Free Heatwave by Jamie Denton

ventured across the courtyard under the blistering heat ofthe late-afternoon sun. Drew continued to examine the damage. She crossed the driveway to the small patch of grass and sat cross-legged beneath the Spartan shade of the eucalyptus trees, careful to spread her floral silk skirt over her legs. She leaned back on her hands and kept her gaze on Drew as he worked.
    Her mind wandered down an unfamiliar path. One that filled her with an aching sadness. As much as she would’ve preferred to bury her head in the sand, she couldn’t ignore the truth. She’d harbored a few suspicions about the school suffering financially, and she’d been right in her assumption. In the past six months, her grandmother had scaled back, not just on the number of classes she taught, but the overall curriculum had been reduced by a third. After further review, Emily had surmised the decision stemmed more from the low enrollment numbers than from any need by her grandmother to slow down.
    She’d already made the decision to extend her visit, at least until her grandmother was able to take care of herself again. She had no reason to return to New York to no job, no apartment and no father for her baby. Why couldn’t Charlie have just been honest with her and admit he hadn’t loved her? Was that so difficult?
    For Charles Pruitt, III? Yes. The man had been taking the path of least resistance for as long as she’d known him. Why someone who despised personal conflict as much as he did had become an attorney was another mystery she’d never understand.
    So, what exactly was she supposed to do now? Shemight extend her stay in Los Angeles, but she couldn’t very well live here forever.
    Or could she?
    At the moment, her grandmother needed her to see to the day-to-day running of the Norris Culinary Academy. When the doctor released Grandy from the hospital, Emily would be here to look after her. But once Grandy recovered, Emily would need a job and a place to live. By that time, her pregnancy would no doubt be showing, and her chances of finding an advertising firm willing to employ a woman preparing to take twelve to sixteen weeks of family leave within months of being hired were slim to none. She could always temp until after the baby was born, provided she found an agency that dealt with advertising executive placement.
    She glanced up in time to see Drew walking toward her. Her concerns took a back seat as she stared, entranced by the way his shirt clung damply to his chest. As he neared, she spied rivulets of sweat running from his hairline. He stopped and crouched beside her. Using his biceps, he swiped at the sweat on his brow. Rumpled and sweaty from digging through the rubble under the stifling heat, he still managed to exude more than enough sex appeal to send her feminine senses into a frenzy of activity.
    Her imagination took off like a racehorse at the first bell. Drew’s sweat-slicked body moved over hers. His hands glided over her own moistened flesh, creating a heat wave inside her as he…
    Cleared his throat?
    A frown creased his brow. The green of his eyes darkened, making him appear cold and unapproachable. “Pack your things,” he said in a tone filled with authority. “You’re not staying here tonight.”
    She bristled, not appreciating his high-handedness in the least. With her hands still braced behind her on the grass, she casually unfolded her legs and stretched them out in front of her. “I’m not going anywhere.” The thought of room service tempted her, but without gainful employment, she needed to be careful with her money.
    He let out a rough sigh and shoved his hand through his windblown hair. “Emily,” he said wearily, “don’t argue with me. It’s not safe for you to stay here alone.”
    She lifted her shoulder carelessly. “I’m not leaving, so you can forget it.” She’d already been tossed out of one home. She’d be damned if she’d be booted from another—all in the same week.
    “You need