Page 18 of Crush

I wondered what the hell he was looking at, but couldn’t be arsed to turn around. Gabe was well known in that part of London and he was always bumping into people he knew. “I won’t lie, her bang-able rating is off the chart but she’d be too much like hard work mate. I can’t imagine her being very pliant in the bedroom either. She’d be a bossy bitch and you know I rule my bedroom antics with an iron fist.”

The waitress appeared but we both waved her away. I had work in the morning. They also wouldn’t let me in the Uber if I was wasted.

Through that alcohol-infused part of my brain, I noted that Gabe was still speaking. “Well, maybe a battle in the bedroom is what you need. See who’s the first to get on top? Figuratively speaking or not. I bet she’s a screamer.”

Amber's red bra came swimming into my thoughts. “Are youtryingto give me a boner in the middle of the bar?” I groaned, pushing my wallet and phone into my jeans. It had only been an hour or so and my goose was well and truly cooked.

My friend grimaced at the reference to my cock, “And I thought you didn’t fancy her,” Gabe slurred slightly. As I said, the pussy could not take his booze.

Pushing off the bar, I put him straight. “I didn’t say that. I’m not dead. My dick wants to go there but my mind’s telling me no—I’msurethere’s a song in there.” I dashed a hand down my face to clear my head, “Anyway, the bottom line is—she’s the daughter of my business partner and I don’t think he’d be too pleased if I started screwing his precious baby girl.”

We shouldn’t be talking about Amber in that way, it was doing all sorts of crazy to my insides. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have been very nice talking behind her back, but I didn’t see it as disrespectful. I was justhaving a bit of fun with my friend. I wouldneverspeak out of turn with just anyone. I wasn’t that much of a nob. The discussions between our friendsstayedbetween our friends.

“It’s probably for the best,” he chuckled, suddenly back peddling.

“You’ve changed your tune.”

“I’m only saying that as it looks like you’ve missed your chance mate,” Gabe sniggered with a massivesmugexpression.

My brow creased as I turned to look behind me, following that flick of his head.

SHIT! What are the odds?

“Cute couple,” Gabe added from beside me.

Shock stiffened my spine as I focused on Amber and a guy from work. So, Satanwasbeing fed, and by one of my contractors.

What the hell? Why did I suddenly feel so unsettled? The woman wasnothingto me, who cared who she went out with?

You care.

The pair were sitting at a table opposite each other by the window, finishing their meal looking too cosy for my liking. How had I not seen them when I’d walked in?

The fact that she was out with that particular individual did not sit well with me. He was the type to kiss and tell. He’d started shit last year with one of my administrators who eventually resigned due to the rumours he’d spread about her.

“Do you think that’s her boyfriend?”

The urge to groan my annoyance took over. “That’snother boyfriend, he’s one of my scaffolders and a sleazy motherfucker,” I explained.

Sneaky bastard and when I’d made it clear that I didn’t condone relationships between co-workers.Himbeing one of the reasons I put that policy in place theprevious year. If he hadn’t been so good at his job, I would have fired the fucker then.

Gabe, who was paying the bill behind me, placed a pretend supporting hand on my shoulder. “Doesn’t mean they’re not having sex.”

“Believe me, they’renothaving sex. As I said, he’s one of my scaffolders.”

“Scaffolders still have dicks you know,” Gabe unhelpfully pointed out.

A surge of unexpected jealousy crawled up my spine.

“She’s a lady and proper stuck up, I can’t imagine her with a metal monkey,” I huffed.

“A metal monkey?”

“Yeah, slang for Scaffolder.”

“You’re such an industry snob, you could have just said tradesman,” Gabe grunted.

“I need another drink,” I rasped, jamming a hand across my face to wake the hell up. Amber’s presence was messing with my wiring. And he was wrong, I wasn’t an industry snob at all, that’s what individuals in that trade called themselves on site. My friend wouldn’t get that being a suit. He knewnothingabout building site mentality.

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