How You Tempt Me (2 page)

I read the tiny advertisement, hastily torn from the
corner of a tabloid that I'd seen lying on the table I was clearing,
for the umpteenth time.

Earn $30,000 in three weeks.

Please apply in person. Contract to commence
immediately.

I look up and peer past the gate at the sprawling
mansion that is mostly obscured by the tall trees lining the curved
driveway. There is no telephone number, only the address in small
print at the end of the advertisement. On the tortuously long bus
ride here, I'd wondered what kind of contract this was. Thirty grand
in three weeks! I couldn't earn that in a year, and expenses have
been mounting. The firm where I'd worked as a secretary had closed
down suddenly half a year ago and I hadn't been able to find a job
until about three weeks back, when I got the waitressing gig at the
small diner. But it's just a temporary position, for all of three
weeks. Today's my last day, and my last pay check. I am now
jobless, yet again. I was falling behind on rent, and my landlord
was getting impatient. I'd be out on my ass on the street without a
roof over my head if I didn't find a proper-paying, permanent job
soon. And I had no savings to fall back on. My cheating, lying
ex-husband had cleaned out our joint bank account before he left.
But he didn't just leave me with nothing. He had left me with a
whole bunch of scars—mental and emotional scars which were
taking a damn long time to heal. I'm not even sure if I will ever
fully recover, but a girl has got to go on living, right? It
sometimes feels as if I've lived for far longer than my thirty years.

I close my eyes, my hand hovering over the buzzer
embedded in the ornate stone pillar. Whatever this contract
entailed, it definitely paid well. It might not be permanent, but in
just three weeks, I could get on my feet again. And I am here, am I
not? I had stoically walked for miles from the bus stop just to
stand outside these gates. The bus ride itself was long enough, but
it was the long walk from that godforsaken bus stop that nearly
killed me. This place is completely, utterly far out of the city,
right smack in the middle of nowhere. I'd alighted at the only bus
stop to be sighted for miles around, and had faithfully followed the
road sign. It was still afternoon when I turned into this twisting,
never-ending road, so how did the sky get so dark all of a sudden? I
must have been walking forever. I remember walking past just one
other house on the way in, but that house feels like it's light years
away right now.

I check the advertisement again. The address is
correct. But now that I'm here, what exactly should I do? This
house is away from all civilization. The nearest neighbor is at
least a couple of miles away. Whoever lives here would have to be
some sort of hermit, or recluse, or...

Before my mind can conjure up more morbid possibilities,
the sound of static comes through the speaker beside the buzzer.
“Hello? Can I help you?” a male voice asks. His voice
is clipped, and he sounds impatient and distracted.

“
Oh!” I gulp and take a tentative step
towards the square panel. I blink into the camera, goose bumps
erupting all over my skin. Who is watching me right now? “I...I
was just...”

I jump back when the gates silently swing open. Rooted
to the spot, I stare at the lush garden behind the gate and the
manicured lawn and plants. Should I turn and run? The shadows are
lengthening behind me, and there are no street lamps along the long,
deserted road leading up to this house. It will be full dark soon,
and I'll be stranded here, in the middle of nowhere. I start to back
away when I see a figure striding purposefully towards me from the
house.

“
Wait! Are you lost?” It is the same voice
I'd heard over the speaker. The clear, spherical lights at the top
of the pillars come on and I see a man walking briskly towards me.
The light illuminates his features and I can see the frown on his
face. He is wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, and his dark hair is
tousled and sticking out in places, like he has been repeatedly
raking his hands through it. He is tall and broad-shouldered, and I
have to tilt my head up to look him in the eye when he finally comes
to a stop in front of me. “Can I help you?” he asks in a
surprisingly gentle voice.

I shake my head. “I'm sorry, I...I think I should
just...” I stutter, taking a step back.

