Page 75 of Challenged by the Single Dad

“I’m not disgruntled.”

“Well, you’re sure as hell not gruntled. What’s up your ass?”

He focused on the road. “Nothing. And gruntled’s not even a word.”

“Oh, it sure is. And you’re not it. Are you pissed off I offered to work at the hostel to help out Hawke?”

“Not allowed to be pissed off. We’refriends,and I’m your employer. I don’t get to have an opinion.”

She shook her head swiftly. “No, you sure as hell don’t. But you do anyway. So, besides my safety, what’s got a beetle up your butt?”

“There are no insects in my ass, thank you. And never mind.”

Abruptly pulling over to the barely-there shoulder, she put the car in park and spun to face him. “We’re not going back until you tell me.”

Gnashing his molars together, he stared straight ahead out the window, creating a tune in his head to the beat of the windshield wipers. It was something he’d done since he was a kid. Often, he’d put words to the song too. “He likes you.”

“Who? Hawke?”

“Who else?”

“So?”

“So?” He faced her. “You’re going to be working awfully close with him.”

“Again, so?”

“So …?”

She took a slow, deep breath through her nose and put her fingers to her temples. “I don’t speak grumpy ogre. Just fucking tell me, Dom.”

“So, what if something happens between you two?”

Her eyes flew open wide. “Oh!”

“Yeah. Oh!”

“Don’t get all snippy with me. I just asked a question. And furthermore, Hawke will be my boss. And you know how I feel about getting involved with my boss.”

The snort that erupted out of Dom’s nose was impolite and immediately made Chloe’s face get red with rage.

“What the hell was that supposed to mean? You don’t believe me? Look, just because we’ve slipped … two … three times, doesn’t mean I’ll slip with everyone. We’ve already agreed that it will never happen again. And this time I intend to uphold that agreement. We’ve gotten it out of our systems for good. Now we’refriends.”

God, he really hated the way they said that word.

“And just for a bit of reassurance, that I absolutely do not fucking owe you, I’m not interested in Hawke that way. He’s not my type. He’s nice. He’s cute. But he’s not … he’s just not my type.”

What was her type?

Was Dom her type? Or was she going outside of her norm with him too?

Her expression softened and she rested her hand on his arm for a moment. “I simply want to help Hawke. That’s it. Nothing will happen between us. And I will be safe there. I’ll even get some bear spray or something if it will make you feel better.” Then she smiled and it literally made the interior of the car brighter. “I appreciate you concern for my safety.” That smile turned a little cheeky. “And if I’m being honest, the jealousy was cute too.” Her hand left his arm, leaving a cool void where her warmth once resided. “Are we good?”

No, they weren’t fucking good.

All he wanted to do right then and there was grab her by the hair and take her mouth. Tell her that they weren’t “just friends” and if she called him her “friend” one more time, he’d haul her over his knee and teach her a lesson she wouldn’t soon forget.

But she’d made it very clear—despite their slipups—that they were just friends.

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