Hot Property (Hot Zone 4)

“John?” his mother asked.

Yes, John, what will it be? Amy wondered, but she remained silent. She folded her arms across her chest and waited for him to decide—physical therapy and his career or his mother and her whims.

Roper had never felt so torn in his entire life. There hadn’t been a day when he’d ignored his mother’s needs. She’d been the rock in his life after she split with his father and again when Ben and Sabrina’s dad took off for good.

To his surprise now, he resented her intrusion into the progress he’d been making in his rehabilitation, his thought processes and with Amy. But as she pleaded with him now, desperation and fear in her eyes and her voice, he didn’t know how to shut her out.

He’d have to explain it to her, of course, and maybe start slowly with real rules she had to follow. But he couldn’t turn her away cold turkey.

Both women waited. He wanted to please them both. Because he loved them both.

He loved them both.

Which meant he loved Amy.

Holy shit.

His palms began to sweat and his body overheated at the sudden, but not so unexpected realization.

He needed time to process the revelation as much as he needed time to ease his mother into the way things would be between them from now on.

“I’m going to skip this one appointment and talk to my mother,” he said to Amy. He met Amy’s gaze, silently imploring her to understand the choice he’d made.

A flash of pure disappointment crossed her face. “I have some things to do in my room.” She turned and walked away.

His stomach plummeted, but he’d just have to explain later tonight when they were alone.

When she always seemed to understand what he wanted and needed.

And he needed her.

“I AM SO DONE,” AMY SAID as she pulled her suitcase out of the closet and tossed it onto the mattress.

Hannah flipped the top closed. “No, you are not. You can’t walk away from Roper.”

Pausing by the bed, Amy opened the suitcase again. “Watch me.” She headed to the drawers and began

pulling her clothes out, packing her items in the large bag. “I called the Hot Zone and Micki agreed. If Roper can’t stick to his schedule within five minutes of his mother’s return, then he can damn well fix his career himself.”

Drawers emptied, Amy turned to the closet and laid her pants, jeans and sweaters neatly inside the suitcase, then wedged her shoes in the sides.

Hannah seated herself on the bed and curled her legs beneath her, watching Amy’s manic packing. “I’m not talking about his career or your role as his publicist. I’m talking about you, Amy, the woman, walking away from John Roper, the man.”

“Have you made any progress getting Mike to forgive you for calling your mother?” Amy asked, moving toward the bathroom for her toiletries.

“No, but he’s a man and he’s stubborn. But you don’t see me leaving him because I don’t like the decisions he’s made,” Hannah said, loud enough for Amy to hear as she pulled her shampoo and conditioner out of the shower.

“Here’s the thing,” Amy said, rejoining Hannah and continuing to pack. “I got involved with Roper while we were here at the lodge so that I could stop fighting the attraction while we were living in such close proximity. It made sense.” She placed the sealed bags filled with her things into her suitcase and zipped it closed.

“Go on,” Hannah said, her skepticism obvious.

Amy ignored her tone. “But now that things have blown up with the press, it’s time to go home. I can’t help a man who doesn’t want to be helped. So I’m leaving.”

“Craving satisfied, man out of your system?” Hannah asked wryly.

Amy drew a deep breath. “Exactly.”

“Liar.”