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  I’d agreed because, well, she was still Luke’s mother. Aggravating her would only turn out badly for him, and that was the last thing I wanted.

  Legally, I knew I had no more duty toward her, but I paid her anyway. It was only money. If it kept her happy, Luke would be, too.

  She strode toward us, her red lips pulling into a smile I could see right through. Once upon a time, that smile had knocked me off my goddamned feet. No longer.

  With her long blonde hair shining like spun gold, blue eyes that sparkled like jewels, model-like figure, and sky-high heels, she was a looker. If only I’d known back then that only the packaging was pretty, I could have saved myself one hell of a bad time.

  In the end, though, my relationship with her had given me Luke. For that reason and that reason alone, I could never regret having been with her.

  “Hi, baby,” she cooed as she crouched in front of Luke and did up the top button on his shirt. “I’ve missed you. Are you ready to have fun this weekend?”

  He grinned and nodded. “Sure. Bye, Dad.”

  “Later, bud. I’ll see you on Sunday.” I gave him another hug, then watched as he left with his mother.

  Days like today, when we just pretended the other wasn’t there while simply smiling politely at one another, were the absolute best.

  When I stepped back inside and closed the door behind me, I sighed. I leaned against it and prayed Jett had gotten that extra fucking rugby ticket.

  Mom poked her head out of the kitchen. “Is the she-witch gone?” she asked.

  I cracked a smile. “She’s gone.”

  For now, anyway. Just two more days, and I’d have to deal with her all over again. Fun. Fun. Fun.

  Chapter 7

  ROSE

  Brilliant green eyes looked up at me from where he rested between my legs. They were dark with lust, but the ever-present smirk was still on his perfectly formed lips.

  “What do you want, gorgeous?” he asked, his deep smooth voice tight. One of his hands slid up my thigh until his fingertips brushed against the wetness gathered at my entrance, but he didn’t go any farther. “This?”

  He cocked his head as a frustrated moan tore out of me, but then lowered his head and gave my clit an infuriatingly soft teasing flick with his tongue. “Or that?”

  “Anything.” I panted, writhing as I arched my back and spread my legs wider like some kind of sex goddess without a trace of inhibitions. I was not that.

  Which was my first clue that this tryst wasn’t really happening. The second was that, try as I might, I didn’t have a fucking clue who the guy torturing me was. There was something familiar about him, but I had no memory of meeting him.

  His fingers slid higher, and he bent his head to give me a long slow lick from bottom to top before sucking my hardened nub into his mouth.

  Who cares who he is?

  As long as he didn’t stop, I didn’t give a damn. Crying out wordlessly when one of his thick fingers finally pushed into me, I threaded my fingers into his dark hair and held on tight.

  If he kept going, I was going to explode. I was already so close.

  God, this feels so good.

  Exquisite pleasure licked at my insides, tightening my core and curling my toes. Just as I started to see stars behind my eyelids, I woke up with a start, shaking and sweaty.

  Holy hot cakes. Where the hell had that come from?

  I hadn’t even been thinking about my new mentor when I’d fallen asleep, exhausted and out of whack after my long flight. Obviously, the only explanation was that my stupid fucking subconscious was trying to sabotage me.

  The last thing I needed on my first day at Hudson Technologies was to be distracted by a sex dream about my boss. Now that I was awake, I was sorely aware of who my co-star in the dream had been, and it had definitely been none other than Jude Hudson.

  That was why I’d had no memory of meeting him. I’d never actually even met the man before.

  I’d already been in danger of being distracted by him, but now? Now I was fucked.

  Or, as the throbbing between my legs reminded me, thoroughly not fucked. I covered my face with a spare pillow and screamed my frustration into it.

  My clit ached and begged for relief. I was swollen and wet, my chest rising and falling on fast shallow breaths. If I’d stayed in that dream even thirty seconds longer, at least I’d have gotten an orgasm for it.

