Free Semipro by Kit Tunstall Page B

nipples
tightening with excitement. Jake seemed on the brink of propositioning her, and
she planned to accept. A one-night stand had never appealed to her, but that
had changed from the moment she saw him. She ached for Jake with a desire she’d
never experienced before, the intensity of which made her willing to go against
her typical behavior. She licked her lips, leaning closer to him.
    “How
much for the pleasure of your company this evening?”
    Sandra’s mouth dropped,
and she almost slapped him when it penetrated her brain that he thought she was
a prostitute.
    He continued, clearly
oblivious to her reaction. “I’ve never done this before. I imagine you hear
that a lot, but in my case, it’s true.” He winked. “I’ve never needed the
services of a pro before. I probably don’t tonight, but I want you.”
    She cleared her throat,
not certain how to answer. Her anger had faded to stunned disbelief. A groan
almost escaped, but she stifled it. Mentally reviewing their conversation, it
was no wonder he’d come to that conclusion. Craigslist had a certain reputation
for connecting whores and clients, though she definitely hadn’t posted her
dating ad in that section. She’d even said she normally charged by the hour! It
was on the tip of her tongue to explain just where he’d gone wrong in his
assumptions, but she closed her mouth with a click.
    The taboo of the scenario
appealed to her on a deeply sexual level. The thought of having no inhibitions,
of surrendering her normally cerebral existence for one of pure carnality, made
her pulse race. Was there any harm in allowing the fantasy? She didn’t actually
intend to take his money, but surely it wouldn’t hurt to indulge in a night of
sex with him, to their mutual satisfaction.
    “You know what? I don’t
care what it costs. I have a feeling you’ll be worth it.”
    Sandra touched the tip of
her tongue to the corner of her mouth. “I’m sure you’ll be completely
satisfied.”
    Her skin tingled with
anticipation as Jake took out his card to settle his tab. The bartender soon
returned with both their slips. Her hand shook when she signed, making her
penmanship terrible. As a matter of pride, she always deviated from the
stereotypical doctor’s handwriting by writing clearly and legibly. Tonight, she
didn’t care.
    When they had both put
away their cards, Jake slid out of his seat, and put his hand on her lower back
as she did the same. On her feet in front of him, Sandra felt more petite than
usual. At five-two, she was more than a foot shorter than he was. Jake towered
over her, but it left her feeling protected and secure, rather than intimidated
or overwhelmed.
    “Shall we get a room?” asked
Jake as they exited the lounge.
    Sandra nodded, trying to
appear confident. “That sounds like a good idea.” The tightening of her stomach
made her question whether any of this was a good idea, but she ignored the
attack of nerves and accompanied him to the lobby. She lingered behind him as
he booked the room, and they walked to the elevator, hand in hand. When they
stepped onto the car, the metal doors closing behind them, she realized there
was no turning back. A quick search of her conflicting emotions yielded no
pressing desire to change her mind. She wanted this, wanted Jake, and nothing
was going to stand in her way—not even her own annoying voice of reason that
grew ever-quieter as the elevator whisked them to their room.

Chapter
Two
    The room was as elegant
as the rest of the hotel, though she barely noticed the luxurious furnishings,
dark cherry wood and silver-and-mauve color scheme. Instead, her attention
shifted and remained glued to Jake. As soon as the door had clicked shut behind
them, he unbuttoned his jacket and dropped it carelessly across the wingback
chair nearest the door. Her mouth watered with anticipation as she waited for
him to finish undressing.
    Apparently, Jake wasn’t
in that kind of rush, because he contented himself