Page 10 of The Work Wife

She didn’t want to call attention to it. He wouldn’t let her live it down.

When he pulled up in front of her apartment building he continued to look out the windshield instead of at her. Should she say something? Surely this wasn’t about the penis touching. It must be something—

The thing with Duane.

Taking the cowardly option, she opened the door and slid out of his vehicle. She didn’t want to talk about it. Or think about it. She was on a continuous cycle of interest and guilt. She was not planning to leave Wes for Duane.

“Thanks for the ride. And sharing the protein bar. Even if it was hard.” That last sentence made her freeze in her tracks.

He was laughing when she shut the door and hurried up to her apartment. Great. So he had noticed. She’d never hear the end of it. He waited until she was inside her building, then drove off after she waved.

She was running late the next morning, but she still stopped to pick him up a vanilla caramel latte. She’d gotten it as a thank-you beverage, and maybe a “please don’t be mad I considered abandoning our team” beverage. She frowned down at the tall cup. She should have gotten the grande if she’d wanted it to say all that.

“Good morning, Jamie,” Duane Larkson said from a few steps behind her.

She jumped and spilled part of the vanilla caramel latte on her fuzzy mitten.

“Damn it.”

“Sorry. Do you need some help?” Duane asked.

“No. I’m good.”

“I see you have two cups again.” Duane nodded down at the carrying tray in her hand. Was he suggesting she should have brought some for him? “You know, if you were on my team, I wouldn’t expect you to bring me coffee. It’s a rather old-fashioned attitude.”

She looked down at the tray in her hand and back at the man who didn’t have a clue. He thought Weston expected her to bring him coffee? The truth was Weston probably didn’t even consider it an old-fashioned attitude because he saw her as so equal to him, it most likely never crossed his mind.

“Wes brings coffee as often as I do. We take turns. Or if one of us comes in before the other, the last one in brings the coffee. It’s not a matter of him thinking I’m beneath him. It’s a matter of teamwork.” She put extra emphasis on the word teamwork, so he got it.

“I just hope he realizes how special you are. I’d hate for someone so talented to be taken for granted.”

She fought back a look of disgust. If he thought he was charming her, he was very wrong. She felt the need for a shower.

“Who’s being taken for granted?” Wes asked as he stepped up behind her.

“No one,” she answered with a forced smile.

“I brought you one of those muffins you like. I swear it’s as big as your head.” Wes handed her the bag.

“What’s in your bag?” She knew it was a scone, but he wouldn’t say that. He thought the word scone sounded foo-foo.

“Doughnut.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Scone.

“Have a nice day.” Wes smiled at Duane.

Jamie offered the man a wave and followed behind her partner. She handed him the latte and waited for the happy sound he always made on the first sip. He didn’t disappoint.

“What did asshat want?”

“He wanted me to know I wouldn’t be expected to bring him coffee if I was his partner.”

He swallowed and looked back at Duane in confusion. “But it’s your week to bring the coffee.”

As she suspected, Wes was all about order and fairness, not boobs and penises. She winced at the thought of penises, knowing she was in store for some humiliation today.

“I explained it to him.”