Page 16 of Two Hearts' Ploy

And when she’d been sitting behind him on his bike?

It had been like a bolt of lightning ripped through him when she’d wrapped her arms around his waist.

Talk about embarrassment as he’d been driving along the road. He doubted she’d even noticed his reaction at least, because the padding on his seat hadn’t nearly been adequate enough to handle his discomfort.

Obviously, it had been way too long since he’d had sex. But he just wasn’t into casual relationships, and most of the girls who lived around here would get the wrong idea anyway if they became intimate.

Jeff sighed. He’d been handling his lack of a love interest well enough until now. The only one who seemed to get on his case was Mom. But she was the kind of mother who wouldn’t behappy until she finally saw her last kid married, with kids of his own.

Well, he doubted he’d ever see the woman he’d nearly run into today again. It’s funny, but he really couldn’t remember what she looked like. She’d been wearing some of those sunglasses with way too big lenses, and her long blond hair had disguised most of her face as it blew in the wind along with the scarf she’d been wearing over it.

But she’d been built, that’s for sure, he decided thinking about those sleek slim curves as she’d clung to him, pressed up against his back.

“Well, shit,” he muttered, realizing he was responding physically again. “This sure isn’t good. I don’t ever remember getting turned on by a woman with a simple thought. I must be in really bad shape. Maybe I need to start seeing my shrink again.”

But as he steered his bike into the driveway of his house, he couldn’t help it when he started laughing. He was becoming boring, he realized. His life was too routine. Maybe he would try to find a way to run into her again. There was just something about her…

As he pulled into the garage, his cell phone began to vibrate. Pulling it from his pocket as he climbed from his bike, he checked the caller ID.

“Eve. What can I do for you?” he said, heading through the garage doorway, following the path from the detached garage to the door leading into the mudroom.

Unlocking the door, he stepped inside, making his way into the kitchen.

“I’m so excited, Jeff. Remember the other night when I was saying that what we needed is a big name to do some recording here at our studio? It looks like my wish has come true. How’s your schedule looking during the next month? Would it beasking too much for me to have you work as the mixing engineer for her? You’ve gotten really good at it. So much so, I think you’re the most qualified tech for the job.”

Jeff stilled. She really thought he was good enough to handle a big name vocalist?

“First things first. Who’s the vocalist?” he asked gruffly.

“You know what – I’m not going to tell you. I’m afraid it’ll make you nervous. How about coming in tomorrow morning at ten to meet her? That way, we can see how well the two of you work together.”

“Eve. I’ve started building my deck and sunroom. But if you really have that much confidence in me, I’ll clear my schedule,” he said gently. “Besides, I like the idea of a new challenge. Teaching is great, but my life is going to be pretty boring if I don’t return to active duty for a while.”

“I hear you,” Eve said. “I have a feeling that you’re going to do great things with this artist, Jeff. She’s really popular, but I think she needs to challenge herself more as well.” Eve laughed. “But you didn’t hear that from me. I got to know her pretty well when I was on tour. She doesn’t really realize it herself, but I think she’s kind of in a rut. Her songs are all beginning to sound similar. It’s not hurting her now, but eventually it might.”

“Are you really going to leave me hanging here? I probably won’t sleep all night trying to figure out who you’re talking about.”

Eve simply laughed.

“Okay. I’ll see you at ten sharp,” Jeff replied, smiling as he disconnected the phone.

He glanced through the French doors leading outside to the lakefront. Stacks of treated lumber were stacked neatly near the house.

“I’d better get to work on that deck while I’ve still got the chance,” he muttered out loud.

Chapter Seven

When Jeff woke the following morning, he did what he usually did five times a week – he drove out to his brother-in-law’s place at Dragonfly Pointe to work out in Luke’s state-of-the-art gym. Luke was also missing a leg, although his injuries had been much more severe at the time they’d occurred.

It also gave Jeff a chance to visit with his young niece and nephew while his sister Kelly was at work at the Dragonfly Pointe Inn.

Jeff really needed to order some extra workout equipment for the designated space in the basement. But he enjoyed his regular visits with Luke and the kids. He had a feeling that he wouldn’t see as much of them if he finally followed through and set up his own gym.

In fact, that’s where he’d been yesterday – over at Luke and Kelly’s – before he’d nearly run into the woman in the SUV while driving in the middle of the road. Combining the exertions of his workout along with his lack of sleep had left him a little spacy yesterday.

He’d slept pretty well last night though, grinning as he drove past the spot on the road where he’d nearly run into the woman in the SUV after leaving Luke’s. They’d had some breakfast delivered from the Inn so Jeff could just head right to the studio after showering and changing clothes.

He’d be a little early, he realized, glancing at his watch as he made his way past the security gate, already standing open.

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