hal's last ride had been on a pony. He'd been six.

"How're you doing? All right?" Laila urged her horse, a black-and-white mare named Daisy, next to Hal's mount, Stanley.

"Oh, sure," Hal said through gritted teeth. "Just fine."

Laila walked her horse beside him for a few minutes. The others on the ride kept their faster pace, but Hal could see another patch of rough meadow opening up in front of them and was grateful Laila had slowed them to a walk.

"You're doing great for a beginner," she said encouragingly.

Stanley paused to put his head down and pull at some of the weeds growing by the trail side. Hal pulled on the reins. Stanley ignored him.

"Don't let him eat," Laila said.

"I'm not letting him do anything," Hal muttered. He yanked the reins again, hard, and Stanley started moving again.

"The ride's almost over." Laila smiled at him.

Suddenly, he no longer felt the pain in his legs and butt.

"Then we can hit the tennis courts."

Was she trying to kill him? All Hal wanted to do after this ride was soak for a while in the hot tub. A long while. But he wasn't on vacation; he was working. And his job was to do whatever Laila wanted him to do.

Still, his face must have shown his true feelings, because Laila laughed. "I'm kidding. I'm thinking that a big breakfast, followed by a nice long soak in the hot tub is in order."

Hal sent a prayer up to the powers-that-be. "I'm at your service."

Wrong choice of words. He remembered her comment of the night before about if he'd expected to service her, and he wished he'd thought of that before speaking. Laila frowned a little and lifted her chin, focusing her eyes back on the trail ahead instead of on him.

"All work and no play," she said quietly. "You know how it goes. I know this is a job for you, Hal, but it's okay if you want to enjoy yourself."

Why on earth would she think he wouldn't enjoy food and a soak in the hot tub? No matter how many of the LoveMatch training courses he took, Hal knew he'd never understand women. He sat back a little in the saddle, trying to ease the pressure on his knees.

"I'm enjoying myself." The lie flew out of him like a sneeze.

Laila looked at him skeptically. "Sure you are."

"I haven't ridden very much, that's all." There was no way he was going to mention to her that he felt like the entire lower