Free The Gentlewoman by Lisa Durkin

felt so good. He
forced her mouth open and she tasted him as his tongue greedily explored.
Instinctually, her hands moved up his chest and she felt his muscles tense as
he leaned in and their hips made contact. In a flash, he pushed away. His eyes
peered into hers as both their chests rose and fell with rapid breaths.
    “I’m not sorry, Rory. I really wanted to do that,” he said,
eyes boring holes into hers.
    She didn’t know what to say. She was glad he wasn’t
apologizing but didn’t really know why she felt that way. She just kept staring
and breathing, as if that were all she knew how to do. After a moment, he
pushed off the wall and calmly walked back to the luncheon, not looking back.
After a beat, she stepped into the ladies’ room and looked at herself in the
mirror. It was getting harder and harder to deny that she wanted Jackson Dorn
to put his hands on her. And she had no idea how she was going to deal with
that.

Chapter Six
     
    The luncheon was still going strong when Rory said her
goodbyes and Jackson placed her in their livery car. It was awkward, so Rory
broke the ice by playfully scolding him to mind his manners if he visited the
restroom again. They were both smiling at each other as the car drove away.
    The rest of the afternoon droned on. By six in the evening,
she was tired and irritated that she had to spend her evening checking in with
the party. She and Nicole headed to the Hyatt, where the happy hour preceding
the monthly business meeting was just getting under way. They both took a seat
at the bar, and Rory ordered a vodka and cranberry.
    “Bet you wish you could have one of these, don’t you,
Prego,” Rory teased as she sipped her drink.
    “Sure do,” Nicole answered.
    “Sucks to be you.” Rory looked around the room to take
inventory of the arrivals. She was ready to pounce if she saw one of Morgan’s
Eleven.
    “So how was the luncheon today?”
    “Good, I got Koepler and Arness. I’m pretty sure I got
Moore, but I’m going to confirm with him one more time. He’s checking out since
he’s so close to retirement. Bastard better give me this vote before he
leaves,” she muttered, lifting her glass to her lips.
    “So that’s seven.”
    “Eight including Dorn.”
    “Yes, let’s not forget our hot friend from Maine.” Nicole
smiled and met Rory’s eyes. “What’s going on there?”
    “I don’t know, lots of snow, moose…”
    “You know what I mean, Ror.”
    “I’m not in the mood.”
    “Well, there’s a news flash for you. When are you in the
mood to talk about Jackson Dorn? And that, my friend, is why I can’t help but
wonder what’s going on there.” She trailed off as she took a sip of her
lemonade and smiled wickedly. “I know something’s up, so just spill it. I’ve
known you forever.”
    Rory took another sip of her drink and was pensive. It
wasn’t like there was anything to tell.
    She leaned in and looked straight into Nicole’s eyes. “Last
night I fucked him and another chick until three in the morning. It was really
good.”
    Nicole almost jumped off her stool. “Oh my God you’re
kidding me!”
    Rory doubled over laughing. “Yes, I’m kidding you, but I
love that look on your face!”
    “You totally suck.”
    Rory couldn’t stop laughing. “You are so gullible, Dailey.”
    “Fuck you. Now tell me what’s up, and I mean it. Cut the
bullshit, Morgan.”
    “There’s not much to tell. We’ve kissed twice.”
    “Ha! I knew it!”
    “Do you want to hear this?” She took another sip of her
drink and continued. “At first I thought of him as just the man-whore playboy,
you know, very entertaining. But I like talking to him and I feel comfortable
around him. He’s hot as hell and he really turns me on. I don’t know how much
longer I can hang around him and not give in. He’s helped me a lot. He seems
like a really nice guy, but I know better. I’m sure he has an angle. I just
haven’t figured it out yet. He’s really attentive