Page 45 of Unbuttoning Her Brooding Boss

She no longer had to hide the way she liked to watch him drive. So she twisted in her seat so she could study his profile more easily.

He glanced at her and raised his brows. ‘Iknewyou liked to look.’

Jack seemed pleased when she didn’t deny it.

‘So, travel guide guru, where are we going?’ she asked.

‘A real sanctuary,’ he answered, his spirits lightening because she’d acquiesced so easily. ‘An animal one.’

Emerald Springs was a tiny wildlife hospital only a few miles down the road from the Green Veranda. A private facility that specialised in the rehabilitation and release of injured wild animals.

Stephanie read the sign. ‘It’s closed to the public today.’

‘We’re not the public.’

He got out of the car and walked up to the main entrance.

‘No?’

‘We’re patrons.’

She swivelled and looked at him with sharp eyes. ‘You mean you gave them a heap of money so they’d let us come here today?’

‘Pretty much,’ he said blandly. ‘Is that dreadful of me?’

He didn’t wait for her answer. But he refused to think it was dreadful. It was for her pleasure.

‘You must be Jack Wolfe.’ A woman greeted them as soon as he walked in. ‘We’re so thrilled you could join us today.’ She smiled at him broadly and lifted her hand to pat her hair. ‘Just delighted.’

Jack smiled back at her.

It turned out she was the director of the facility, and she was happy to take them on a tour herself. She talked and talked as she showed them the surgery and the care suites.

‘I cannot thank you enough,’ she said to Jack, for the third time. ‘Your contribution will make a huge difference to our work.’

He felt awkward, knowing Stephanie was eyeing him. ‘It is, of course, ananonymousdonation.’

‘Of course.’ The woman smiled and leaned a little too close. ‘Just between us.’

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Stephanie’s eyebrows arch, and she walked away towards a glass cage holding an enormous snake.

Jack extricated himself from the director with an apologetic smile and walked to stand next to Stephanie.

‘They don’t scare you?’ he murmured.

‘Of course they do,’ she answered, not looking at him as she answered. ‘But they’re fascinating.’

He turned to look straight at her. ‘Yes.’

‘I think you wanted to see an echidna most especially?’ The director interrupted the moment, her eyes only on Jack.

‘Stephanie is very keen to see one, yes,’ he said pointedly, watching the woman’s smile dim a fraction.

Yeah, she seemed to have chosen to ignore the fact that he had a woman with him. And not justanywoman.

He took hold of Stephanie’s hand to emphasise it, pleased when he felt a teasing stroke of her fingers before she laced them between his.

‘Of course.’ The clinical director reverted to being a wholly professional tour guide with a smile. ‘We have a very special treat for you today, Stephanie, if you want to put on a pair of those gloves...’

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