  Now, I was all hot and bothered but feeling too guilty to do anything about it. After dragging in a few deep breaths, I felt my heartrate slowing down. Time to get going.

  The hotel room I had been set up in for now was small but well chosen. Soft dawn light filtered in through a crack in the heavy, cream-colored curtains, casting a single dim line across the padded carpet.

  I walked over to the window to take a peek outside, getting my first real look at downtown Sydney without the bleary-eyed confusion I’d felt just after I’d landed. The air was clear and the sky cloudless. At the moment, the dark was only just starting to lighten to blue but I could already tell it was going to be a vibrant color once the sun was all the way up.

  Splashes of dusky pink and deep orange painted the backdrop above the tall, modern buildings in the city. I caught a glimpse of the harbor, too, although I couldn’t see any of the iconic landmarks there. Rumor had it Hudson Technologies’ offices had a fabulous view of it all, though. I’d be seeing it soon enough.

  I just had to shower and get ready, and I’d be on my way. After scrubbing my skin clean of all the residual airplane goo that I might not have gotten off in the shower I’d taken after arriving, I washed and conditioned my hair twice.

  I had to take special care to put my best foot forward today. A lot was riding on this internship and I wanted to make a good impression.

  No, an excellent impression. There wasn’t room for anything less.

  Feeling like one of those girls in a movie montage of getting ready, I blow-dried my hair, tried on the three different outfits I’d shortlisted in my head, and finally smeared some deep red lipstick on my lips before smacking them at myself in the mirror.

  When I took a step back from the full-length mirror mounted on the wall, I gave myself a critical onceover. This was not the day I wanted to realize later that I’d accidentally worn two different earrings or shoes.

  A slim-cut navy suit with a white shirt and heels felt like a safe choice for an outfit. I wasn’t sure what the dress code at this office was, but if I tucked in the shirt and did up the button on the jacket, I could create a much more formal look in a snap.

  For now though, I didn’t want to tuck the shirt in and have it wrinkled if I needed to be more informal. My jewelry was minimal, with only small golden hoops in my ears and a golden band with a moonstone on it on my index finger. I opted for a structured black purse, which was really my only option other than my oversized backpack.

  My inky hair shone and fell in a straightened curtain to my shoulders. It was about an inch longer in the front than the back, but it looked sleek and professional.

  Extra-volume mascara made my lashes appear longer and thicker, and the charcoal liner I’d used around them made my eyes pop. There was just a touch of glimmering gold eye shadow on my lids, but I loved the effect it gave.

  All in all, I was satisfied with my look.

  After adding a delicate rose-gold watch to my wrist, I gave myself a nod and pulled up the location of Hudson Technologies on my phone. I’d studied the map the night before and had planned out the route I wanted to take.

  The hotel was only six or so blocks from the office tower, but I hailed a cab when I got downstairs. The only thing worse than being distracted by the sex dream would be to arrive smelling terrible. I had a small bottle of perfume in my purse, which I’d spritzed on just before I’d left my room, but I wasn’t taking any chances of becoming the smelly new girl.

  We pulled up to the curb.

  “This is it,” the cab driver said, slinging his arm over the passenger se
at and turning his head to face me. “You have a good day now.”

  “Thank you,” I said, surprised by how friendly the guy was. “I will. Same to you.”

  I paid him and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The office tower in front of me was, indeed, a tower. It seemed to have been built entirely out of blue-green glass, and from down here, it appeared to be a cylindrical shape. It was pretty damn cool that I’d be working here for six months.

  The inside was just as impressive but also just as intimidating as the exterior. Even the floor was polished and gleaming.

  A sign beside the bank of elevators told me that Hudson Technologies occupied the top four stories of the forty-story building. Nerves exploded in my stomach when the elevator arrived and the doors slid soundlessly open.

  I stepped inside and punched the button to close the doors repeatedly. If I could get it, I needed this last minute to myself.