“
This is a long way from...anywhere. Were you
looking for someone?” His brown eyes look concerned. “How
did you...” He looks down as the crumpled piece of paper slips
from my hand. He bends down and picks it up a heartbeat before I
stoop to snatch at the wayward piece of paper. My hand brushes
against his and I shiver at the sudden jolt of heat and electricity
flowing between us. Confused and unnerved at the searing sensation,
I wrap my arms around myself protectively and wince.

As we both straighten up, I see his eyes widen a
fraction. “You came...for this?” he says, holding out
the advertisement.

I swallow and don't answer, regretting my foolishness
and recklessness more and more every second. “It was a
mistake,” I whisper at last.

He blows out a breath and squints at the darkness
gathering behind me. “Well, since you came all this way, why
don't you come in? I'm Dr. Julian James, and I'm the one who put up
this advertisement. Why don't we discuss this...contract, and if you
still think it's a mistake, I'll drive you back to the city. There's
no bus service at this time.”

His large hand engulfs mine in a firm handshake. For an
instant, I waver at the gate. “Dr. James...” I begin.

“
Julian,” he insists.

I swallow hard. “Julian, I'm not sure...”

“
I'm not sure either,” Julian answers with a
smile. His smile is genuinely disarming. It makes him look much
younger. With his unshaven face and unruly hair, and the fact that
he owns such a large, rambling property and had put in the
advertisement offering such a lucrative contract, I'd just assumed
that he must be older. But now, I see that he should be in his late
thirties at most. “How old are you?” The words seem to
circumvent my brain and just shoot right out of my mouth. Mortified,
I clamp my hand to my mouth as soon as I blurt out the question.

Instead of being offended, he laughs. “I'm
thirty-nine, and yes, this is my home and office. I do a lot of my
work from home. Traveling to the city takes too much time, but I do
have to report in to the hospital at least once a month.”

“
Hospital?”

“
Yes. I am a consultant and researcher at the
Royal Women's Hospital.” Before I can ask, he answers, “My
area of research is human sexuality.”

My eyes and mouth round. “And...the
advertisement...the contract...is that related to your research?”
I manage to stutter at last.

Julian looks me straight in the eye. “Yes.”

A breeze picks up, and his wavy brown curls moves
against his ears and his neck. My eyes skim down the strong lines of
his neck and shoulders, and I am suddenly acutely aware of this young
doctor's strong, masculine physique. The top button of his shirt is
undone, and his sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, showing taut,
tanned arms. I catch his scent, a clean, manly scent on the breeze.

“
Would you like to tell me your name?” he
asks, taking a step towards me. I can almost feel the heat radiating
from his body and my eyelids flutter as rapidly as my heartbeat.

“
Sophia. Sophia Adams.” My voice is barely
a whisper.

“
Sophia.” The sound of my name on his lips
sends a shiver down my spine. His hand is on my elbow and I stumble
back at the searing contact but he doesn't release me. Instead, he
holds me firmly but gently. “Are you all right? You're
shivering. Please, come in. It's getting cold out here.”

He leads me towards the house, his head slightly bent
towards me. He casts concerned glances at me, his brows slightly
creased and his throat moving as he swallows. I have my head bowed,
but I can't help but peek up at him from under my bob of black,
straight hair. He is a very handsome man, and he is all the more
attractive simply because he seems so completely unaware of his good
looks. His hair is ruffled and his shirt is tucked out and creased
in places. There are many good-looking men around town who strut
around knowing full well that women find them attractive. They are
confident, arrogant, smooth, charming, smarmy. But this doctor,
despite his good looks and apparent wealth, seems rather shy and
quiet, even a little awkward.

I try to steal another glance at him and miss a step at
the threshold. My hand automatically shoots out to grab his
shoulder. Immediately, his arm circles my waist and he catches me in
his arms. I let out a small gasp as I lean heavily against a wall of
solid muscle. I can feel his heart beating under my palm as he holds
me against his chest.

“
I...I'm so sorry,” I stammer, feeling like
a total klutz. Why am I feeling so weak-kneed and light-headed in
this man's arms?

