Jane Millionaire

“Rob?” Could he hear her? Was he even in his room? She glanced at her watch. Only a little past eleven. He was there.

“Are you awake?”

# # #

On the other side of the door, Rob looked up from his computer monitor where he edited a scene in a planned episode of GAMBLER and cursed.

A quick glance at his watch told him Jane should be asleep. Why wasn’t she?

He ran his hand over his face and sighed. He’d done a great job avoiding her. Much better than he’d expected. Of course, JP had played interference on the occasions when he and Jane had to be in the same room, always providing a buffer between them. Recall of his jealousy when he’d spotted JP and Jane on the sofa made him cringe. Where was JP now? He had a feeling he was going to need interference.

“Rob? I know you’re in there. Open up,” she called, knocking louder than before.

Lots and lots of interference. Truckloads of interference.

“Go to sleep, Jane.” He rubbed his hand across suddenly tired eyes. Would she listen? He doubted it. One thing he’d learned watching all the footage of her was that she wasn’t afraid to face a situation head on. Normally, he liked that about a woman, but not when the attraction between him and an off-limits woman comprised the situation.

He supposed it was possible her knocking on his door late at night had nothing to do with personal reasons. But somehow he doubted it.

“If you don’t open, I’ll go to the other door, and I’ll keep knocking until you do. Even if I wake every last man in this castle.”

Damn. She would and the camera in her room was recording everything she said. Had she forgotten or was she purposely raising the stakes of his trying to ignore her?

He saved his work and walked to the door. Too bad he didn’t have a safety chain. Safety would be good about now.

“You rang?” he asked as the door squeaked open.

“We need to talk.” She barged into his room with a gust of rose-scented air.

“About?” His hand still on the knob, he stood at the door. If he left it open would that give her the hint not to stay long? Or maybe an open door would let the whiff of flowers drift right back where it had come from? He wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink if her fragrance lingered in his room.

“Anything. I just need to talk to you.”

“Huh?” Maybe he should open the door leading into the main hallway as well. The more fresh un-Jane-contaminated air, the better.

“There aren’t any cameras in here are there?” She looked around suspiciously.

“Hell no.” Why would there be cameras in his room?

“Good.” She faced him, pinning him with her gaze. “You’re avoiding me.”

Head-on. No holds bar. That was Jane. Her eyes sparkled with hurt, longing, desire. Her long hair caught the light from his lamp and shined like a halo around her beautiful face. Had she just brushed it? His gaze traveled lower over her emerald silk gown that closely matched the color of her eyes. Gold buttons ran down the front. Strings held the gown up over her pert breasts and lithe body. Her nipples pebbled against the material, torturing him.

“It’s in our best inter

ests for me to keep avoiding you.” Had that hoarse croak been him?

She stepped closer. The scent of roses grew stronger. How did she always manage to smell like a rose garden? He backed up, bumping into the ornate wood door that separated their suites, knocking it shut. Not good. Now he was trapped in her intoxicating fragrance.

Where was JP? Interference was needed. Quick.

“Don’t you tell me what’s in my best interest, Rob Lancaster. You have no idea.” Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes glowed.

God, she was beautiful.

And dangerous to his resolve.

Not to mention what she was doing to his rising libido.