Free Up All Night-nook by Lyric James Page A

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    “Great. I’ll see you this weekend,” she’d told her and hung up, a smile on her face.
    Now, just as she was about to start her weekend project, she was waylaid by Ian. “Look, I know you have no idea what the concept of work is, but I don’t have time to play. I have a job to do, a business to run.”
    He pushed their momentum toward the double French doors leading out to the pool. “And you’ll have plenty of time after you have a little fun. You can’t waste your whole weekend in the attic.”
    “Yes, I can. Besides, if I don’t start now, I’ll be up all night and tomorrow,” she complained. “I don’t know how much is up there.”
    Outside, the warm air surrounded them, and the scent of sand and ocean crept up to the house. Ian led her around a bank of lounge chairs until they stood by the pool. “Come on. Wouldn’t you rather be out here?”
    There were coordinating shades of blue and green as far as the eye could see. Half washed away sand castles littered the beach. Throngs of laughing people sat under multicolored umbrellas enjoying the evening. A pack of seagulls cried and flapped through the sky while a speedboat zoomed by. The sun was so warm and bright, she had to shield her face. It was glorious. She’d always enjoyed coming up here with Dayna when they were on holiday from school.
    But she didn’t have time to enjoy it this weekend. She needed to work, and Ian was screwing up her equilibrium. He made her want to forget about her money problems for once and just enjoy herself. But maybe… “An hour. I’ll relax for one hour.”
    Ian grinned and captured her hand in his. Her breath lodged in her throat and refused to slip past her lips when she glanced at their clasped fingers. “Two hours. Give me two hours and I’ll come up there and help you,” he countered.
    Stella raised a brow. “You’ll help me?”
    Ian Hollis was a first-generation rich kid, who with two dollars and a stroke of luck, won a multi-million dollar lottery when he was twenty-five years old. He’d been living the high life ever since with wild parties, trips to other countries, houses, cars, you name it. If it resembled fun, he was the first person in line to purchase a ticket. And let’s not forget the women who followed him around like groupies. It didn’t help that he had movie star good looks, a body to die for and bedroom eyes. They made her melt every single time she gazed into his face. But what pulled her back to reality each time she saw him was a beautiful, scantily clad woman, sometimes two, draped over his arm. She was surprised he didn’t have one with him this weekend.
    The night was still young.
    “Yes. I’ll come up to the attic, and I’ll do whatever you want me to do. Unpack boxes, move furniture around, make lists. Whatever. Just have some fun with me,” he persuaded, a sinfully sexy look in his eyes.
    It was a tempting offer. Two sets of hands were better than one, and if Ian helped, even though he probably didn’t have an eye for antiquities, he could label what she wanted to be picked up and move stuff around. It would save her a lot of time.
    She smiled. “Deal.”
     
    * * * * *
     
    Ian Hollis resisted the urge to pump his fist in the air in triumph. He finally got Ms. Prim and Proper to loosen up and have some fun. Damned if the brown-eyed petite bombshell didn’t make him want to shake up her work ethic. A lot.
    On the surface, she wasn’t his type. She was an uptight workaholic busybody who wore tailored skirts, tucked in starched shirts buttoned all the way up to her freaking neck, and sensible shoes. Hell if he knew why, after the first time he saw her, he hadn’t been able to erase her from his mind.
    Because underneath her cool façade he knew a sex kitten lurked, waiting to be unleashed. 
    Ian usually had a way with women, but for some reason the first time they’d met, she put a locked and bricked wall between them. Hell, it