Free Hands On by Debbi Rawlins Page A

lips, appearing to consider the information. “So marriage is out of the question?”
    â€œBeen there, done that. It doesn’t work.”
    â€œYou’ve been married?” Her eyes got huge.
    â€œYeah, for almost two years. That so hard to believe, too?”
    â€œIt’s hard to picture you as a married man,” she admitted. “Do you have any children?”
    He shook his head. “Let’s figure out tonight before Mary Jane sends the dogs after us.”
    Cassie nodded, but he could see she had a whole load of questions. Shit! He didn’t want to talk about his personal life, especially not about his failed marriage.
    â€œFrankly,” he said. “I think it’s ridiculous to worry about sleeping in the same bed.”
    She folded her arms across her chest and glared.
    â€œUnless you think you’d have trouble keeping your hands off me.”
    â€œYeah, that’s it.”
    He smiled. “If it’s any comfort, I don’t mix business with pleasure.” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and he raised his hands, palms out in supplication. “I’m telling you, I don’t drink on the job, only enough for show, and I don’t screw around. It’s a distraction I can’t afford.”
    â€œOh, well, okay.”
    Damn, she looked a little disappointed. Dalton shifted in his seat, his blood starting to migrate south. Maybe he should point out that after the week was over they could boink like bunnies. Nah, being that blatant would piss her off.
    â€œSo, that’s settled. Nobody has to take the floor.”
    She chewed her lower lip with misgiving. “We’ll at least try it tonight.”
    â€œFair enough. I’ll try to remember to at least keep my boxers on.”
    Her jaw slackened, her lips parting in indignation.
    He laughed. “Kidding.”
    A noise came from the shrubbery behind them. Cassie jerked upright. Dalton swung his gaze around. Theleaves rattled as if someone or something moved the branches.
    Dalton started to get up to investigate when a short Oriental man with a brown weathered face and toothy grin stepped out of the bushes. He stomped debris off his boots at the edge of the pool deck and then gave them a slight bow before he walked toward the path leading to the house.
    Cassie pushed off the chaise. “Who the heck is that?”
    â€œI have no idea.” Dalton stood, as well, as did the hair at the back of his neck. “I’d like to know how much he heard.”

6
    â€œT HERE YOU ARE .” Mary Jane put her hands on her hips. “I was about to go look for you two.”
    Cassie forced a smile. “We just went for a walk.”
    â€œPrivate time is good. We encourage it.” Mary Jane had changed into a short sleeveless white dress that showed off her tanned legs and arms and plenty of cleavage. “But it is dinnertime and we like to be punctual so the cook can go home.”
    Cassie caught Dalton’s eye just as she was about to inform the other woman that this wasn’t kindergarten, and ask her if she knew how to buy the right size bra. The way she busted out all over the place made Cassie cringe.
    Dalton didn’t seem to mind, although Cassie would give him an A for effort. He tried so hard to keep his gaze above Mary Jane’s shoulders that he looked like a robot.
    â€œSo there’s a chef here, huh?” Dalton gave the other woman one of those heart-stopping smiles. “You look like a woman of many talents. I thought maybe you did the cooking, too.”
    Mary Jane giggled and linked an arm with Dalton and started toward the dining room. Obviously shewasn’t immune to the smile, either, which really ticked Cassie off. It shouldn’t, but it did. After all, he was supposed to be acting like her husband.
    â€œIf I had to cook, you’d be eating nothing but yogurt and cottage cheese.” Mary Jane glanced over her shoulder as if Cassie were an