Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
She headed to the kitchen first, to make herself a hot cup of chamomile tea. While she waited for the water in the kettle to boil, then for the tea bag to steep, she couldn’t help but remember Derek’s hot kiss that had practically melted her panties and had her on the verge of begging for more, and the conversation that transpired afterward. How he’d made it clear that even though he’d ended things before they went too far, his desire for her had been genuine. Knowing their attraction was mutual, at least, helped soothe the doubts and insecurities that had tried to claw their way to the surface.
They’d spent the rest of the evening casually hanging out. Derek suggested they watch a movie on Netflix—he’d selected an action-adventure flick, not a hint of romance or sex in the plot—and he’d sat down in the single recliner while she curled up on the sofa. Clearly, he didn’t want to risk any chance of them touching.
She dunked her tea bag a few more times before squeezing out the excess liquid, still amused by his attempts to keep things platonic. How he’d deliberately maintained a respectable distance. Kept any excess touching to a minimum. And made sure their conversations were light and friendly, without any sexual overtures.
Jessica understood the crux of Derek’s concern about her brother and their business partnership. That whole mixing-business-with-pleasure thing came with risks, and as much as she wanted more than one kiss with Derek, she needed to respect his decision. The last thing she’d ever want to do was make things awkward between Ben and Derek.
But that didn’t mean she couldn’t flirt with him. Drive him a little crazy with a bit of playful teasing. Let the sexual tension between them simmer and burn, just for the fun of it. Because one thing she’d learned, she and Derek had fun together and she’d earned this weekend. Purchased it anyway, she mused. So, yeah, she liked that idea. A lot.
Smiling at the thought, she picked up her cup of tea and went to her office, located down the hall from the kitchen. She flipped on the light, set her cup down on the drafting table, and opened her sketch pad to a clean page.
She always started with a basic concept on paper, and once she was satisfied with the draft, she switched to an illustrator program on her computer, where she could add depth, textures, and finer details, then generate as many iterations of the original design as she wanted.
Beginning with an outline of a curvier, full-figured woman’s body as a template, she switched out her black pencil for a sapphire-blue one to create the image she had in mind. As she sipped her tea, she continued sketching, creating a lingerie piece that was different from anything else she’d designed. The gown had sheer lace cups, a v-neckline with intricate crisscross detailing in front, and a long, flowing skirt with a slit up the middle, so when a woman walked, the silky material swirled around her legs and exposed tantalizing glimpses of skin. She drew on a lacy pair of matching panties, with the same lattice details to match the top of the gown.
“Now what man in his right mind could resist a sexy outfit like that?” she murmured to herself, as she often did when she was alone and creating a design.
“I think it’s more about whether he can resist the woman wearing it, not the outfit itself.”
Jessica jumped at the sound of Derek’s voice behind her, a startled scream erupting from her throat as she spun around, her unbound hair swirling over her shoulders. Her heart jackhammered in her chest, while he stood casually in the doorway, leaning against the frame, his arms crossed over his bare chest and his lickable abs on display. His hair was a disheveled mess, which only added to his hotness factor, and he had a lopsided smile on his gorgeous face.
She pressed a hand to her heaving chest and glared at him. “Jesus! You scared the crap out of me. Why didn’t you say something so I knew you were standing there?”
“I did say something,” he said, looking and sounding amused.
“I meant . . . never mind.” She shook her head, feeling out of sorts after being startled, and it didn’t help that she was distracted by Derek in a pair of cotton sweatpants hanging low on his hips. The kind that outlined any telltale bulge in front, and Derek’s was impressive . . . as she’d felt for herself earlier today.
She yanked her gaze back up to his face, ignoring the sly, knowing look in his eyes. “How long have you been there watching me?”
“A while.”
She straightened her silky robe and tightened the sash. “That’s . . . creepy.”
He shrugged unapologetically. “I liked watching you. You talk to yourself while you’re drawing, and you make these cute hand gestures while you’re thinking. And other times you were so intense so I just didn’t want to interrupt your concentration.” He pushed off the doorframe, strolled into the office and over to her drafting table, standing a respectable space away from her. “And despite what you might think, I didn’t come downstairs for the sole purpose of spying on you. I was just feeling restless, and then I saw the light on, so I was curious to see what you were up to.”