Free Once A Bad Girl by Jane O'Reilly Page A

dug in it for some money. The remnants of clam mountain leered at her. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work. While I still have work to do, that is.’
    ‘Sit down, Lottie.’
    His voice was low and commanding, and apparently her legs couldn’t disobey. ‘What?’
    ‘Stop talking for a minute and listen. I think I know a way we can help each other out.’
    ‘You want to buy my kidney?’
    He touched her lips with his index finger, bringing up another disturbingly erotic memory of another time, another place. ‘I said, stop talking. Let’s consider the facts. The auction house needs a big client. Am I correct?’
    Lottie nodded, and he removed his hand.
    ‘I can provide you with a big client. I need some splashy publicity for my club. You can provide me with that.’
    ‘How?’
    He tapped the magazine with one long finger. ‘We’re going to feed the monster. We’re going to have a short, very passionate and very public fling.’

Chapter Five
    Hooking a finger into the collar of his dress shirt, Josh eased the tug on his throat, and wondered not for the first time what had possessed him. Not just to dress up in the monkey suit, but to suggest this whole crazy scheme in the first place. It was insane. But then when had his life ever been anything but? He was the son of an Oscar-winning actress, and that meant his life was never going to be normal. He’d spent his whole life dealing with it. Too many friendships had gone sour when he’d realised that he was nothing more than a gateway to Marlene, until he’d reached the point where he didn’t bother with it anymore. What was the point? It pained him that he couldn’t trust anyone, but he’d been burned too many times to be any different now.
    Hell, he didn’t trust Lottie. But the memorabilia had to be auctioned, and by giving the contract to Spencer’s and keeping Lottie close, he kept control. Plus keeping himself in the media spotlight would guarantee publicity for the club. When he thought about it like that, it all made perfect sense. It was only for a few weeks after all. And he’d done Lottie a favour, getting rid of Barry the Perve. What the hell was she thinking, hanging around with a jerk like that?
    Snarling to himself, Josh thumbed the doorbell again, and this time pinned it down. Was the damn thing even working? Why wasn’t she opening the door? He felt like he was 17 and picking up his date for the sixth-form ball all over again. He prayed that whatever happened, baby-pink tulle wouldn’t be involved.
    Okay, so he was 20 minutes early, but he and Lottie needed to have a serious talk before they took this thing public. She’d said she didn’t have anything to do with the photos in Guilty Pleasures , and he was trying his damndest not to believe her. He didn’t want to believe her. But the fact remained that she’d tried to sneak out without him realising, and if she’d planned that photo, surely she’d have dragged him to the doorstep.
    She was either the most media savvy person he’d ever met, or the most naive. Either way, from now on they were playing by his rules, and he was not going to allow himself to be distracted by her big, Bambi eyes. Or her lush, soft pout. Or her breasts. Those gorgeous, hand-filling breasts.
    ‘Lottie!’ he yelled, his patience drained. ‘Are you in there?’
    The door popped open. Violet eyes simmered up at him, and his mind went completely blank.
    ‘I’m not deaf,’ she said. ‘You can stop ringing now.’
    ‘Huh?’
    Leaning out, she slapped his hand away from the doorbell. ‘You’re early. I’m not ready yet. And no sexist jokes about it, thank you very much.’
    ‘I wouldn’t dare.’
    She eyed him steadily. ‘We both know that’s a total lie. Now are you going to come in? Or do you want to stand there all night, waiting for another photographer to take a picture?’
    Josh tucked his hands into his trouser pockets as the door swung back and she scampered away, giving