“
You must be very tired after walking all that
distance,” Julian says. “Come in. You can rest awhile.
Can I offer you a drink? Tea? Coffee? And we can discuss the
contract as well. That's what you came all this way for, isn't it?”

At the door, he flicks on a switch and the house is
flooded with a warm, orange light. From the outside, the house looks
gray and cold, but the interior is almost ludicrously majestic.
There is a sweeping staircase leading to the second floor, and a
beautiful, glittering chandelier hangs in the foyer. To the left I
glimpse the spacious living room with its lush, gilded furniture and
an ornate fireplace. With a hand on the small of my back, Julian
steers me towards the right and walks me through wide double doors
into a rather messy office.

“
Please, take a seat, anywhere you like...or
rather, anywhere you can find a space,” he mumbles, hastily
clearing away stacks of files and papers from the leather chairs. He
dumps them on a desk that is already overflowing with charts and
papers and strewn stationery. Facing me, he stuffs one hand in his
pocket and scratches his head with his other hand. He suddenly seems
awkward and unsure of what to do. Clearing his throat, he turns
around in a half circle, toppling a leaning tower of files in the
process. “Oh, sh...sorry. Would you...like some tea?”
he asks, shoving the files into a corner.

I smile. Ironically, the mess and his apparent
awkwardness put me at ease.

“
Yes. I'd like that very much. Thank you.”
I pull up a black swivel chair and sit down.

Julian makes his way carefully across the islands of
files and papers to reach a side table laden with delicate cups and
saucers. There is a small silver kettle at the corner of the table,
which starts to hum the moment he plugs it in. I watch him spoon
heaps of tea leaves into the teapot, the back of his shirt stretching
and moving over his body. My eyes move down the length of his tall
body, down his waist, his faded jeans and long legs. I have to shake
my head hard to stop myself from undressing him mentally. God, what
am I doing?

“
Here. Tea is served. Sugar?” he asks.

“
One please.”

Julian hands me a steaming cup of tea. I inhale deeply.
The tea has a very pleasant fragrance, like flowers and the
outdoors. I take a sip and relax. “This is good.”

He swallows a mouthful of his tea and puts his cup down
on his desk. He fixes an inquiring gaze at me, and I have to tear my
eyes away from his deep, dark ones to stop the heat creeping up my
face. I lower my cup with shaking hands and my words come out in a
rush to hide my nervousness. “I'd like to know more about this
contract you're offering. You're paying very well, for just three
weeks of work. What kind of work are we talking about exactly?”

“
Ah. Yes. That.” Julian starts to chew
his lower lip, and again my thoughts begin to take off in a wayward
tangent. How would those lips feel and taste? How would they feel
against my lips, my skin, my breasts... good God, how long has it
been since I'd last had an orgasm? Too long. I squeeze my thighs
tightly together. I have to seriously control myself. I must be
more sex-starved and horny than I'd realized. I wonder if the doctor
can tell.

“
Before I go into that, I will need to ask you a
few questions. These questions are rather...” He coughs and
drags a piece of paper from his cluttered desk. “Don't worry,
all the information you provide will be treated with the strictest
confidence. Your personal details will not be shared or
disseminated. The questions may be highly personal in nature but
they are not intended to cause you any distress or embarrassment. I
think it might be best to just dive headlong into them. So—”
He is speaking rapidly in a neutral, business-like voice. I reckon
this must be the voice he uses when he is giving a presentation or
speaking to his patients and colleagues.

His next question though, is anything but business-like.

“
Sophia, how long has it been since you had an
orgasm?”

I splutter, almost spilling my tea. Isn't that the
question that I'd just asked myself not two minutes ago? For a
horrified moment, I wonder if I had not inadvertently spoken my
question out loud. My mouth had the tendency to do just that, blurt
out my thoughts, usually even before I was done thinking them. I
shift uncomfortably in my seat while Julian studies me intently,
waiting for my answer. He does not look like he is joking or teasing
in the least. My heart starts to pound furiously in my chest, as he
gaze deepens and he leans forward.