Free Mine To Take (Nine Circles) by Jackie Ashenden

rule follower. Yes, she was at that. But there was nothing wrong with following the rules. As long as you were the one who got to make them. “I have to give him a personal tour of one of Guy’s hotels. For a whole damn week!”
    A smile curled one end of Violet’s mouth. “Hon, I think he might like you.”
    Heat settled right down low in Honor’s gut. Unexpected and unwanted. She shifted, hoping to get rid of it. “I don’t care what he thinks of me.” Liar. “I don’t have the time for this stupid tour.” An edge of temper had crept into her voice but she didn’t bother to hide it. In fact, it felt good to let a bit of her irritation at the arrogance of Gabriel Woolf out.
    Violet fell back against the couch cushions, arms still folded. Grinning, damn her. “Oh, no, no, no. It’s not that you don’t have time for it. You don’t want to go because he makes you hot.”
    Honor gritted her teeth silently. “Maybe I’m attracted to him. But’s that got nothing to do with anything. I still don’t have the time to take a week away from work.”
    Violet made a skeptical-sounding noise. “Uh-huh. Why don’t you say no then?”
    “I can’t. If I don’t do what he wants then he’s pulling his money. Eva King of Void Angel is going to invest, too, but she won’t without Woolf. So if I don’t organize this tour, I’ll lose both our investors.”
    “Hmm, sounds like a case of rock versus hard place.” Violet waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Hard places can be nice, you know.”
    “Does it always have to be about sex with you?”
    “Are you kidding?” Her friend’s eyes opened wide in mock surprise. “What else makes the world go around? And don’t tell me money ’cause then I’d have to kill you.”
    Honor sighed. “This isn’t funny, Vi.”
    The amused look faded from Violet’s face. “Okay, I hear you. Are you worried about him? I mean, seriously. If you think he’s going to do skanky things—”
    “No,” Honor interrupted with absolute certainty. Because she didn’t get that kind of vibe from Gabriel at all. It was more … You don’t trust yourself around him. No. Hell, where had that thought come from? Because it wasn’t that either. Definitely not. “I’m pretty sure he’s not that kind of dangerous. It’s more that I don’t want to make any mistakes around him. Guy’s hotel chain is at stake here. His whole livelihood. I can’t afford to do anything stupid.”
    “As if that’ll happen. I don’t think you’ve ever done anything like that in your entire life.”
    For some reason that did not feel like a compliment. “Thanks for the confidence. I think.”
    “But really, what would stupid entail anyway?”
    “Well … you know…”
    “What? Falling into bed with the hot construction CEO?”
    “Vi, please.”
    “Yeah, yeah, I know you’re embarrassed.” Violet unfolded her arms and leaned forward again, elbows on her knees. “You’re adorable when you’re being prudish.”
    “I’m not being prudish. You can’t tell me falling into bed with him would be the world’s most fantastic idea.”
    “Ah, so you do want to fall into bed with him then.”
    Honor eyed her. “I didn’t say that.”
    “You don’t have to. Your skin has a wide and varied vocabulary.”
    “I can’t, Vi. It’s business. It’s too important for ridiculous things like sex to get in the way.”
    “Sex is not in any way ridiculous. At least not when it’s good.” Slowly, Violet straightened. “I know this is a very personal question but—”
    “No, please don’t.”
    Violet ignored her. “When was the last time you got laid?”
    “Oh please, we’re not having that discussion, are we?”
    “Why not? It’s a vital question.”
    “For you maybe. I don’t suppose you had any brain waves about dinner?”
    “I made a casserole and don’t change the subject.”
    Honor blinked. She wasn’t the world’s best cook and last time she’d heard, neither was Violet. “You made