certainly true," Jesse agreed, and his hold on her became a smooth caress across her palms.
The warmth of his touch was distracting, but too pleasant for Aubrey to want to pull free. "I encourage people to find their strengths by following their hearts. I help them stop making excuses and begin setting realistic goals. When people dare to live their dreams, they become far more relaxed and confident. Confident employees are more productive, and so the whole company benefits from my seminars."
Jesse nodded thoughtfully. "You're a very persuasive speaker, but I can't help but wonder what type of goals you've set for yourself. Do you hope to remarry someday and have a family?"
Aubrey smiled slightly. "Yes, of course I do."
"But I'm not what you had in mind, am I?"
His cocky grin was very appealing, but Aubrey refused to fall into the trap she was positive he wished to set. She leaned forward slightly and spoke in a husky whisper. "Has it never occurred to you that not all women want to fall into bed with every blond hunk they meet?"
"No, because that's impossible," Jesse scoffed, amused by the roundabout way she had chosen to pay him a compliment. "Besides, it's not me we're talking about here, but you. I still want the truth."
Aubrey sat back. "Let me see. Where was I? Oh, yes. We were discussing today's seminar. My part went rather well. Trisha has a date with one of the bank's vice presidents, but I believe everyone above teller has that title so it may not be as impressive as it sounds. Shelley's boyfriend cruised back into town, but he's a worthless slime who hasn't paid a nickel in child support for their daughter. As for Gardner, he just watched Trisha flirt her way through the men in the audience, but it was plain he was dying inside. Now is there anything else you'd like to know?"
"I know Trisha's a flirt, but I barely noticed Gardner. I'm surprised Shelley has a daughter. She looks as though she just graduated from high school."
"She's twenty-four, but her vulnerability makes her appear younger. She does the graphics for my brochures, and I'd hoped that working at the seminars would boost her confidence. Unfortunately, she's still painfully shy."
"Well, it's nice that you're concerned about her and your other employees. Now let's get back to your husband. He's obviously successful. Why didn't he make you happy? Tell me."
His relaxed manner invited her confidence, and yet she caught the faint hint of a threat in his voice. "Or else?" she asked.
Jesse gave a sly chuckle. "Oh, yes, or else I'm going to assume that all you need is a man who'll treat you like a
woman and I'll make love to you right here on the sofa instead of taking you upstairs/*
"You wouldn't dare," Aubrey hissed.
Jesse let go of her hands and released his silver belt buckle with one hand. "Try me."
Aubrey stared at the teasing light in his eyes. He wasn't threatening her with physical violence, but he was making a promise he looked determined to keep. If he made love as well as he kissed, then that was no threat at all, she realized with a small sigh of surrender. "All right, I'll talk."
"Smart girl."
Aubrey tried to find somewhere to focus her glance other than Jesse's taunting grin, but he was much too charming to ignore. "My book was purposely vague not only to guard my privacy, but to avoid a lawsuit from Larry. He's an extremely successful attorney. I was twenty-four and teaching art in high school when we met. He was thirty, and more sophisticated than any man I'd ever dated. I was too thrilled by his attentions to give his proposal more than a few seconds consideration. We drove to Las Vegas and were married that very night."
When Aubrey suddenly fell silent, Jesse encouraged her to continue. "Come on, you're just getting to the good part. Don't stop now."
"I should make some tea or something."
"You can't be that thirsty. Just tell me what happened. Couldn't he get it up on your wedding night?"
"He had no trouble at all,"
The warmth of his touch was distracting, but too pleasant for Aubrey to want to pull free. "I encourage people to find their strengths by following their hearts. I help them stop making excuses and begin setting realistic goals. When people dare to live their dreams, they become far more relaxed and confident. Confident employees are more productive, and so the whole company benefits from my seminars."
Jesse nodded thoughtfully. "You're a very persuasive speaker, but I can't help but wonder what type of goals you've set for yourself. Do you hope to remarry someday and have a family?"
Aubrey smiled slightly. "Yes, of course I do."
"But I'm not what you had in mind, am I?"
His cocky grin was very appealing, but Aubrey refused to fall into the trap she was positive he wished to set. She leaned forward slightly and spoke in a husky whisper. "Has it never occurred to you that not all women want to fall into bed with every blond hunk they meet?"
"No, because that's impossible," Jesse scoffed, amused by the roundabout way she had chosen to pay him a compliment. "Besides, it's not me we're talking about here, but you. I still want the truth."
Aubrey sat back. "Let me see. Where was I? Oh, yes. We were discussing today's seminar. My part went rather well. Trisha has a date with one of the bank's vice presidents, but I believe everyone above teller has that title so it may not be as impressive as it sounds. Shelley's boyfriend cruised back into town, but he's a worthless slime who hasn't paid a nickel in child support for their daughter. As for Gardner, he just watched Trisha flirt her way through the men in the audience, but it was plain he was dying inside. Now is there anything else you'd like to know?"
"I know Trisha's a flirt, but I barely noticed Gardner. I'm surprised Shelley has a daughter. She looks as though she just graduated from high school."
"She's twenty-four, but her vulnerability makes her appear younger. She does the graphics for my brochures, and I'd hoped that working at the seminars would boost her confidence. Unfortunately, she's still painfully shy."
"Well, it's nice that you're concerned about her and your other employees. Now let's get back to your husband. He's obviously successful. Why didn't he make you happy? Tell me."
His relaxed manner invited her confidence, and yet she caught the faint hint of a threat in his voice. "Or else?" she asked.
Jesse gave a sly chuckle. "Oh, yes, or else I'm going to assume that all you need is a man who'll treat you like a
woman and I'll make love to you right here on the sofa instead of taking you upstairs/*
"You wouldn't dare," Aubrey hissed.
Jesse let go of her hands and released his silver belt buckle with one hand. "Try me."
Aubrey stared at the teasing light in his eyes. He wasn't threatening her with physical violence, but he was making a promise he looked determined to keep. If he made love as well as he kissed, then that was no threat at all, she realized with a small sigh of surrender. "All right, I'll talk."
"Smart girl."
Aubrey tried to find somewhere to focus her glance other than Jesse's taunting grin, but he was much too charming to ignore. "My book was purposely vague not only to guard my privacy, but to avoid a lawsuit from Larry. He's an extremely successful attorney. I was twenty-four and teaching art in high school when we met. He was thirty, and more sophisticated than any man I'd ever dated. I was too thrilled by his attentions to give his proposal more than a few seconds consideration. We drove to Las Vegas and were married that very night."
When Aubrey suddenly fell silent, Jesse encouraged her to continue. "Come on, you're just getting to the good part. Don't stop now."
"I should make some tea or something."
"You can't be that thirsty. Just tell me what happened. Couldn't he get it up on your wedding night?"
"He had no trouble at all,"
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