“Did he tell you?”

“No, I told him. He needed a bit of a jolt. But he’s on board now. I saw it in his eyes, the full shebang. Rattled him quite a bit, but he’ll be fine.” He smiled self-assuredly. “I’m sure everything will fall into place when he tells her the truth.”

Holly shook her head. “And when do you think there’ll ever be the right time for the truth to come out? Sabrina is so paranoid about getting hurt again that she’ll just shut down.”

“Don’t worry, he’ll handle it. Our work is done. And a great job we did. Don’t you think so?”

“That’s still not decided. By the way, great timing with the phone call. Sabrina bought it instantly. Didn’t suspect anything. Who was the girl?”

“A waitress I know. It told her to pretend it’s a monologue for an audition.”

“I wish we could have orchestrated this differently though. Sabrina is going to be so mad at me when she finds out.” Holly bit her lower lip.

“Hey, not my fault. I wanted to set them up on a blind date, but he didn’t want a date. I couldn’t just let that opportunity slip through my fingers. Who knows how long we would have had to wait for another one. It was perfect timing. Believe me, even though I never met that ex-girlfriend of his, I know the type. None of those women he went out with were right for him. I love him like a brother. I’m not having him end up with some money-grabbing plastic bitch. He needs a real woman with real feelings.” His tone was adamant.

Holly nodded in agreement. “Well, here’s his chance. She’s got feelings all right. I just hope your friend can handle that. I hope he’s not out to play her.”

“Oh, he’ll play, but he’ll play for keeps. When he gets something into his head, he’s not going to stop until he’s got what he wants. And I tell you, he wants her. He wanted her already when he still thought she was an escort. Deep down he doesn’t give a damn about conventions. Even if she was an escort, he’d still want her. Even if it meant he’d have to tell his parents that he’s in love with a prostitute, even though for Mamma’s sake I’m sure he’s glad she’s not. Not that he’d ever tell her.”Tim chuckled softly, and she jabbed him in the ribs. “There’s nothing wrong with being an escort, and would you please not call it prostitute,” she snorted.

He hugged her. “Absolutely right. It’s all a matter of price.”

“You’re such an ass sometimes,” she retorted laughingly.

“I suspect that’s why you love me?” Tim smirked.

“Why did you never try to set me up with him?”

He gave her an incredulous look. “What? And lose my best female friend? What am I, completely selfless? Don’t you know me at all? And besides, you’re not his type.”

She sighed. “He said as much when I met him. God, he’s even hotter in person than on the pictures you showed me.”

“Don’t I know it? And don’t worry, I’ll find you somebody else. But not yet. I’m not quite ready to let go. Who else can I call at two in the morning when I’m feeling blue?”

Holly shook her head and laughed. “Selfish bastard.”

9

Daniel needed a cold shower, and he needed it now. They’d returned to the cottage, and just looking at Sabrina’s legs sticking out from her shorts as he followed her inside made him feel like walking on a bed of hot coals. Barefoot.

“Will you excuse me for a few minutes please?” he managed to press out before he made a mad dash for the bathroom. Locking the door behind him, he stripped and jumped into the shower. She was probably thinking he was crazy, but it was either that or him wrestling her to the ground, tearing her clothes off.

When she’d finally awoken in his arms, she’d looked embarrassed, and he’d let it go and not made any sexual comments about it. But it didn’t mean he could forget about how her body had felt. It had reminded him of all the things they’d done in and out of bed the first two evenings they’d spent together.

The cold water ran down his hot body but did nothing to ease his throbbing erection. Like a soldier on the parade grounds, it just stood there, straight, hard, and unyielding. Who had ever created the rumor that a cold shower got rid of an erection? It obviously was some old wives tale.

For sure it wasn’t working for him. Damn! He couldn’t go out there and face her with that thing. It was like a loaded gun, liable to go off at any second. No safety on. There was only one other surefire way to unload that weapon.