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“Oh.” There’s a slight crack in his voice and the inflection makes my thighs clench. I can’t get myself to look him in the eyes until Jim takes a final gulp and sets the glass down with a decisivethunk. He drops his head and spins the glass around on the counter. “What kind of job you lookin’ for?”

“Anything, at this point. I worked in marketing before, but no opportunities are listed in the field down here.”

Jim lifts his head to meet my gaze and his neck cords as he continues to fidget with the empty glass. Something’s up. By now, the glass would’ve been put in the dishwasher. The man never leaves a thing out of place.

His gaze moves to my laptop, which still faces him, and his lips turn into a frown. “Wheelie much?”

My fingers clamp down onto the ceramic mug. Ugh, my background picture. Please don’t tell me he’s siding with Lyons. “Um, yeah. I used to stunt ride.”

His gaze locks with mine.

I tilt my head sideways. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch. I don’t stunt anymore.”

A deep rattling sound startles both of us. Jim reaches across the island, grabbing his phone like a lifeline—a saving grace from the awkwardness in the room. His fingers peck at the screen and when he returns the device to the counter, the front door clicks open.

Visitors.

“Hey, fucker.” A husky voice echoes across the room a couple of seconds later. A bald man, dressed in athletic shorts and a sleeveless shirt, saunters in. Bear, right behind him, and a third guy. Bear turns toward me and grunts, dipping his chin, and I can’t help but smile at his wordless greeting.

I nod in his direction. “Hi, Bear.”

The other two snap their heads my way, ogling me. You’d think I was a celebrity, and not the good kind. The bald one quirks an eyebrow and his pupils dilate as his eyes scan over me. I swallow hard, uncomfortable by the attention.

“Martinez.” Jim’s voice is deep and threatening.

Martinez bows his head and walks away.

“Taya.” My name escapes Jim’s mouth in a deep and direct tone. “We need the room.”

My head shoots up in surprise, brows knitted together.

Bear places his hands wide on the counter, leaning his weight forward toward Jim.

Closing his eyes, Jim takes in a deep breath. His tone is much softer now. “You can’t be here. Work stuff.” He looks as though he’s about to combust, his body still tense.

“Oh, ok. No problem.” I swing my legs to the floor to leave the comfort of the nook, relieved I don’t need to reveal my past to anyone.

But there is a problem. A big, big problem.

The house was empty when I woke up. And relaxing in the kitchen’s bay window nook with a warm cup of coffee and a small throw blanket seemed like a great way to start my morning. In the T-shirt I slept in. Without a bra. And in my underwear.

Why didn’t I put on a pair of shorts? I’ll tell you why. Because I’m an idiot. An idiot who didn’t think maybe myhusbandmight bring his friends over.

I spring up, grab my laptop and the sandwich bag, and head to the sink. I keep my eyes focused forward, avoiding all four men, and place my mug in the sink. There’s no need to bend over to place it in the dishwasher. My feet scurry across the cool tile until I reach the landing of the stairs. I race up to my room.

Although I do my best to avoid looking at Jim, the heat of his eyes on the back of my thighs will not go away anytime soon.

Chapter Seven

Jim

Ipush myhips into the lower cabinets, hiding my hard-on. When Taya stood up, muscular legs bare, with a royal-blue T-shirt barely covering her solid round ass, heat sizzled up my spine. And then she pranced past all of us in purple underwear. My heart jackhammered and sent a shitload of blood rushing to my already semi-hard dick, thanks to her ogling me earlier.

“That’s your newwife. Mind telling us how you got so lucky?” A few inches shorter than both Bear and me, Anthony Martinez is built like a linebacker. Wide shouldered and heavily muscled, he’s a man who’s used to getting his way. The bald, brown-eyed bastard is a ladies’ man at heart and a constant pain in my ass.

“The assholes who make up the committee thought we’d be a good fit. Something about her application must have stood out.” I spin the empty glass on the countertop, willing my erection to go down before these fuckers catch wind of it and harass me about it.

Martinez shakes his head. “Let me guess. You didn’t bother asking what that ‘something’ was, did you?”

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