Jill Shalvis - Bared

“So explain why she’s been acting as you on and off for the past month,” Stone said.

Amber laughed. “That’s simple. I begged her. I needed her help.”

“You needed her help,” Stone said doubtfully.

“Mmm-hmm. And just so you know, I don’t…not like you.”

Stone laughed. “That’s why you tell everyone I’m gay.”

“No, I tell everyone you’re gay to explain the fact you don’t want me.”

There was silence. Then Stone said in an odd voice, “Whoever said I didn’t want you?”

“You did, that night-”

“That night you came on to me when you already had a date with you? Did you ever think maybe I just didn’t want to share?”

“So…what are you saying?”

“Do you have a date now?”

“You don’t see one, do you?”

“Ask me now, then,” he said.

A pause. “Okay. Stone, do you want me?”

“I’d like to explore the options.”

There was no sound, then Stone let out a choked noise. “Why are you leaning against the lockers like that?”

“Just giving you time to explore your options.” Her voice became sultry. “You know what I just realized, Stone? I think you’re going to like the options.”

“You still have a boyfriend?”

“I left Kenny in the Caribbean.”

“I thought it was Ricardo.”

“Stone, Stone. Keep up.”

Stone let out a laugh that didn’t sound too convincing. “Stop doing that.”

“Stop doing what?”

“Stop lifting your skirt like that and showing off your thong.”

“I don’t think you want me to stop.”

“Amber-”

“Stone,” Amber mocked, then laughed. “Oh, come on. Stop resisting. Let’s get the hell out of here, stud.”

Stone must have agreed, because the studio door shut and suddenly the place was quiet. Embarrassed now that the afterglow had dimmed, Emma began to straighten her clothing.

She heard Rafe doing the same, though she didn’t look at him.

“A damn closet,” he muttered. “First a pool, then a restaurant and now a damn closet. You’d think I could manage to get you into a bed.”

“They’re going to see our cars in the lot,” she said, crossing her arms, wishing she could say she’d never wanted to come today, wishing she could say she wished they had never started this whole thing.

But she didn’t wish that at all.

“Probably,” Rafe agreed.

“Maybe I should go.”

He just looked at her.

“And, anyway…I have some writing to do.”

“Well then, you’d better run, hadn’t you.” He waited until her hand was on the door. “But don’t fool yourself, Emma, or even try to fool me. You running now has nothing to do with getting caught or even your precious work. I’ve gotten too close again and you need out. Plain and simple.”

She didn’t question that. Silly to, when he spoke the truth. She reached for the door.

“Emma?”

She hesitated but this time didn’t look back.

“We still have to do the nurse shoot.”

Damn it. “Right.”

They finished the shoot in perfect silence and, when it was over and she’d changed and again reached for the door, he said softly, “See you next time.”

NEXT TIME. Emma drove, the words racing through her head. What did he mean next time? There wasn’t going to be a next time!

What had happened?

Had she really just had oral sex in a closet?

She put her shaking fingers to her mouth as she waited at a red light to get onto the freeway. She’d meant to go home, to shower and crawl into bed with her laptop, where she’d get the most out of the experience and use it to her advantage.

Instead she passed her exit and drove to her sister’s condo. Her sister’s car wasn’t there. Of course not-she was off with Stone. It wouldn’t take long because Amber rarely lingered, so Emma sat on her porch and waited.

True to form, fifteen minutes later Amber pulled up in her red convertible Mustang, music blaring, hair snapping in the wind, cheeks rosy from the drive.

Or possibly from her little rendezvous with Stone.

She hopped out of the car, singing to herself, grinning like the cat who’d just eaten the canary, until she saw Emma sitting there. Then her step faltered, her smile froze and a wary look came into those eyes so like Emma’s own.

For one brief moment.

Then it was gone and Amber was sauntering close, swinging her hips, chewing her gum, looking like she’d just won the lotto. “Sis!”

“What happened to Kenny?”

“Well…”

“And how long have you been back in town?”

“I just…”

“And why the hell am I still doing this photo shoot for you?” Emma demanded, just before she horrified both of them by bursting into tears.

Amber’s bravado was gone in a flash and she sat next to Emma, her voice hitching. “Don’t you start now. Don’t you start. I’m not wearing waterproof mascara today.”

