Prologue

He held her naked body tightly against him. She felt the slight rasp of his unshaven face against her cheek as he transferred his kiss to the soft part of her shoulder. He began to suck, sending waves of sensation down her body.

She traced the lines of his muscles down his back, to his hard bottom and then, as they rolled onto their sides, she reached for him, hoping to curl her fingers around his erection. She wanted him inside her and moved her thigh to rest over his hip. She ached for more of the soft, wet kisses he trailed across her breasts.

She whispered, “Please put your fingers in me. Feel how much I need you.”

He smiled. His mouth now against hers, his tongue traced the seam of her lips. His fingers teased her wetness and she tightened her hold on him.

* * * *

Bethany suddenly heard the sound of bells far away. They were a nuisance because she was in the middle of a lovely dream.

What is that, she thought, surfacing from sleep.

She blinked in the bright sunlight coming through her bedroom window and knew it was very early in the morning.

The doorbell rang. Bethany sat up in bed and put her feet gingerly on the floor. She still felt unwell as she walked to answer the door to her apartment reluctantly.

Can’t they just leave me alone for a couple of days? She opened her door.

Jake stood there, looking frantic. “I was really worried. It took you ages to answer the door. You’re not still sick?”

He strode into the apartment behind Bethany who remained silent as she considered her answer.

She managed not to curse. “I have a really nasty virus. I’ve only been ill a day. What’s going on?”

She entered her kitchen and rummaged through her cabinets, looking for instant coffee.

Jake opened her fridge and took out a carton of orange juice. He found clean glasses in the dishwasher and poured them both a glass of juice.

“Vitamin C will help. I had that same virus a couple of weeks ago and shook it off after a day.”

Bethany took the glass of orange juice from him and drank some. She sat the cup on the counter and poured water into her kettle to boil.

“It took two days, if I recall. Why the hell are you here anyway?”

Jake gave her a sympathetic look. “We’ve got a job. Brandt is sending us to a movie set. Well, you, actually—although, I will come to the initial meeting for assessment of the situation.”

Bethany sighed and sneezed. She sat down on a stool at her kitchen table and looked at him menacingly.

“You couldn’t have told him I’m sick? You couldn’t have said you’d go on your own and I could catch up with you in a couple of days?”

Jake looked pained. “Who talks back to Brandt?”