Rich Rancher's Redemption

“Well?” Lucy asked from outside the door.

“My old uniform covered more.”

Lucy laughed. “Come on, let me see.”

Opening the door, Jillian stepped out and stopped in front of a full-length mirror. She tugged the hem of the slightly full skirt down, but it stopped midthigh no matter what she did. She pulled the bodice up, but it remained in place, displaying breasts that hadn’t seen the light of day in more than a year.

She looked over her shoulder into the mirror and swore she could see the dimples at the top of her butt, the back was cut so low. “Oh, I don’t think—”

“It’s perfect,” Lucy said breathlessly as she handed the three other dresses she’d brought just in case, over to the clerk. “We won’t need these.”

Jillian’s head whipped up. “No, wait, I should—”

“Buy some sky-high black heels, wear your hair down and ooh, we should get you some black lingerie while we’re out, too.” Lucy slapped her hands together and scrubbed her palms. “Isn’t this fun?”

“Lucy, I don’t know about this…”

Her friend stepped up behind her and met Jillian’s gaze in the mirror. “My brother’s eyes are going to do more than pop. They’ll probably jump out of his head and roll across the floor.”

Jillian laughed, then tugged at the hem again. “There’s an image.”

Lucy slapped her hands down. “Stop tugging. You look amazing. Just enjoy it.”

She half turned in front of the mirror, examining herself from every angle. The dress did look good on her. It was just that there was so little of it. Then she thought about what Lucy had said about Jesse’s reaction. Jillian told herself that shouldn’t matter, but she knew she was lying.

Of course it mattered. She might not want a permanent man—because so far, in her experience, men hadn’t been permanent at all—but a temporary man might be just the thing. She’d spent so many nights dreaming about Jesse, wanting him, wouldn’t it be better to just have him? Once the sexual tension was eased, she could get past this, right? Focus on her life, her daughter, her future.

They’d just reached an agreement. They were going to be partners. But if this incredible sexual tension remained between them, working together wouldn’t be easy. So really, sleeping with Jesse would be the smart thing to do. Oh, that was just a really sad attempt at justification.

“Well?” Lucy asked from behind her. “What’s the decision?”

Jillian looked her friend in the eye. “Where do we find me sky-high black heels?”

Lucy grinned.

Two hours later, they were both exhausted, and stopped at the Courtyard café for coffee and muffins. The sky was clear and sharply blue. The sun was shining and already warm, but in the shade, they didn’t mind the growing heat as much.

Jillian should have been feeling guilty. She’d dropped a lot of money today on lingerie, shoes and a dress she couldn’t imagine wearing more than once. And then there was the mani/pedi Lucy had talked her into. Still a little shocked, she whispered, “I can’t believe I spent all that money.”

“It’s an investment,” Lucy assured her and broke off a piece of blueberry muffin.

Laughing, Jillian asked, “In what?”

“Yourself, silly.” Lucy leaned on the tabletop. “You’re going to meet a lot of people at the gala. And when you’ve got your pie shop open, they’ll all come and buy delicious goodies from you.”

Wryly, Jillian said, “Because of the black dress.”

Lucy grinned again. “Can’t hurt. Besides, don’t you deserve a treat once in a while, Jill? You don’t mind if I call you Jill, do you?”

“No.” She smiled. “My grandmother always did.”

“Good. So anyway, Jill, you look fabulous and Jesse will introduce you around and you’ll make a big splash.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh,” Lucy added as if an afterthought, “I was thinking that maybe the night of the dance, why don’t we just have Mac spend the night at my place?”

“Why?” Suspicious, she watched her friend warily.

“Well, you’ll be getting in late,” Lucy said, lifting her coffee cup for a sip. “You don’t want to wake her up just to take her home and put her to bed again, do you?”

“I guess not, but…” Cocking her head to one side, Jillian watched Lucy feign all innocence for a minute or two. “I get the feeling I’m being set up.”

“That’s because you’re a very smart woman.”

“Lucy…”