Her Enemy With Benefits: Her Deal with the Devil / My Boyfriend and Other Enemies / Blind Date Rivals

It didn’t work.

He snagged her fingers and hauled her towards him, their bodies slamming into one another with enough force to leave them winded.

He didn’t give her a chance to catch her breath, ravishing her mouth with the desperation of a man who’d been pushed to his limits.

This idea of his to keep his distance, to keep distractions to a minimum—so not working.

Her hands tangled in his hair, finding purchase, as he shoved her against the nearest wall and pressed into her.

She groaned and he deepened the kiss, yearning to be inside her with a hunger that left him reeling.

How could he be this out of control over a woman? One who could never be more than a fling, considering his long-term plans?

Crazy.

The percolator made a god-awful noise as it clicked off, the sound penetrating the sensual cocoon enveloping them.

Sapphire broke the kiss, her chest heaving, her eyes flashing. ‘One sugar or two?’

He laughed, easing the tension between them. ‘Two. With a double shot of brandy if you have it.’

‘Sorry, you’ll have to make do with sugar,’ she said, busying herself with organising the coffee but unable to hide the betraying tremble in her hands.

He knew the feeling—this relentless, all-consuming craving that had him off-kilter.

Maybe he was going about this all wrong? If an enforced absence wasn’t working, maybe he should try the opposite? Getting her out of his system?

It couldn’t be any worse than the agonising torture he was going through now.

‘Come away with me for the weekend.’

Her hand stilled, holding the kettle in mid-air as she poured boiling water into her mug.

‘I thought we were going to not see each other during the campaign—’

‘Screw it.’ He dragged his hand through his hair and took two steps, which constituted pacing in the tiny kitchenette. ‘We need to get this thing out of our systems, and staying apart isn’t helping, so let’s go for it.’

‘Well, when you put it like that, how can a girl refuse?’ She topped off her mug and placed the kettle on its stand.

He winced. ‘Sorry, that didn’t come out right.’

‘I get it.’ She handed him his coffee. ‘We’re going a little stir crazy. I guess a weekend away can’t hurt.’

‘Great. I’ll set it up—e-mail you the details.’

She nodded, cradling her mug, staring at him with wide eyes over the top of it.

He couldn’t read the expression in those rich blue depths, but if she was half as shell-shocked as him he couldn’t blame her.

Hopefully this impulsive weekend away would ease this clamouring attraction between them once and for all. And then he could concentrate on more important things—like putting his plans into action.

‘What’s got you in a tizz?’ Ruby held out an arm, effectively blocking Sapphie’s exit from her workshop.

‘Nothing,’ she said, wishing she hadn’t snapped at her sister. It was a sure-fire sign something was going on, considering she’d been nothing but the epitome of calm since Tenang.

Before Patrick showed up, that was.

Ruby pointed to a spare stool next to her workbench. ‘Sit. Spill.’

Sapphie shrugged, pretending she didn’t have a care in the world, when all she could think about was getting naked with Patrick face to face. Or other bits to other bits, more precisely.

‘I’m getting angsty about the show.’

Ruby frowned. ‘I thought you weren’t allowed to get ang-sty? Part of your new relaxation routine?’

‘There’s only so far yoga can take you, Rubes.’

Her sister’s astute gaze swept over her. ‘This isn’t about work, is it?’

‘’Course it is—’

‘Why don’t you just bonk him and get it out of your system, already? You’ll feel a lot better for it. Trust me.’

Sapphie screwed up her nose. ‘Euw! Please don’t elaborate on how you and Jax managed to brainstorm that auction.’

Her sister’s smug grin reeked of sin. Half her luck.

Ruby laid down her pliers, pushed her loupe out of the way and crossed her arms.

‘You’ve been working like a maniac this last week. Why don’t you take the weekend off? Call Patrick? Get together—’

‘He’s taking me away for the weekend,’ she blurted, unable to keep it a secret any longer.

She’d had no intention of telling Ruby anything, expecting to be teased, interrogated or both for the next millennium, but with her departure to destination unknown creeping ever closer Sapphie had to say something for no other reason than articulating made it real.

Ruby clapped. ‘Way to go, Saph.’ She wiggled her eyebrows. ‘Dirty weekend away, huh?’

Sapphie’s first instinct was to say It’s not like that, but after withholding the promise she’d made to their mum on her deathbed and the resultant fallout she’d vowed never to keep the truth from her sister again.

Which meant full disclosure. Within reason.

‘I haven’t been out with anyone in a while, he seems keen, so it’s a bit of harmless fun.’

‘Uh-huh.’ Ruby nodded, her sly grin particularly worrying. ‘So it’s just a fling, right? Nothing serious?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Then why are you so flustered?’