Aphrodite whinnied, wanting a reward for delivering her mistress safely, and Jessie was happy to oblige. With a laugh, she drew an apple out of her pocket and offered it to the horse. Chomping happily, Aphrodite loftily ignored her mistress and took a couple of steps so that she could nibble the grass.

Jessie chuckled and shook her head, grabbing her bag from where she’d tied it to the pommel. She walked to the small pond in the centre of the clearing and shook out the blanket she’d brought with her, then sat down to remove her riding boots. Her shirt was next and was quickly followed by her leggings. Down to her bra and panties, Jessie looked around once more to reassure herself that she wouldn’t be interrupted. She shook her head at herself, wondering who, exactly, she was expecting to interrupt her. Liam was at home, and the only other human—and she used that term loosely—who was within any sort of reasonable distance was Gabriel, and with any luck he was out of the country.

Quickly, Jessie stripped out of her lacy bra and thong, loving the secret indulgence of her expensive lingerie. No matter how far her family had fallen, there were some levels to which she would absolutely not stoop—and buying undergarments made of polyester was one of them.

Once naked, Jessie ran to the water, knowing if she didn’t go in immediately she’d talk herself out of it. She shrieked as she splashed her way in, laughing like a maniac the whole time before diving under the water. Jessie figured that swimming was perfectly acceptable in late July, particularly because the weather that week had been positively balmy. Unaccustomed to such warm weather in the north of England, Jessie wanted to do everything to take advantage of it. And since, she reasoned, she’d had to sell her family’s summer house at the seashore, she had to make do with what she had.

Floating on her back, Jessie allowed herself to relax. Her mind wandered to Liam, wondering what he would be making for supper. They’d agreed long ago when they’d first decided to make a go of it together that Liam would do most of the cooking. Jessie snorted as she thought about that conversation—which hadn’t been so much a conversation as a reckoning. She’d made breakfast once in those early days, hoping it would be a gesture of thanks for everything Liam was doing for her. Liam had taken one look at the blackened eggs, burnt toast, and watery coffee she’d prepared and had announced then and there that he’d be doing the cooking. Her face had flamed as they’d scraped the burnt food off the plates, and then Liam made omelets. He’d laughed off her apologies, pouring them juice that they’d used to toast the future.

Jessie’s mouth watered as she thought about the meals they’d shared. Liam was a hell of a cook, and she kind of couldn’t wait to introduce him to Remy.

Jessie closed her eyes and groaned, that thought bringing her crashing back to reality.

Remy—Remington Park—was Jessie’s best friend. They’d met during their training on Parris Island, the pair also becoming fast friends with three other women who shared their own goals and ambitions.

In a recent vacation with her girlfriends, an annual vacation they all lived for, the teasing had been merciless. Remy had been ribbed about the gorgeous men she lived with, triplets with whom she’d formed an elite team, and if Jessie was honest with herself she’d done a lot of that ribbing. Just before parting company with Remy she’d suggested to her friend that she try to seduce the sexy brothers by putting on some sexy lingerie and a butt plug, and now she wondered what would happen if she followed her own advice.

The girls had also asked about Liam, since her friend Cleo had met him once and practically drooled. Jessie had been ready to smack Cleo, but was thrilled when Liam had shown absolutely no interest in the New Orleans belle. She hadn’t been thrilled when her friends had ridden her about her handsome manservant, asking her why she hadn’t found her way into his bed yet. She’d been asking herself the same question for a while now. She shrugged mentally, turning onto her stomach and starting to paddle leisurely through the water. It wasn’t like she hadn’t tried, especially with all the flirting they seemed to do together, but it never went further than that.

Take today’s interaction. She’d made the “My Lord” comment hoping that he’d find the idea of topping her irresistible, but he’d immediately responded by reminding her that he was lower on the social totem pole than she was.