Page 39 of Unbound Boxset

He’d caught her off guard, spying on him. Her plain appearance and clipped, polite tone wreaked havoc with the heat in her dark eyes. Her brown hair was caught up in a severe twist pinned to the top of her head. She wore little makeup, and a smattering of freckles sprinkled her nose. Her lips were full and pouty like a bee sting not yet healed. Her chin held a stubborn tilt, and he’d noticed she clenched her teeth and fingers automatically, trying to keep her nervousness from showing. She’d obviously been attracted to him, and even Jack had been taken aback by the sexual punch between them, but she was so uncomfortable with her body and reaction that he couldn’t help teasing her just a bit.

The woman seemed buttoned up so tight and proper, it’d take a heavy-duty crane to get her out of her clothes and into bed. Those lips were a waste and obviously underused. Her body had curves galore, lush hips and generous breasts, but the way she kept herself in check told him volumes. He wondered what she’d look like during orgasm. He wondered what it would take a man to get her there.

He wondered if he was the man who should try.

Jack wiped the sweat off his brow and shook his head. No, he didn’t have time for such diversions. She’d make a terrible wife—everything he didn’t want, and he had no time to play games. Julianna obviously needed a rich man to bail her out of her financial crisis. Dinner conversation with someone so stiff-necked and proper would be sheer torture. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on her. He pitied the poor man she set her sights on, but maybe he could do the guy a favor and loosen her up a bit.

He grinned at the thought and headed for his boat.

* * *

Julianna checked her appearance in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction. The sundress was demure but a bright, happy yellow, which gave her mousy hair a bit of help. The last time she’d dared to put highlights in to jazz things up, she’d suffered with an orangey tint that wouldn’t wash out. She should have learned early she was not the type of woman to court style or flash. Even her makeup looked like it had faded, and she had just applied it half an hour ago.

She smoothed her topknot, grabbed her sunglasses, and headed out the door.

Then crashed into her newly hired gardener.

The breath left her body in a big whoosh as she rammed into a superhero-hard chest, damp with sweat. He righted her immediately with a firm grip on both her arms. Julianna jerked back as his fingers burned into her flesh, then swiped off his touch like a child not wanting to catch cooties.

Damn him. He forced the oddest reaction from her. She’d never met a man who made her so nervous. One sun-bleached brow arched at her response, and color flooded her cheeks. She forced herself past the embarrassment and met his gaze.

“Sorry.” His badass grin said he was nothing of the sort. “Was just going to throw myself on your mercy for some water.”

“You didn’t bring any?”

His lip twitched from her outright rudeness. “Drank it all.”

Julianna glanced at her watch. “I have some bottled water inside. I’ll get you some.” She turned and opened the door. He followed her.

“Gonna be a hot one,” he said.

“Summer usually is.” She retrieved two bottles and handed them to him. He thanked her, but didn’t budge from the foyer. He motioned toward the high vaulted ceilings elaborately painted and the spiral staircase that echoed images of Gone with the Wind. The open rooms boasted formal antiques, rich mahogany wood, and polished marble. “Nice place.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wolfe. Now unless you need anything else⁠—”

“Jack.”

“Right. Jack. I must be going.”

“Looking mighty pretty and bright as the sun. Lunch date?”

He was quite the charmer. Evidently, Jack Wolfe was used to getting any woman he wanted when he wanted her. Probably with a pretty please from the female recipient, if that body was any indication of his stamina. She fought a smile, knowing her sex factor was pretty low on the Richter scale. Men didn’t bother with plain women like her. Unless they were bored. Julianna crossed her arms in front of her chest and narrowed her gaze.

“Yes, that’s correct. I have a lunch date. Will you be finished by the end of the week?”

He lifted his battered navy cap and scratched his head. “Should be, as long as the retaining wall holds. It’s pretty weak so it might need replacing. Will let you know later this afternoon.”

“I’ll want an estimate if that’s the case.”

“Of course. What do you teach?”

“Excuse me?”

“You teach, right?”

“How did you know that?” Julianna tried not to sound accusatory but the idea of this man knowing anything about her personal life seemed…disturbing.

“Your neighbor. Mrs. Cutter. She said you teach classes and took care of your parents.”