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“And he crossed her by hiring Kaitlynn behind her back,” Hayden explained. “In her mind, Broderick needed to be taught a lesson. Unless…” He shrugged out a bitter sigh. “This has more to do with Kaitlynn herself. Lana might just want to hurt her for not crawling back and begging for her volunteer internship to be returned to her. But honestly, it’s probably a little revenge against both Kaitlynn and Brick.”
Jesus, how could Lana freshly amaze me with the lengths she’d go to hurt people. Even her own children.
“So, what are you going to do?” I asked. “What’s your plan?”
Hayden glanced at me curiously. “My plan?”
I growled out an impatient breath and rolled my hand to get him to talk. “Yes, your plan,” I prompted. “I know you’re not just going to steal that portfolio and hurt your own siblings. You’re the master of loopholes, remember. Crafty, resourceful Hayden. So what’re you going to do to make it look like you’re complying to her wishes while you’re not really complying at all?”
“And what makes you think I simply won’t comply?” he asked as he found a spot to park next to Lana’s building.
I snorted. “Because I know you. You would never—”
He cut me off by wrapping his hand around the back of my neck and hauling me in for a hard, hot kiss.
My mouth crashed against his, and as soon as he sealed us together, his tongue spiked deep and his hand gripped my hair. I whimpered, then kissed him back, melting against him and meeting his tongue with my own.
When he pulled free, breathing hard and resting his temple against mine, he touched my hair reverently before whispering, “Thank you for knowing I’d never undermine my own siblings.”
I squinted at him, rasping, “Of course.” Smiling softly, I touched the base of his throat before stroking my fingers down his tie. “I totally believe in you.”
He shuddered out a relieved breath and nodded. It was humbling to realize just how desperately this man needed someone to have a little faith in him. Made me want to show him even more gentleness and trust.
His fingers softly shifted a piece of my hair behind my ear before he breathed out an unsteady breath. “You look really good in that uniform, by the way. I want to fuck you in it like you wouldn’t believe.”
Well.
Wow.
The shock of that crude suggestion right after such an emotional moment between us caused my body to pulse with unexpected desire, hot and molten, and directly in all my erogenous zones.
An image of him biting me in a couple of those places had me crossing my legs tightly. So I nodded and licked my lips, shrugging as casually as I could manage before rasping, “I’d say maybe later, but as soon as we find the proof we need and I’m done cleaning Lana’s apartment, I’m never wearing this sexist uniform again.”
He pulled back, nodding as he looked into my eyes. “Fine by me. I’m okay with you taking it off too.”
I blurted out an amused laugh, only to shake my head. “That’s three times now that you’ve kissed me without my permission, you know.”
“Is it?” He tipped his head as if surprised to learn such statistics before he smiled wickedly. “Well, then you’re a couple behind, Salazar. I gotta say; I’m disappointed.” He clicked his tongue sadly. “I thought you’d be more competitive.”
I rolled my eyes, dryly muttering, “Ha-ha. You’re just a barrel of laughs. But seriously, what’re you going to do about that portfolio? You can’t just take—”
The look and harassed sigh he sent me told me he wanted to keep sexy-talking, but I was going to have to face Lana in about a minute’s time. And no way did I want any remnants of lust still flowing through my bloodstream while in her presence.
Hayden had the worst timing when he kissed me, I swear.
“I’ll think of something,” he answered as he rubbed at a spot between his eyes.
Thinking about it gave him a stress headache, I realized. And kissing me had been his own way of avoiding the subject.
Wanting to help him keep his mind off his worries, I grabbed his tie and said, “I believe you. And for the record, I am that competitive.”
Then I yanked him in, kissing him without his permission.
By the time I made it to Lana’s, I was a bundle full of confusion.
I probably shouldn’t make kissing Hayden a new hobby, and yet I couldn’t seem to stop. Which was weird. He could piss me off more than Lana could sometimes, and I wasn’t even sure if I’d completely forgiven him for the way he’d treated Papá the first time they’d met. He was just so damn full of irritating, unforgivable habits. But then he’d do some small simple thing that would make me melt and completely forget the rest.
Was I being an idiot and letting my attraction get the best of me, or was there really more there that I should explore?
