could fit into the living quarters below deck. To Stacy, she groaned, “I’m trying not to think about it. He’s so out of my league, Stace.”
“You don’t think I’ve thought the same about me and Jared? He’s fine wine and caviar, and I’m beer and pretzels. He’s loaded and I’m a lower-middle-class country girl with student loans out the wazoo. I couldn’t jump a nickel to save a dime. I shop at consignment shops and thrift stores and his suits are tailor-made. I finally told myself, so what. Enjoy it. Don’t you think after all the years living as poor as church mice, we deserve a little luxury?”
“I don’t know. A girl could get used to it and then have it snatched away in the blink of an eye.”
The devastated look on Stacy’s face made Jessie regret her words.
“Your daddy sure did a number on you, didn’t he, honey?”
Jessie simply shrugged. It was true. Her lessons had been exceptionally tough ones to learn. She was an independent woman now, though, with a plan for financial freedom where no matter what a man did to her, she wouldn’t end up scrimping, slaving, or giving up her dreams like her mother. She didn’t need a man to take care of her, no matter how darn sexy that man was.
“Let’s change the subject, okay?”
“Okay, so… have you slept with him yet?”
“Stacy!”
“What? This is girl talk. You don’t have to give me all the details, only the highlights.”
“Highlights, huh?” Jessie smiled, effortlessly recalling every second of their dreamy first night. “How much time do you have?” she asked cheekily. “It was all a highlight, so the retelling could take a while.”
“From the look on your face, I can tell it was worth the wait,” Stacy replied with a grin. “Go on.”
“It was wonderful, beautifully romantic, and better than I dreamed it would be. Although up until a week ago, I wouldn’t have had any highlights at all, other than kissing and heavy groping. It took him over a month to make his move.”
“Really? With his reputation, I thought that ship would have sailed long ago.” Stacy’s hands flew to her mouth. “Sorry, Jess. That was crude of me and way out of line.”
“No. I know his history as a skirt chaser. I resisted going out with him because of it—that and our social class differences, of course. So I was surprised when he didn’t pounce on me the first chance he got. That would have proved the rumors true, however. I understand him being cautious at first, but he went so slow, it was like he was determined to disprove his bad reputation by taking a vow of celibacy or something.”
“You mean that day we went sailing, when we left you on the yacht, alone, in the moonlight, nothing happened?”
“No, but that was my fault, although he blamed himself for not being as vigilant with the sunscreen as Jared was with you.”
“Oh, no!” Stacy cried.
“Oh, yes. I was as red as a lobster. We spent the evening hands-off, darn my luck, except when he was rubbing on the Solarcaine. He scolded me a bit, but I was in too much pain for anything else, or my butt would have been red for another reason.”
“So what made him change his mind?”
“Well… I was a bit cranky about it and came right out and asked him if he had a bet at work about how long he could keep me on the hook.”
“Jess, you didn’t!”
“I did. He took offense, naturally.”
“And busted your butt before he swept you up in his arms and carried you off to bed.” She sighed dramatically. “So romantic.”
Jessie felt her cheeks burn, glancing around to make sure no one had heard. “How did you know that’s what he did?”
“It’s exactly what Jared would have done. That’s another coincidence, isn’t it? Who would have thought we would both wind up with sexy, dominant surgeons who aren’t afraid to bust a little tail when the situation warrants? We’re so much alike, it really is kind of freaky,” Stacy said quietly.
“We’re kindred
“You don’t think I’ve thought the same about me and Jared? He’s fine wine and caviar, and I’m beer and pretzels. He’s loaded and I’m a lower-middle-class country girl with student loans out the wazoo. I couldn’t jump a nickel to save a dime. I shop at consignment shops and thrift stores and his suits are tailor-made. I finally told myself, so what. Enjoy it. Don’t you think after all the years living as poor as church mice, we deserve a little luxury?”
“I don’t know. A girl could get used to it and then have it snatched away in the blink of an eye.”
The devastated look on Stacy’s face made Jessie regret her words.
“Your daddy sure did a number on you, didn’t he, honey?”
Jessie simply shrugged. It was true. Her lessons had been exceptionally tough ones to learn. She was an independent woman now, though, with a plan for financial freedom where no matter what a man did to her, she wouldn’t end up scrimping, slaving, or giving up her dreams like her mother. She didn’t need a man to take care of her, no matter how darn sexy that man was.
“Let’s change the subject, okay?”
“Okay, so… have you slept with him yet?”
“Stacy!”
“What? This is girl talk. You don’t have to give me all the details, only the highlights.”
“Highlights, huh?” Jessie smiled, effortlessly recalling every second of their dreamy first night. “How much time do you have?” she asked cheekily. “It was all a highlight, so the retelling could take a while.”
“From the look on your face, I can tell it was worth the wait,” Stacy replied with a grin. “Go on.”
“It was wonderful, beautifully romantic, and better than I dreamed it would be. Although up until a week ago, I wouldn’t have had any highlights at all, other than kissing and heavy groping. It took him over a month to make his move.”
“Really? With his reputation, I thought that ship would have sailed long ago.” Stacy’s hands flew to her mouth. “Sorry, Jess. That was crude of me and way out of line.”
“No. I know his history as a skirt chaser. I resisted going out with him because of it—that and our social class differences, of course. So I was surprised when he didn’t pounce on me the first chance he got. That would have proved the rumors true, however. I understand him being cautious at first, but he went so slow, it was like he was determined to disprove his bad reputation by taking a vow of celibacy or something.”
“You mean that day we went sailing, when we left you on the yacht, alone, in the moonlight, nothing happened?”
“No, but that was my fault, although he blamed himself for not being as vigilant with the sunscreen as Jared was with you.”
“Oh, no!” Stacy cried.
“Oh, yes. I was as red as a lobster. We spent the evening hands-off, darn my luck, except when he was rubbing on the Solarcaine. He scolded me a bit, but I was in too much pain for anything else, or my butt would have been red for another reason.”
“So what made him change his mind?”
“Well… I was a bit cranky about it and came right out and asked him if he had a bet at work about how long he could keep me on the hook.”
“Jess, you didn’t!”
“I did. He took offense, naturally.”
“And busted your butt before he swept you up in his arms and carried you off to bed.” She sighed dramatically. “So romantic.”
Jessie felt her cheeks burn, glancing around to make sure no one had heard. “How did you know that’s what he did?”
“It’s exactly what Jared would have done. That’s another coincidence, isn’t it? Who would have thought we would both wind up with sexy, dominant surgeons who aren’t afraid to bust a little tail when the situation warrants? We’re so much alike, it really is kind of freaky,” Stacy said quietly.
“We’re kindred
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