Page 32 of Rough Ride

“What else would you do if you were them? And face it. It makes you feel better, right? Gets the juices flowing, so to speak.”

She laughed. “Well, that’s definitely interesting. Not sure I would have the energy when I am in the rest home.”

Danny winked at her. “I have a feeling you would still be hot at that age.”

Another laugh bubbled up, but she didn’t have time to release it.

“Do you think that’s any of your business, Aiona?”

She jumped at the sound of the lethal voice behind her. She turned to find a very angry Eli staring at them.

ten

This was starting to get old, Eli thought. Finding her with a man twice in one day—no matter how innocent it was—irritated Eli. No, irritate was too simple a word for what he was feeling. He knew it was stupid. Truthfully, if anyone he knew reacted this way to a woman, Eli would tell him to fuck her or walk away. At the moment, he knew exactly which option he would take.

For his part, Aiona was completely oblivious to Eli’s anger. Or if he wasn’t, he sure played it cool. He offered Eli a welcoming smile.

“Hey, boss. I was telling Crysta about my grandfather. He’s been pretty active lately, if you know what I mean.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“It’s getting late.”

Aiona shrugged. “Guess so, but then, I’m young.” He rose. “I guess I probably won’t see you until you get back, Crysta. Good night.”

“Good night, Danny.”

He slipped out the door still unaware that he’d upset Eli. Silence filled the kitchen and he wondered what she was thinking. Instead of asking, and because he was feeling rather agitated, he said nothing. He leaned against the kitchen counter and watched her. She didn’t fidget at all. He knew he looked mean, but the woman just didn’t give an inch. And again, in his head, he knew it was stupid. He was feeling territorial about a woman who wasn’t his.

“How was your meeting?” she asked.

He was still pissed. From the first, he and Jerry had made it clear that the men show Crysta respect. Eli thought about the altercation in the barn and knew he didn’t have any room to talk. And, for the most part, none of the men had given her a problem. Aiona was a problem though. He needed the job, but only for the summer. And, he didn’t seem to be scared of Eli.

Worse, he knew why he was mad. He wanted her. He wanted to have the right to get angry if a man was flirting with her.

“Eli?”

He shook his head trying to move away from those thoughts. “Boring.”

“Oh?”

It had been. He’d sat in the back and listened to some of the discussions and then his mind had drifted. Daydreaming about Crysta had been a mistake. Now, he was beyond horny.

“Yeah. But, there was talk of a scholarship or something like that in Joe’s name.”

She smiled and his heartbeat kicked up a notch. “Joe would have liked that.”

He nodded. Then as casually as he could, he asked, “What was that about you being gone for a few days?”

“I told you I wanted to hop over to Oahu. I talked to Micah today and decided to go. I’ve never been to Honolulu other than the airport.”

He blinked. He knew what she was going to do. She was going to Rough ‘n Ready where some other Dom would touch her, taste her, hear her moan when she came.

Dammit.

“You can’t do that.”

She shook her head as if she were trying to understand. “What?”

“I mean, do you think you should go after being here less than a month?”

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