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She waved him off. It could be fun to watch him squirm, but it would only prolong this powwow. “Finley’s hot and frankly he’s the best lay I’ve ever had,” she answered candidly. “I couldn’t find a downside.”
Carpenter looked away.
“Come on. If this were Neil, you’d ask for details.” She pushed forward in her seat when he didn’t answer. “Listen. You were right. I needed to do something to take Carlisle’s suspicions from me. It’s no hardship for me to sleep with Finley, and he put the word out I belong to him, sono onemesses with me or tries to get in my pants. Do you know how many times creepy guys tried to grope me before he came along? I’m a pole dancer, Carp, they assume I’m easy.” She waved a hand as if this were all no big deal.
“Besides no one questions why a lowly pole dancer’s hanging out with the top guys when they know she’s screwing one of them. All the information I turned over today came from sitting on Jay’s lap and listening to the men talk shop.”
Carpenter ran a hand over his face before he cupped his chin and stared out the window. She needed him to see the pros in this or he’d pull her off the case. Everyone seemed to want an excuse to put her at a desk and let the men take over.
Finally, he sighed and turned to her. “You’re sure this is all consensual?”
She snickered. “Oh, it’s definitely consensual.”
He didn’t laugh the way he would if she’d been Neil or Jackson.
“You’ve heard of Ronnie Sinclair?” His eyes narrowed as he changed subjects. “She and Finley have been together in the past, does that affect you?”
She’d been asking herself the same thing since Neil told her about the other woman’s relationship with Finn.
“I know how to play the game,” she assured her boss. “We’re sleeping together, not engaged.”
He huffed. “Okay. She’ll be back, and I’d like to nail her.”
Gretchen’s eyebrow lifted fractionally at his word choice.
He rolled his eyes. “Arresther.”
She stifled her grin. “I’m working on it. I don’t think I’ll have trouble getting what we need.”
Carpenter nodded. “And what happens if you lose favor with Finley?”
Gretchen shrugged, trying to hide her fear of that very thing. “Even if he doesn’t want to sleep with me, we get along fine. I think he’ll still look out for me.”
“I hope you’re right.” Carpenter sat back, studying her.
Yeah. She hoped so too, not so much for the sake of her safety as for the sake of her heart.
~ ~ ~
Gretchen ducked, dodging the punch Neil threw at her and kicked out with her foot. He slid to the side and quickly sidestepped her, so he could wrap an arm around her neck and wrench her arm behind her back. She hadn’t expected that, but she should have. If her thoughts weren’t still on her conversation with Carpenter, she would have. Neil’s grip slipped as their sweat-slickened bodies slid against each other, and she pushed at his arm, finally able to wiggle out from under his clutch to spin and break his hold.
He shook his head. “You won’t get away so easily from Carlisle’s guys.”
“And I’ll probably be wearing even less.” She tried for a joke as she looked down at her sports bra and tight spandex shorts.
“Don’t remind me.” He shook his head and placed the sparring pads on his hands, holding them up for her to hit.
“Who’s training who in here?”
Gretchen looked over as Corey came through the door of their makeshift gym. She lifted her chin in acknowledgement as she started on the pads Neil held up for her. She’d noticed him at the club after she danced a few nights ago. Seeing him now, knowing he’d seen her half-dressed dancing on a pole, made her feel exposed in a way she hadn’t experienced on stage.
“Neil’s helping me stay sharp.” She took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
Corey raised a brow, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “From what I hear, you won’t need any of those moves.”
Gretchen ignored him. Although Callahan worked in the same circles, she couldn’t think of where he would’ve heard anything about her.
“What’re you talking about?” Neil kept up with each of her increasing strikes.
