Page 35 of Dirty Intentions

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Shane

I didn’t like that she’d called me on my shit about keeping my barriers up. There was only one person who made a habit of doing so. Max. I also didn’t care for her tone about Heather. But considering that once Heather got into my car to drive to Jersey for our meeting, she tried to dive into my lap, I could see where the jealousy stemmed from.

“Not today, honey.” I tried to let her down easy, but she wasn’t taking no for an answer.

Using a tone which instantly grated on my nerves, she whined, “But it’s been forever, and then you stuck me with Max the other night. Are you not attracted to me anymore?”

This was the shit I tried to avoid with females. There was no right answer aside from the words she was looking for, which was to allow her to suck me off in the car. What I was about to say would make my life a whole lot more complicated, but it was the truth.

“I’ve got something going on with Daniella.”

As predicted, this went over like a cum shot in the eye. “So, what? Now, all of a sudden, you do relationships?”

“Enough. My personal business is just that. We’ve always maintained a professional working friendship, Heather, and I would hate for this to come between us.”

She stewed on my warning for a few seconds.

Because I was tired of the shit she was giving Daniella in doing her job, I made myself clear. “Also, give her the receipts she requested.”

Heather glanced my way, about to open her mouth, but the look I gave her stifled whatever she was about to say.

It was good to know I hadn’t lost my touch on most women, making them recognize when I meant business.

“Fine.”

***

I’d avoided Daniella until later than planned. I could tell myself it wasn’t because she had my number about my defense mechanisms or it wasn’t because I was pissed the entire bar now knew I was in some sort of relationship with her—thanks to Heather’s big mouth. But the truth was that all of it had me feeling out of sorts. And I didn’t do out of sorts. I did control. And I did it well. Until recently, that is.

If I’d been a wise man, I would’ve marched up my steps to my office and told her this arrangement was off. Instead, I stood there watching her type away on her laptop, poring over the receipts Heather must’ve finally provided.

Sensing my presence, she glanced up briefly but then went back to work.

Huh. Not being a man who typically garnered this type of reaction from a woman, I wasn’t sure what to do. “I take it you got the receipts from Heather.”

She lifted her eyes, slid off her glasses, and met my gaze as I walked towards her. “Indeed. I’m guessing the thanks should go to you?”

Her tone was cool, professional even, but her eyes were anything but. They reflected her temper.

“None necessary. It should’ve been done sooner.”

“Right. Glad you could discuss that—and our arrangement—in the car ride with her.”

Ah. So that was the irritation. “It was either tell her we had a thing going on or let her suck my dick along the way.”

Although I wasn’t known for my filter, now would’ve probably been the time to exercise one. She was up and gathering her stuff, turning off the desk lamp and clearly ready to leave. “Good night, Shane.”

Fuck. “Wait. Look, don’t be mad. She made a move, and I shut her down. I don’t get why it would piss you off.”

“What pisses me off is I’ve had this plug up my ass all day with a promise of this afternoon, which you conveniently forgot about. I’m not well versed in the rules of anal etiquette, but that just seems straight-up rude.”

My brows shot sky high. “You still have it in?”

She threw up her hands. “Seriously? What the hell was I supposed to do with it?”

No wonder she was cranky. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing or else she’d give me a well-deserved punch in the face.

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