Free The Temporary Wife by Jeannie Moon Page A

all meant, of why she still felt things, and for the life of him he didn’t know why he could still get her to respond. She should be keeping her distance. He didn’t deserve her trust, her friendship, but just like the girl he knew before, the Meg who stood in front of him led with her heart.
    Her hips pressed into his, and their fingers wound together, and he figured he was going to die right here in her kitchen when she left a soft kiss at the base of his throat. “I shouldn’t be like this with you. I shouldn’t,” she said. “Why do you do this to me?”
    Holy shit.
“Meg.
Christ.
I don’t know.”
    “I’ve been trying to get good and pissed off at you, and I do, and then you’re here . . . Kiss me now, okay?” It was said in a whisper, and suddenly he could relate to Adam, Prometheus, Odysseus, and all the men who’d been tempted by beautiful women throughout the ages. Megan was his siren song, and he couldn’t resist. He never could, and it had hurt them both.
    But he was so hot and so hard, he didn’t care. Jason was just about to give her what she wanted, what they both wanted, when his phone rang.
    “Don’t answer it,” she cooed.
    He pulled the phone from his pocket and saw his personal assistant was calling. She never called this late unless there was a problem, and considering he’d just been dealing with an emergency, he figured he should answer. “I have to take this; it’s my assistant.”
    He put some distance between them so the blood could return to his brain. “Hello?”
    “Hey, Jason. Just wanted to touch base since you were out of contact all day.”
Okay. Not an emergency.
    Harper Poole may have been called an executive assistant, but she was a Harvard MBA who earned a quarter of a million dollars a year to keep his life in order and the company running like clockwork. She spoke three languages, knew everyone from the most elusive five-star chef to the best massage therapist, managed her own staff of six people, and didn’t take Jason’s shit. She worked all hours and, although she’d been offered bigger jobs, she made it clear she liked her work and the benefits Reliance offered.
    “I set up the new home office. Come by tomorrow and I’ll give you the lay of the land and a key to the house.”
    Meg had slipped away and was watching him from the other side of the room. She didn’t look happy. Not at all. Jason would have to explain how Harper would be part of things when they got married, how she might be around the house. A lot, if he was working from home. He depended on her for so many things, but the bottom line was the business wouldn’t be running as smoothly as it did without her. Of course, he doubted he’d tell Meg that he and Harper had slept together. Since he wouldn’t be sleeping with her anymore, it didn’t make sense to upset his fiancée, who, at this moment, was casting daggers at him with her fey green eyes. Yeah,
now
she looked pissed. No, Meg was insecure enough where he was concerned. And it was completely justified. There was no need to tell her his history with Harper.
    “Jason? Jason, are you still there?”
    “Yeah, sorry.” Damn. From the look on Megan’s face, he was going to have some serious explaining to do.
    “So, how go the wedding plans? I still can’t believe you’re getting married.” Harper’s scornful laugh didn’t make Jason feel any better about introducing her and Meg.
    “Good. The vineyard’s booked, and Meg got her dress today. But get this: She said I can’t see it until the wedding because of tradition.”
    “Tradition? Seriously?”
    He smiled at Meg, hoping she wouldn’t tear him a new one when he got off the phone. “That’s what I said.”
    “Who the fuck does she think she is?” Harper snapped. “You’re paying for everything.”
    Whoa. That stopped him short. “Harper, I was joking.”
    “It’s not funny. She needs to learn her place.”
    Now he was pissed. “That’s
not
for you to