“And if I’m not satisfied with the work?” She bit her tongue the moment the words left her mouth. She’d wanted to disguise her sudden unease with this man’s presence. The corner of his lip twitched slightly and he took a step forward. The scents of fresh grass and sweat and musk drifted on the late morning breeze. “You don’t pay unless you’re satisfied.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “I guarantee I’ve never left a client hanging.”
Raw, sexual heat flooded her face and moved downward. The air hung heavy and still as if ripe for something more… something completely primal. Shocked at her own reaction to this stranger, she fought for control and nodded. “Fine. You’re hired.”
“I can start this afternoon. I’ll go take a look around. By the way, name’s Jack.”
“Jack what?”
He hesitated. “Wolfe. Jack Wolfe at your service.
“Fine,” she said again. Her fingers clenched, and she prayed he wouldn’t extend his hand for a formal introduction. Touching this man was out of the question. “Julianna Elizabeth Waters. Umm, I’m going into town for a bit, but I’ll return later. See you then.”
She turned her back and marched into the house. The cool air hit her skin in welcome relief as she slumped against her door and wondered what the hell she had just done.
Maybe she was sexually inexperienced and deprived, but that was no reason to lust after her temporary gardener. The sheer cliché of it overwhelmed her enough to help her shake off her ridiculous thoughts and get ready to go into town.
Jack watched Julianna drive away like Smokey and the Bandit. He chuckled freely as he made his way down the path and into town, enjoying the picture of the lady of the manor getting flustered by a working stiff. Mrs. Cutter had given him an earful, and piqued his interest. Julianna had inherited the Cliff House when her father passed on. Supposedly, she had no other family and had fallen onto hard financial times. Her neighbor gleefully pointed out the neglected property, then launched into her assessment of Julianna’s personal life. No men in the picture. Mrs. Cutter had first thought the young lady was a lesbian, but learned she had dated a few men in town and turned them down after a few dates. She was snobby, arrogant, and distant. She never got involved with the neighbors or the historical foundation or the efforts to increase tourism in Newport.
Jack kept quiet while he drank iced tea, let the woman ogle him, and took in all the town gossip. He’d decided early on that Newport, Rhode Island was a perfect town for him to settle in for a week or so. The "city by the sea" boasted a perfect marina to dock his schooner, and odd jobs to take advantage of. Right now, he wanted to meet some local women and sail. In order to keep up his ruse, he’d hired himself out as a handyman and gardener, and knowing how fast gossip spread, planned to treat himself to a few intimate encounters this week to go fishing—literally—for possible mates.
Unfortunately, Julianna Waters intrigued him.
He’d caught her off guard, spying on him. Her plain appearance and clipped, polite tone wreaked havoc with the heat in her dark eyes. Her brown hair was caught up in a severe twist pinned to the top of her head. She wore little make-up, and a smattering of freckles sprinkled her nose. Her lips were full and pouty like a bee sting not yet healed. Her chin held a stubborn tilt, and he’d noticed she clenched her teeth and fingers automatically, trying to keep her nervousness from showing. She’d obviously been attracted to him, and even Jack had been taken aback by the sexual punch between them. But she was so uncomfortable with her body and reaction that he couldn’t help teasing her.
The woman seemed buttoned up so tight and proper that it would take a heavy-duty crane to get her out of her clothes and into bed. Those lips were a waste and obviously underused. Her body had curves galore, lush hips and generous breasts, but the way she kept herself in check told him volumes. He wondered what she'd look like during orgasm. He wondered what it would take a man to get her there.
He wondered if he was the man who should try.
Jack wiped the sweat off his brow and shook his head. No, he didn’t have time for such diversions. She’d make a terrible wife—everything he didn’t want, and he had no time to play games. Julianna obviously needed a rich man to bail her out of her financial crisis. Dinner conversation with someone so stiff-necked and proper would be sheer torture. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on her. He pitied the poor man she set her sights on, but maybe he could do the guy a favor and loosen her up a bit.
He grinned at the thought and headed for his boat.
Julianna checked her appearance in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction. The sundress was demure but a bright, happy yellow, which gave her mousy hair a bit of help. The last time she’d dared to put highlights in to jazz things up, she’d suffered with an orangey tint that wouldn’t wash out. She should have learned early on that she was not the type of woman to court style or flash. Even her makeup looked like it had faded, and she had just applied it half an hour ago.
She smoothed her topknot, grabbed her sunglasses and headed out the door.
And crashed into her newly hired gardener.
The breath left her body in a big whoosh as she rammed into a superhero-hard chest, damp with sweat. He righted her immediately with a firm grip on both her arms. Julianna jerked back as his fingers burned into her flesh, then swiped off his touch like a child not wanting to catch cooties.
Damn him. He forced the oddest reaction from her. She’d never met a man who made her so nervous. One sun-bleached brow arched at her response, and heat flooded her cheeks. She forced herself past the embarrassment and met his gaze.
“Sorry.” His badass grin said he was nothing of the sort. “Was just going to throw myself on your mercy for some water.”
“You didn’t bring any?”
His lip twitched at her outright rudeness. “Drank it all.”
Julianna glanced at her watch. “I have some bottled water inside, I’ll get you some.” She turned and opened the door. He followed her.
“Gonna be a hot one,” he said.
“Summer usually is.” She retrieved two bottles and handed them to him. He thanked her, but didn’t budge from the foyer. He motioned toward the high vaulted ceilings elaborately painted and the spiral staircase that echoed images of Gone with the Wind. The open rooms boasted formal antiques, rich wood, and polished marble. “Nice place.”
“Thank you, Mr. Wolfe. Now unless you need anything else—”
“Jack.”
“Right. Jack. I must be going.”
“Looking mighty pretty and bright as the sun. Lunch date?”
He was quite the charmer. Evidently, Jack Wolfe was used to getting whoever he wanted when he wanted her. Probably with a “pretty please” from the female recipient, if that body was any indication of his stamina. She fought a smile, knowing her sex factor was pretty low on the Richter scale. Men didn’t bother with plain women like her. Unless he was bored. Julianna crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze.
“Yes, that’s correct. I have a lunch date. Will you be finished by the end of the week?”
He lifted his battered blue cap and scratched his head. “Should be, as long as the retaining wall holds. It’s pretty weak, so it might need replacing. Will let you know later this afternoon.”
“I’ll want an estimate if that’s the case.”
“Of course. What do you teach?”
“Excuse me?”
“You teach, right?”
“How did you know that?” Julianna tried not to sound accusatory, but the idea of this man knowing anything about her personal life seemed… disturbing.
“Your neighbor. Mrs. Cutter. She said you teach classes and took care of your parents.”