  Thankfully, it was early enough that I got it. People swarmed around the lobby even at this hour, but I’d been waiting in front of the farthest elevator and had slipped in without anyone rushing toward me.

  As the doors closed, I exhaled and shook my fingers out at my sides. My anxiety levels climbed right along with the elevator and my hands wouldn’t stop trembling. I’d never been this nervous in my life.

  My heartrate would’ve put that hummingbird from before to shame, and my knees felt strangely numb. Despite my reservations about my mentor, I had been waiting a long time for a chance like this.

  Scholarships might have paid most of my tuition, but my parents had sacrificed a lot for me to get this far. If I couldn’t hack it in the real world, everything they had done would’ve been for nothing.

  I couldn’t allow that to happen. I had to make this work. I had to take this opportunity and squeeze every last drop of knowledge and experience from it, then take what I’d gotten and use it to launch my own career.

  No biggie. No pressure.

  I took a shaky breath and released it slowly. No matter what, when I called my parents tonight to let them know how my first day had been, it had to have gone well. Today would be a good day.

  Whatever tiny amount of strength I got from my internal pep mumblings, it evaporated when I stepped off the elevator on the first floor of the offices.

  Despite the early hour, it was already bustling with activity. It seemed I’d made the right choice about leaving my shirt untucked because the attire was way more business-casual than business-formal.

  The reception area itself was bright and grand. Artificial light mixed with the natural to make it seem almost like we were outside, despite being more than thirty stories up in the air and surrounded by glass.

  A twisting spiral staircase, also made out of glass, led to the upper floors. Beside it in the center of the room was an enormous reception desk. The girl behind it seemed about my age. She was gorgeous and extremely busy.

  She smiled at me from behind her desk when I caught her eye, but I never made it to her. A dark-haired man with springy curls and thick-framed glasses suddenly stepped in front of me.

  “Are you lost or are you the new intern?” His piercing amber gaze dropped to the tablet in his hand. “Roselyn Joyce?”

  It didn’t take a genius to figure out how he’d known it was me. Everyone else moved with purpose, spoke to colleagues, and generally seemed to know what they were doing and where they were going. I, on the other hand, was still standing in front of the elevator, gawking at the reception area.

  “Yeah. Yes.” I cleared my throat and forced a polite smile to hide my nerves as I offered him my hand. “Roselyn Joyce, the intern. Please call me Rose.”

  “Rose,” he repeated, nodding. Amusement flickered in his eyes, but he shook my hand without commenting on what had caused it. “Shane Harvey, PR. I’m the one who’s been in contact with the university.”

  “Oh, wow.” I blinked one too many times. “It’s lovely to meet you. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”

  “No worries.” He grinned. “Come on. Mr. Hudson is waiting for you.”

  “Waiting?” My eyes widened. “I thought I was early.”

  “You are.” He nodded in the direction of the staircase. “Let’s go.”

  As I fell into step beside him, my stomach contracted and my heart did flip-flops.

  Okay, Rose. It’s time. Here goes nothing.

  Chapter 8

  JUDE

  Fucking Audrey.

  Seeing her always left me feeling agitated, and this morning wasn’t any different. My knee bounced, and even though I’d been seated behind my desk for some time, I wasn’t actually getting any work done.

  Concentrating just didn’t seem possible. A mental image of Luke’s face and how it had brightened when that buzzer had gone off to indicate she was on her way up lingered in my mind. I couldn’t shake it, even after taking deep breaths, shutting my eyes, and trying to force my mind to shut it down.

  Audrey and that fake smile of hers had crept under my skin in the worst possible way.

  Again.

  She always made it seem like she and Luke would have such a great weekend, only to pull the rug out from under him. Inevitably, he was left disappointed, and I was the one who had to make it up to him.

  Always.

  Aggravation ricocheted from one side of me to the other. Why she couldn’t just put him first for two days every two fucking weeks was beyond me.

