Read Designed for Love for Free Online Page A

through the condensation on the outside. “Wil, you’re welcome too, of course.”
    “Thank you, but I already have plans.”
    To Jillian, Wil’s reply sounded false, but Rose seemed to accept it easily.
    “Come by if your plans change. It sounds as if I’ll need help with some of these projects. Would you ask your father to call me when he has someone free?”
    “I can fit you in between work on Mary’s place.” Though Wil’s mind was elsewhere, she had been half listening to Jillian and Rose talk about getting the house ready to sell. She had to admit, Jillian had handled the suggested changes delicately and seemed sensitive to Rose’s limited income.
    “Oh, I don’t want to interfere with your other work.”
    She waved off Rose’s concern. “My crew can handle some of the work over there without me. I’ll squeeze yours in between supervising them.” She could feel Jillian’s eyes on her but didn’t look at her. She’d caught Jillian’s nervousness when she’d misinterpreted Rose’s comment about the two of them. And she’d very quickly understood from where Jillian’s reaction stemmed. So now she jumped on the excuse to be away from the job site at Mary’s place whenever possible.
     
    *
     
    Wil strode out to her truck and Jillian hurried to keep up. She barely managed to slide into the passenger seat before Wil accelerated away from the curb.
    “Is something wrong?” She touched Wil’s arm.
    “No.” Wil jerked her arm away and gripped the wheel with both hands.
    For several silent moments, Wil tested the strength of the seat belts, careening around a corner and screeching to a halt at a stop sign. Jillian’s body lurched forward until the belt caught and locked almost painfully across her chest.
    “Jesus, what is your problem?”
    “I don’t have a problem. As long as I remember my place.”
    “What the hell are you talking about?” Jillian didn’t have a clue what had set Wil off, but from the harsh bite in her voice and the firm set of her jaw, she was plenty mad.
    “You were pretty quick to make it clear I was just an employee.”
    “That’s ridiculous.” Was Wil joking? Maybe Jillian simply didn’t know her personality well enough to tell. If she was, she deserved an Oscar for this performance because she looked livid.
    “Is it? You overreacted to Rose’s statement. Would it be that horrible if Rose figured out that there was something going on between us?”
    “This isn’t personal. But I don’t need this whole town gossiping about what I’m doing with—”
    “The handyman?”
    “Now who’s overreacting?” Jillian muttered. The derision in Wil’s voice hit home and Jillian was getting angry too. After last night, she’d thought they were on the same page. It was just sex. Surely Wil could see that’s all they could share. Hell, she was only here for a short time anyway. She’d thought they were both adults and could merely enjoy each other, but here Wil was blowing everything out of proportion.
    “I just don’t think Miss Rose is the type to gossip. Especially—”
    She waited, but Wil didn’t continue. “What?”
    “Nothing.”
    Frustrated, she shook her head. “Look, I just didn’t want her to assume there’s anything going on between us.”
    “I don’t think she assumed anything.”
    “Wil, please don’t make this difficult.”
    Wil pulled the truck up to the curb in front of her house and slammed the gearshift into Park.
    Jillian tried again. “Well, is there something wrong with wanting to appear professional?”
    Wil scowled. “That’s not what this was about. You’re worried about what people will think about you doing the hired help.”
    “How dare you presume to know what I’m thinking. You don’t know me.” Wil had hit closer to the truth than Jillian was willing to admit.
    “You’re right. I don’t.” Wil threw up her hands and stared out the windshield. “And that’s precisely why I shouldn’t have fucked