But leaving her brother in the lurch...? When he needed her help more than ever? Not an option. Not if they were to have a chance at a deep and lasting sibling relationship.
Ben snorted, flicking Ash a friendly but distracted grin.
‘Leave it, Jacob. Essie’s been a lifesaver, stepping in at the last minute.’ Ben rounded the desk and flopped down into the chair Ash had vacated, leaving the two of them alone on the other side of the impressive block of wood.
Essie levelled her stare on Ash. She narrowed her eyes but kept her voice free of the sarcasm fighting to break free. ‘Tell me, have you been in London long? Had a chance to do a little sightseeing perhaps?’
For Ben’s sake, she kept the acid from her tone, but Ash shrugged, seemingly indifferent, and Ben looked too engrossed in the screen of his phone to have even heard the vague barb.
Ash moved to an informal seating area in one corner of the office, which was decked out like something from an exclusive gentlemen’s club. He held out his arm to offer her a seat and then, when she declined, sank down into the leather, all the while assessing her with his narrowed stare.
‘I have managed a tour of the more...exciting highlights the city has to offer.’ He quirked a brow, his mouth twisted. He reclined, one arm stretched out along the back of the sofa, thighs spread in that confident, manly way that screamed, Look at my junk! Oh, wait, you’ve already experienced it.
Heat slammed through her, pulsing between her legs with every lurid memory of him inside her last night: his hips slamming into her; his gruff voice commanding her pleasure; his uncompromising control brooking no arguments, even though she’d been one hundred per cent complicit.
Her cheeks warmed. She’d fully embraced the wham-bam, thank you, ma’am. She dragged her gaze from his crotch, pressing her lips together so she couldn’t lick them. This morning, one night had been enough.
But now, with him looking at her as if he wanted a repeat performance, her body hummed with need, in traitorous, clit-throbbing agreement.
One night hadn’t been enough.
Not of this man, who she suspected would be twice the lover of relaxed, tourist Ash. Was that even possible? No. She didn’t want to know.
‘So you have managerial experience? Hospitality experience?’ Ash flicked his eyes over her from head to toe as if they were alone, his tone grating and transforming her buzz of arousal to one of irritation. It was the way he asked, as if he already knew the answer and found her...lacking.
Another lawyer trait? Or pure, unadulterated arsehole?
Essie changed her mind. Selecting the chair opposite him, she faced him, forcing her body into as relaxed a demeanour as he displayed. She was, after all, an expert at body language.
‘I’m a graduate.’ She lifted her chin. ‘I’ve just completed a PhD and I have lots of hospitality experience.’ So she didn’t have a Harvard law degree, but she wasn’t an imbecile. She could work a till and wipe down tables. ‘Would you like to see my CV?’ She pursed her lips in a tight, sickly smile.
‘What’s with the third degree?’ Ben joined them, taking the second armchair. He shot Ash a curious glare and then turned to Essie. ‘Forgive my friend. He’s not long arrived from New York. He’s not used to your English customs and manners yet.’
Ben turned back to a smiling, completely unfazed Ash.
‘Look, it sucks balls that I have to leave today, but I expect you to look out for my sister, Jacob. Employ a dash of that charm that gets you endlessly laid.’ Ben’s grin dropped. A frown lodged between his brows. ‘But keep your hands off my sister.’
A titter of hysterical laughter clogged Essie’s throat while her cheeks flamed. She’d already sampled his friend’s goods. She lifted her chin, her stare honed on Ash. She might not be able to control her flush response, but she could certainly control her misguided libido.
‘I can manage anything your friend can dish out, Ben. Don’t worry.’
Both men looked at her as if inspecting her for the first time. Their faces were unreadable and likely concealed very different thoughts. Essie examined her fingernails and tried to keep her feet still.
Although certain she lacked the sophistication of the New York babes Ash probably usually bedded, Essie wasn’t a pushover. And this job was about her and Ben. Not her and Ash. So she’d let some personal baggage escape last night, been indiscreet about her track record—that ended right here, right now. Arrogant Ash had seen all he was going to see of unguarded, easy-going Essie.
She returned Ash’s stare, the standoff a game of wills.
‘Good,’ said Ben. ‘Because Ash here has a bit of a reputation with the ladies...if you know what I mean.’ He winked at Essie, who tried to catalogue the sparse contents of her fridge to stop another telltale blush giving her away.
‘Don’t worry.’ Ash’s lip curled. ‘Little sisters aren’t my type.’
Essie concealed her indrawn gasp with a nervous chuckle. Was he daring her? Goading her to out them to a clueless Ben? White-hot fire replaced her blood—she’d been his type less than twelve hours ago when he hadn’t even bothered to fully strip either of them before he’d lowered her to the bed and pushed his delicious dick inside her.
No.
Not delicious. Wrong. Forbidden. And probably as devious as the rest of him.
She cringed, her fatigue-weakened body veering towards kissing the smirk from Ash Jacob’s handsome face one minute and coming clean to Ben the next.
Day one on the job, and already locking horns with the co-owner, who now knew more about her than most people...as well as sneaking round behind her brother’s back?
Well, from now on she’d be the consummate professional and just get the job done. She couldn’t risk disappointing Ben or she’d be back to square one.
Alone.
Rejected.
No relationship with her father to speak of, and no relationship with Ben.
Her whole life, she’d felt somehow responsible for the choices her father had made, as if she were the reason he’d stayed away. And now she was responsible for the mess she’d made of this, too.
But she refused to play into Ash’s sexy hands. Her sister status meant more to her than point scoring over Ash. She could ignore him at work, pretend she’d never met him, try to forget how he’d expertly shunted her into not one, but the two best orgasms of her life. She could pretend just looking at him radiating the kind of self-assurance born of supreme confidence wasn’t a real fucking turn-on...
Ben’s phone chirruped a text alert and he pulled it from his pocket with a sigh.
‘My car’s here. I have to go.’ He stood, and Essie and Ash followed. He stooped to kiss Essie’s cheek again and turned to shake hands and shoulder bump with Ash.
‘Play nice.’ Ben levelled an index finger at his friend, who shrugged, his expression all laid-back charm and cocksure nonchalance.
Ben turned back to Essie.
‘And if you need me, email.’
Essie nodded, more than half tempted to fling herself at her brother’s Oxford-clad feet, wrap her arms around his knees and beg him to stay. To mediate between her and Ash. To stop Essie from orchestrating a rerun of last night’s recklessness. To see that underneath the stained dress and the bad decisions, she was a worthy sister.
But instead she