I stare at him, thinking hard. All that time to spend with him. To be in close confines with someone I have to admit I’m attracted to and who plainly doesn’t fancy me back wouldn’t be most people’s idea of a good time. Then I shrug. I’ve always been contrary.

“I’ll do it,” I say softly and his shoulders slump slightly in relief. I hold up my hand. “But I don’t want paying.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he immediately and predictably starts, and I shush him.

I take a second to enjoy him obeying me, albeit with a dark look, and carry on talking. “I don’t want paying. I’ll do this for you on one condition.”

“What?” He sounds wary.

I smile. “You have to call me Jesse.”

He groans. “Okay,” he finally says. “It goes against the grain, but I’ll do it.” I open my mouth but he holds up a hand. “A phrase made famous by Shakespeare, meaning if you planed the wood in the wrong direction, you’d rough it up,” he says, well used to our conversational detours by now. He pauses. “Why would you not want to get paid?”

“Because I respect you and I quite like you. As a boss,” I say quickly as alarm floods his face. “I will not accept payment,” I say firmly. I don’t know where this is coming from because I always need the money, especially with my student loan running thin now, but somehow it feels right, so I carry on. “If you try to pay me, I will leave you in the Cotswolds with the wedding party from hell.”

He looks like he wants to argue, so I give him a cross look and he subsides.

“I’m not comfortable with this,” he mutters.

“Is it because you’re not in control suddenly?” I say sweetly. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen.” He glares at me and I grin. “And a few days in the Cotswolds is never a hardship,” I say lightly and smile. “Just think what fun we’re going to have.”

He looks faintly sick. “What have I done?” he mutters.

“I’m not sure,” I say comfortingly. “But it’s probably best just to relax and go with the flow.” I laugh. “Last time I said that, I ended up with a night in the cells.”

Chapter Two

Zeb

I hear the door opening behind me as I stare down at the paperwork on my desk.

“Are you not supposed to be halfway to the Cotswolds on a dirty mini-break with the office hunk?”

I look up over my glasses at Felix. I think about trying a frown, but it would just be a waste of my facial muscles. He’s been my assistant for seven years, and I know that nothing cows him. Nothing.

Instead, I grimace. “I’m going. I just…”