Emma ruthlessly swiped at the tears she hated shedding. “I wouldn’t be starting…if it weren’t for you.”

“Please don’t cry,” Amber begged, looking traumatized. “You never cry.”

“Never say never.” Emma would have said she’d never want a man to do half of what Rafe had done to her, and she sure as hell would have said she didn’t need it, or him, but it was exactly that which was keeping her up at night wondering, aching, needing.

Amber looked her over, satisfied Emma wasn’t going to continue with the meltdown. “And as for why you’re doing this photo shoot for me…because you said you would! You said not to come back! You said you had it all handled! Well, honey, if I’d known that having it all handled meant you were handling Rafe, I’d have slapped some sense into you. He’s not a man you want to tangle your emotions with.”

“I’m not sleeping with him.”

“Good. Because he’s-”

“I know what he is, Amber,” Emma said woodenly. “I’m just not sure you do.”

“You’re mad at me,” Amber said with a sigh. “And I guess I deserve it.”

“Yes,” Emma agreed, then sighed. “But I do like to run our lives, don’t I.”

“Yes. So really, this isn’t all my fault at all.”

“Things are going to change, Amber. I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to take over and run your own life. No more calling me to bail you out of everything-I just can’t do it anymore.”

Amber looked unnerved.

“Yeah, I guess I deserve that. I’ll, uh, get the next fantasy shoot info.”

Emma blinked. “Oh. Well-”

“There’s not much left, anyway. Just September through December.”

“I didn’t mean you have to finish the shoot.”

“What did you mean?”

She had no idea.

“Don’t worry about it,” Amber said. “I think it’s the Harley-Davidson bike shoot next. Probably if I’d checked my calendar or with my agent, I’d know that already. But we both know how good I am at organization.” She let out a gusty sigh. “I guess I’m going to have to get better at that, too.”

Surprising them both, she leaned over and hugged Emma, who could count on one hand the times Amber had ever done so.

“Don’t be mad at me anymore.”

Emma hugged her back. “I’m not mad at you, I’m mad at me.”

“Because you’ve been boning Rafe?”

“I haven’t been-” She broke off rather than confess. “We should be talking about you. You were with Stone today.”

Amber laughed. “We needed to get it out of our systems. And boy, did we have fun doing that. We’re done now.”

If only it were that easy for Emma.

“So, about that motorcycle shoot-”

“I’ll take care of it,” Emma said, a little too quickly.

“But you just said-”

“I know. Don’t listen to me.”

Amber stared at her, then pulled back to get a better look. “What’s up? Is Stone right about the two of you being crazy about each other?”

Well, they were something for each other. And quite frankly, crazy just might be the right word.

But in any case, she wasn’t ready to put it into words. “Amber, you know how you got along in life just…winging it?”

Amber laughed. “Yes. It’s a particular specialty of mine.”

“And you know how you’re always saying I should try the same?”

“You’re not telling me you’re going to start winging it, not with this man. Oh, no, because honey, you’re supposed to start with something small at first. Say, like…going to the grocery store without an alphabetized list. Then you can slowly work your way up to the top, to an advanced run. Rafe, now he’s an advanced run. Double diamond, baby. Do you know what I’m saying?”

Emma knew what she was saying.

But it was too late.

“I have a thing for motorcycles,” she said to Amber. “A secret…fantasy thing.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Okay, maybe not really.

But she had her eye on the advanced run-the double diamond-and nothing else would do.

RAFE WALKED THROUGH HIS HOUSE, his pretty neighbor Irena at his side, taking notes on what he wanted to do to each room.

“I’m so glad we’re finally getting together to do this,” she said, and shot him a little smile.

It had taken him a few weeks to get in touch with her. He’d planned on doing everything for the house himself but found he was tired of living in such a sterile-looking place. “I still have a month or so of work left, but I thought we could at least get the ball rolling.”

“I’d hoped you would call. I’ve been looking so forward to working with you.” She was dressed in blue trousers with a crisp white blouse that made him think of June Cleaver.

Wife material, a small voice inside his head said. And she’s looking at you as if she wants to gobble you up.

Let her.

Instead, he kept his distance, not wanting to give off the wrong signal before he was ready.

And he wouldn’t be ready until he got Emma out of his head, if that was even possible.

“You’re going to love having the place fixed up,” she said, sidling closer. “We’ll make it a home.”