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And waits some more. He waits so long that the elevator doors close with him still here instead of behind them.
This is the curse of never being able to mask my emotions. Observant fuckers like Shep pick up on the smallest shit and then badger it out of me.
“It’s fine, Shep.” I lift my palms in a placating gesture. “Nothing to talk about.”
He tips his head to one side, making a tsking sound. “I’ve never claimed to be a human bullshit detector, but you’re giving off some pretty foul-smelling signals. Cut the crap. Talk. We can do this here or take a walk. Your choice.”
My eyes roll as I capitulate. “I hate you.” I mash the elevator call button with too much force, and my finger bends back a touch, sending a bolt of pain up my hand. “Ouch.”
The doors open again, and I enter, waiting for Shep to follow.
Once the doors close, he needles more at the topicdu jour. “How do you know Mia? You never told me.”
“She didn’t tell you? I find that hard to believe, given howcloseyou two are.”
“We’re notthatclose. Sure, we have a past, but it’s not like we’re best friends or anything.”
My spine stiffens, and my jaw grows tight. “What do you mean a past? Did you guys—”
Why the hell is the thought of her with another man causing such a visceral reaction? I’ve never been jealous or possessive. Quite the opposite, actually. Women arenotsomething you can own.
But I feel like clocking the shit out of my friend right now at the mere idea that he has been in her bed… or body.
“The fuck? You’re worse than Kri. No, we don’t have that kind of past. We worked together on that trafficking task force.” He shakes his head at me while I force my pulse to steady.
The day Mia breezed into Redleg and was announced as the new intel specialist, Big Al told us that Shep was the one who referred her for the position.
I’ve forgiven him for snubbing me. He was just trying to help Big Al and Tomer by pointing out a suitable candidate. It’s not his fault she ended up being a succubus viper with the oral suction to rival a Dyson vacuum.
While I’m trying to calm from my completely out-of-character rage flare-up at the idea of another man being with Mia— even in the freaking past— Shep jumps my shit. “Well, how do you know her? That was straight-up jealousy on your face. I’ve never seen this side of you, Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky. Spill it before I get Sawyer and Leo to tie you down while I clamp jumper cables to your nipples.”
Instinctively, my hands cup my nipples to shield them, and I step back.
Shep’s returning laughter soothes my ruffled feathers, and I prepare to spill the beans. What’s the point of hiding it? Once Jonesy sees Mia, he’s going to tell everyone— as per Redleg’s ball-busting tradition.
“So Mia and I had a… um…” How does someone who never kisses and tells put this respectfully? “Wemeta few nights before she showed up here.”
“The day you dropped the laptop?”
“Yes, thanks for reminding me of that. Again. Real big of you, ya jack nozzle.”
“We need to work on your insults, man. That is shit. What the fuck is a jack nozzle?”
“I’m having a rough few weeks, okay?”
His eyelids flutter. “Back to Mia, please. Something tells me this wasn’t a casual conversation you had with her that night. Sounds like you went to bone town.”
“Shep, do you have to be so crude?”
He dances his brows suggestively.
I don’t often visit bone town, as my friend so eloquently called it. I make nice, passionate, sweet lovin’ that leaves both parties satisfied and sated. I make breakfast the next morning and offer a ride home. I’m polite, considerate, and attentive— that’s how I was raised. And I’m selective with the women I bring into my bed. One-night stands aren’t common for me.
Mia was an exception.
With her, I wanted to do depraved things. Still do.
And that’s why I needed to get out of that office and clear my head. But Shep’s finally getting the details from me. The persistent prick.
