BEFORE

Chapter 9

JESS

I didn't like cooking. I'd done enough of it when I lived at home because Mom was too self-absorbed to ensure her kids ate. That, and the fact Mom's cooking tasted like reheated trash.

I could do the basics like cheese omelets, jar pesto tossed through pasta and a grilled steak. And at college, I survived on cheap noodles and cafeteria food. So the meals dished up at the homestead in one day? Divine.

And the fact I wanted to know whether Jack was the whiz concocting the culinary delights made it pretty damn hard to stay out of the kitchen. But I had to. Because if I pushed through that door and saw him again, I'd combust on the spot.

He'd kept me up all night.

How dare he strut around naked so I couldn't get the image of him out of my head? The fact he'd given me fair warning but I'd stuck around regardless was beside the point. There was something about that cocky, insufferable Aussie that rubbed me up the wrong way.

He brought out something in me I'd never thought I possessed.

My inner smartass.

I never traded quips with guys. I didn't backchat or spar or play word games. Yet in twenty-four hours, Jack had made me do it—and how.

I'd seen his penis. A very impressive penis. Erect.

And I'd never forget the sight of my first as long as I lived.

That's the thing about being a virgin. I'd kissed guys, I'd fooled around a little, but I hadn't actually seen the equipment. Now that I had? It was all I could think about.

"Pass the coffee, Jess."

Were all guys that big? Or did it only look that huge because it had been hard?

"Jess? Coffee?" Reid's voice finally penetrated my intent mental study of male anatomy and I glanced up.

"What?"

"Cof-fee puh-lease," he annunciated with exaggerated slowness and I finally got the message.

"Here." I passed him the pot and shook my head when he offered me a top up.

"Still jetlagged?"

"No, just a bit tired." Mentally fixating on a guy's dick all night would do that to a girl. "Long semester."

"How's it all going?"

I rolled my eyes. "You ring me weekly to get updates so nothing's changed."

Apart from the fact my best study partner and friend at college had tried to get it on with me.

Reid stabbed a piece of blueberry pancake with his fork and waved it at me. "You should be nicer to me. I brought you here, didn't I?"

"That's only because you're a lame ass for not having a girlfriend."

He laughed. "Long days at the office aren't conducive to a relationship."

Despite my teasing, I admired Reid. For a young guy, he was going places. I had no doubt he'd make it to the House of Representatives one day, which was his dream.

"And before you ask for the hundredth time this morning, I'll be fine here next week when you head to Sydney."

More than fine, if I persisted in taking strolls around the property at dusk.

Reid poured more maple syrup on his pancakes. "Jack seems like a good kid."

Uh-oh. I didn't like where this conversation was headed, especially as the mere mention of Jack made my cheeks flush.