AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Red rage flooded Jay. Tainted sour by the mocking truth of Eli’s declaration.
He flung a glare at the American, even as his body thrummed hotter with a primitive need. “Unless you want me to break that pretty-boy jaw of yours, Swanson, I’d suggest you—”
“Whoa whoa whoa.” Sami squirmed out of Jay’s arms, incredulous shock on her face as she made a T with her hands. “Time out.”
Eli chuckled, the sound smug.
Turning away from the bastard, Jay balled his fists at his sides, too close to a violent edge he feared he’d fall over if he weren’t careful.
“Sam,” he began, reaching for his boss’s hand. “I need…I should have…”
Sami frowned, retracting her hand before his fingers could find hers. “What’s going on, Jay? You just storm in here and kiss me? Since when do you carry on like some kind of caveman? Wanna drag me out of the room by my hair as well?”
Chest tight, Jay drew in a slow breath. “Okay, I know that came out of nowhere, but I also know Swanson wants to get in your pants. A lot.”
Sami cocked an eyebrow. “And if I want him to?” she asked, her tone ambiguous. “What business is that of yours?”
Jay swallowed. For the first time since knowing her, he couldn’t read what was going on in her head. Not at all.
Uh-oh.
Mouth dry, he studied her face. “Do you?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Rutledge.” She planted her palms on his chest and shoved. Hard. “If you’d come barging through the door five seconds earlier, you would have witnessed Swanson doubled-over in pain thanks to my knee firmly slamming into his nuts after he kissed me.”
Jay blinked.
Sami stabbed a finger at him. “And you’re bloody lucky you didn’t get the same.” Throwing a glance at Eli, she shook her head. “What is it with you two? Anyone would think I’m a piece of meat to fight over.”
Ignoring the churning sensation in his gut, Jay fixed her with a hard stare. “Do you want him to get in your pants?” he repeated. “I know what you’re like, Sam. I know a knee to the nuts could quite easily constitute foreplay to you.”
“Now that’s interesting.” Eli’s Southern drawl scraped at Jay’s sanity. “And good to know. You can leave now, Rutledge. Your boss and I have something to continue.”
Jay snarled at Swanson. “Watch it, Swanson.
“Oh, for the love of God,” Sami snapped. “Can you two get your fucking testosterone under control for a moment?”
Mouth dry, gut clenched, Jay turned back to his boss. “If you accept his bet, boss,” he said, desperate to recoup some semblance of professional dignity, “he’s going to use it to sleep with you, knee to the nuts or not.”
Sami arched an eyebrow. “And I’m guessing by the way you came barging in just now, balls swinging, you don’t want me to sleep with him. And by sleep, we all know you mean fuck, right?”
Jay let out a ragged breath. This wasn’t going the way he’d planned.
Planned? Huh, you didn’t have a plan. You just ran up here, horny for reasons you don’t want to admit and—
“And just so we’re clear,” Sami continued, her tone growing more calm and enigmatic with every word, her eyes equally unreadable, “the reason you think Eli will get to fuck me is because you believe he’ll win the bet—not me?”
A hot lump filled Jay’s throat. Christ, he hadn’t thought any of this through.
“Correct?”
He swallowed. Stared at his boss. Balled his fists.
“No, not correct,” he said, voice a dry scratch. “I didn’t think that. I don’t think that. I just know how much Swanson wants you for his own.”
Sami’s expression didn’t waver. “Enough to cheat?”
Shaking his head, Jay turned for the door. “Forget it. Forget I was here. Get back to doing whatever it is you were both doing before I arrived.”