  “Witch is right,” I muttered, dropping my head back to scowl at the ceiling.

  I was so lost in thought I didn’t even hear my door opening. The first clue that I wasn’t alone anymore came when someone cleared their throat.

  “Sir?”

  I looked up to find Shane standing in the doorway to my office. Just as I was about to ask him what was up with calling me “sir,” he took half a step to the side. I caught a flash of a black-haired woman standing behind him, but my view of her was still partially blocked by his beefy body.

  Ah, this must be the new American intern. Which meant it was time to put my game face on.

  No way was I letting some student see me sweat. I met my friend’s eyes and saw the flicker of concern in them before both of us pulled ourselves together.

  “Come on in, Shane.” I ran my fingers down the length of my tie before rolling my chair back. Let’s get this sham of a show on the road.

  “This is Roselyn Joyce, the intern we talked about,” he said as they moved away from the door, leaving it open behind them. “She’s top of her class in the—”

  “I know who she is,” I said, getting to my feet and rounding my desk, my hands stuck loosely into my pockets. A meet-and-greet was the last thing I was in the mood for, but she was here now. “Please sit, Ms. Joyce.”

  Shane hung back for a second to let her pass, and I caught my first good look at the woman who I’d been told would be stuck to my side for the next half a year. Surprise had me rocking back on my heels.

  She’s fucking beautiful.

  My jaw nearly hit the floor like some cartoon character’s might have. I sure as fuck hadn’t been expecting her to look anything like that. With that figure, the navy suit, and the pouty deep red lips, she looked like a goddamned pin-up girl.

  All my attention was stuck on her as she took her seat. Because even the way she moved was somehow seductive.

  Black hair, big brown eyes, and a figure that was curvy but still seemed fit. The suit she wore clung in all the right places, and my eyes narrowed for a second like they were trying to develop X-ray vision.

  What are you wearing underneath that prim suit, Ms. Joyce? I imagined her in something suitably sexy. Like a corset and a garter belt. Yes, please.

  When I nearly groaned, I realized I was letting this go way too far. Giving myself a mental slap, I moved back behind my desk.

  My attention and my eyes remained on her.

  Despite having just slapped my mind out of the gutter, I couldn’t quite get over how gorgeous she was. Just because I shouldn
’t be thinking about her underwear and how sexy she’d look in black lace didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate her at all.

  Besides, it wouldn’t have been possible for me not to. She truly was beautiful but in a very real way. She was all woman, yet I doubted I’d ever known one like her before. There was nothing fake about her, which placed her in a totally different league than any of the women I’d spent time with intimately recently.

  Roselyn crossed one of her knees over the other when she sat down, sitting up straight as her gaze settled on mine. There were so many shades of brown and amber in her eyes, they seemed almost like a tapestry created by nature.

  As she folded her hands in her lap, I saw a slight tremor running through them. So she’s nervous.

  I liked that about her. It meant she actually cared. She wasn’t just some vapid student who would run around acting like she owned the place for being assigned to me, while not planning on learning anything at all.

  But it also meant she’d be a little more fun, of course. She actually cared.

  Maybe a female American intern won’t be so bad.

  Shane smirked at me, but I practically saw the warning flashing in his eyes.

  Yeah, I know she’s hot, but keep it in your pants, bud.

  His expression softened considerably when he placed a hand on Roselyn’s shoulder. “Don’t let him intimidate you, Ms. Joyce. He’s harmless.”

  The young woman smiled up at him. “Noted.”

  Before he left, he turned to me as he reached the door and pointed at my chest. “You have thirty minutes before the technical update starts. Don’t be late.”

  “Noted,” I echoed her reply, returning his smirk. I watched him roll his eyes at me before he left me alone with my new intern.

  I leaned back in my chair and studied her for another long minute. She stared back calmly, seemingly accepting my scrutiny without objection or reservation.