Page 38 of Just This Once

I leaned forward, hand out. “Thank you for dinner, sir. Please tell Mrs. Martin that the meal and the company were lovely. I look forward to another invitation soon.”

Chief Martin clamped his hand into mine, placing his other on my shoulder with a squeeze. “You’re welcome at my table anytime, son.”

I tried not to let his casual turn of phrase burn a hole through my chest. I had accepted his invitation with the intention of bringing up the building my father intended to purchase. Only problem was I was utterly charmed by Marilyn Martin and didn’t have the heart to spoil such a nice meal with underhanded business dealings disguised as small talk.

The fact Emily was also at dinner was an unexpected bonus. I also couldn’t worry about what my chief might think of me if he ever found out about the history between Emily and me.

I was on a mission.

Closing the garage door behind me, I spotted Emily striding across the lawn toward the driveway. I lengthened my strides and called out to her. “Hey, Prim.” She shot an annoyed glance over her shoulder. “Wait up,” I called.

Despite irritation flashing in her eyes, she paused, hand on her hip. I bit back a smile, admiring her commitment to despising me.

“What do you need? Would you like to know what other family functions we have coming up so you can ingratiate yourself with the chief?”

I shook my head. “Careful, Prim. You know us hero types struggle with the big words.” I furrowed my brow and thumped a fist against my chest. “Fire bad. Water good.”

She shot me a dead stare, but I could see the shimmers of a smile hinting at the corners of her pert little mouth.

Determining that subtle twitch to be a win, I popped the fudge heart out of the center of my blondie. “You want my heart?”

I’m sure she assumed I was simply messing with her, but the question hung in the air.

I stretched out my hand and dropped it in her open palm. In one quick movement, she tossed it into her mouth, chewing aggressively.

I winced. “Savage.”

Emily planted her hands on her hips. “Cut the shit, Whip. Why are you really here?”

I blinked, feigning innocence. “I was invited.”

She huffed, eyes narrowed. “Are you using my dad to try to get that promotion?”

The accusation poked at me. I may have the sick urge to bend his daughter over the hood of my truck, but I would never accept a job in the department that I didn’t earn.

Her teasing had been amusing, but now I was pissed. “The job wasn’t even on my radar until your dad brought it up tome.But I deserve that promotion.” My finger pointed to the ground between us. “I’ll get it because I’ve earned it, Prim.”

Her chin lifted, proving my nickname for her accurate. “Don’t call me that.”

The sun hung heavy in the western sky, slowly sinking behind the trees in the distance. Summer days were rapidly approaching, leaning into yawning afternoons that whispered promises of heated summer nights. The blaze of orange and fuchsia played with the muted blues and greens in her eyes.

I risked a step forward. “What would you prefer I call you?”

She sucked in a breath, hoisting her perfect round tits higher in the air. I held her fierce gaze. “Ipreferfor you to call me nothing at all.”

Excitement danced through me as tension crackled in the humid coastal air. I crowded her space, feeling her pert, hard nipples graze my chest. “You sure about that?”

Fury laced with indignation flared in her eyes, and my dick swelled in my jeans.

I struggled to keep my eyes off her—the thump of her pulse in her neck, the flush of pink in her cheeks.

The worst thing was the way my body eased toward her as if an invisible tether tugged us closer. I ached to touch her.

Who wouldn’t be attracted to Emily? She was funny, strong willed, whip-smart, and gorgeous. Aside from the fact her father was my boss, I had fun provoking her. She could take a smart remark and toss one back with her razor-sharp tongue. What I really wanted involved that tongue wrapping around my cock again. My dick twitched just thinking about it.

Damn it.

I knew exactly what I was doing when I grabbed her wrist. I was fully aware it was a terrible idea, and I had a pretty good feeling it was bound to bite me in the ass eventually.

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