Page 16 of Flirting With Disaster

The whirring continued no matter how hard she held it. She fumbled blindly for the power switch, but couldn’t find it. “I was shopping for…”

His lips thinned. His body crowded her as he reached behind her and grabbed the vibrator. Of course, a professional like him would know exactly where the power button was, and he adroitly turned it off and slammed it on the counter. “You won’t be needing that.”

He had the audacity to move her out of the way. “Or this, or this, or this…” He tossed her pornographic magazines, feminine wash and, finally, her Marvin Gaye CD toward the cashier. The Beasts eyes lifted. “And you definitely don’t need this.” He shoved The Art of Orgasm, How To Get Your Lover to Understand The G-Spot video clear across checkout.

You deserve more. Nola’s words rang in her head. No paid gigolo was going to tell her how their encounter was going to go. She was the customer and the customer was always right.

The Beast tossed the edible panties back into her basket. “These you can keep.”

Her blood boiled. She jumped up and leaned over the counter, backside in the air, and reached beside the cashier’s feet to collect the items. “I will not be treated like a child. Maybe these aren’t for you. Maybe I found someone else. Someone more capable of meeting my needs. Like Mr. Fantome.” Jude threw the items over her shoulder and back onto the checkout counter.

“I’m more than you can handle, Baby. You won’t be propositioning anyone else.” Beck pulled her off the counter by the hips and threw her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing at all. He threw down a twenty, grabbed the edible panties and marched out the door.

Oh, thi

s was going to work out superbly.

* * * *

“Beckette?”

Beck looked over his shoulder to find Liam and Alana Fitzgerald approaching down the sidewalk. Liam glanced up at the sign to the goddamned sex shop Jude had been exploring for the sake of research.

Beck cringed.

“Hello Liam, Alana. I was just helping Ms. Duffy over this puddle.” He kept the witch on his shoulder regardless of her protests. He didn’t dare give her a chance to speak. God only knew what would come out of her mouth.

“Miss Duffy needs to get back to the resort and prepare for dinner. Mr. Fantome has requested she be seated with him. And don’t you have to check the pipes in Ms. Carmichael’s suite?”

Jude stiffened in his arms. Damn the woman and her intelligence. She’d figured him out.

“Put me down this instant!”

Beck dumped her on her feet. She straightened her jacket and tucked her hair back into its pristine predicament. She had a thing for severe and tidy that called to him to mess her up.

She glared at him, her back to the owners of the resort. “Check the pipes? Is that what we’re calling it now?”

The woman really did have a flair for dramatics. He crossed his arms, hiding the edible panties.

“Miss Duffy.” Alana tapped Jude’s shoulder and she turned to face the meddling matchmaker. “I do hope you’re coming to dinner. Mr. Fantome was very taken with you and made special arrangements to dine with you.” She winked.

Alana frowned at Beck, shooting him a warning. He was just an employee. Not to be fraternizing with the guests.

“Beckette, the finishing touches also need to be put on the patio pergola for the Monster Ball at the end of the week.”

Jude swiveled her head to Beckette. “Mr. Beckette works for you?”

“Yes. He’s our maintenance man.” Alana smiled like a proud mother. Or a mischievous, manipulative, leprechaun. “Our poor Beckette is a widower, you know. Six years now.”

A storm brewed in Jude’s eyes. “You… You deceived me!”

The shock of hearing his personal life spilled like a cheap tabloid story, pissed him off. “Now, Miss Duffy. You came to your conclusions all on your own. I simply went along for the ride.”

The hellion’s jaw tightened and those sparkly greens shot daggers at him. She grabbed the panties from his hand. They fell out of the box, landed in a puddle, and began to dissolve like cotton candy in the rain. She stared at the disintegrating confection, jaw unhinged as if her dreams were going up in smoke.

She said goodbye to the Fitzgeralds, then turned and stomped away.

Why this woman was so hell bent on losing her virginity was a mystery to him. A mystery he’d uncover, long before she plotted her next hair-brained scheme. He’d ruined her life once. He’d be damned if he let it be ruined anymore.

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