Free Brash by Nicola Marsh Page A

items,” Chantal said, her eyebrows rising as she scanned the page. “Sexy playlist. Edible body oil. Corsets, garters, seamed stockings. Blindfold ?”
    Heat flooded Jess’s cheeks. “It’s a secret fantasy.”
    Chantal eyed her with admiration. “I’m beginning to have a newfound respect for you, Cuz.”
    “And I’m beginning to feel like the boring spinster I’m going to become,” Adele said, her admission tempered with an encouraging smile. “Good for you, Jess. Guys can be dumb. Pays to have a plan.”
    “Jack isn’t dumb, he just doesn’t want me.” Jess plucked at the edges of her frayed denim cut-offs. “Actually, he wants me, but he says it’s not going to happen.”
    Chantal handed her the piece of paper. “Show him this, sweetie, and he’ll be begging for it.”
    “Hope so.” Jess folded the list and tucked it into her pocket. “But he was pretty damn stubborn ten years ago; reckon he may hold out on me now too.”
    “Get him drunk,” Adele said, with a firm nod. “Do shots, but don’t drink all yours. That way, if it goes pear-shaped afterward you can blame it on the alcohol.”
    “Nice one, Del.” Chantal licked the tip of her finger and chalked up a point in the air. “What’s his problem anyway? Anyone can see the guy’s hot for you.”
    “His problem is Reid.” Jess loved her brother but she wished he wasn’t so close to Jack. Shouldn’t guys drift apart after all these years, especially living on different continents and working in different jobs? But noooo…her bro and Jack had to be best buds, and totally screw with her plan to cut loose.
    “Reid?”
    Chantal took a seat next to Jess. “Reid Harper is Jess’s brother.”
    To Jess’s surprise, Adele blushed.
    Chantal sniggered. “Del saw Reid speak at a fundraiser the club sponsored and was goo-eyed for a week.”
    “Was not.” Adele’s blush deepened and in that moment, Jess registered her porcelain pale skin, her big blue eyes and wavy, shoulder length auburn hair. Silly, as Jess had seen Adele several times over the last month but it wasn’t until now that Jess realized something; Adele was just Reid’s type.
    Reid loved redheads.
    Reid was single.
    Adele was lamenting being single.
    They were both attending Zazz’s wedding.
    Oh yeah, this could work.
    “Reid’s a good guy,” Jess said, trying to keep enthusiasm for prospective matchmaking out of her voice. “I’ll introduce you at the wedding.”
    Adele shook her head. “That won’t be necessary—”
    “Great idea.” Chantal clapped her hands like a hyperactive kid. “I can see it now…that island’s going to be a hotbed of sex and scandal.”
    “I wish,” Jess and Adele murmured in unison, staring at each other in disbelief before laughing.
    “Ladies, I think this deserves a toast.” Chantal leaped to her feet, ducked behind her desk to open a bar fridge, and pulled a bottle of fine French bubbly out.
    She uncorked it, filled three glasses from the sideboard and handed them around in the time it took Jess to wonder how cool must her cousin be to have a fridge and the best champagne chilling in her office. Closely followed by the thought of the collective frowns of Craye Canyon’s librarians and well-read patrons if she’d pulled a similar stunt at the library. At nine o’clock in the morning.
    Jess giggled and accepted a glass with thanks.
    Chantal held up her glass. “To us, and an island interlude filled with sun, sea, studs and sex.”
    Jess and Adele clinked Chantal’s glass in agreement to her toast. As Jess took a sip and the bubbles tickled her throat, she hoped Jack left his reservations on the plane because once they landed she had every intention of making her list come true.
     
    Jack had done a good job of avoiding Jess in the lead-up to their sojourn on the island. He’d even convinced Dorian to fly him out early so he could supervise the local crayfish testing personally.
    Dorian had been more than amenable. Anything to