Page 4 of The Present

“They’re yours.”

The words staggered Tess, constricted the air in her lungs. Those earrings could be sold, maybe help her to live until she found a real job. She raised her face and swallowed. “I can’t take these, Hal.”

“Not even for services rendered?”

Her heart took off like a racecar. “Wh…what do you mean? For doing Janice’s dirty work?”

His dark eyes glittered wickedly. “For delivering her message, yes.” She sucked in air, able to breathe again. “And for performing another little service for me.” He tapped the box with his finger. “That would earn those for you—and then some.”

Her breath stopped as Tess stared at him. She’d thought Hal a nice guy, a good guy. Had she been wrong about that? Was he suggesting what she thought he was suggesting?

Pulse racing, her mouth turned dry as he shrugged out of his Armani jacket, pulled his silk dress shirt out of his pants and started to unbutton it. She glanced down at the diamonds in her hand.

Janice had hurt him, and he wanted to get back at her in one of the most primal ways possible—sleep with someone else. The fact that the someone else was her younger sister would just add gasoline to the flames when Janice found out. Which would probably be tomorrow.

Tess couldn’t blame him for wanting to return the blow to his ego. In her opinion, Janice would be getting exactly what she deserved and more. Tess just didn’t know if she wanted Hal to use her to do it.

It would have been different under other circumstances. Hal was a hot, sexy guy. Tall, broad shoulders—if he kept unbuttoning that shirt she’d know in a minute if he had a six-pack under that designer shirt. What woman wouldn’t want a night in bed with that guy? But it would be revenge sex, short and sweet. It would mean nothing else to him.

Did she want it to mean something else to her? Or could she just chalk it up to a great one-night stand with the added benefit of a generous tip. A three-thousand-dollar tip.

Squeezing the jewelry box closed, Tess raised her chin. “What do you want me to do?”