Page 23 of The Female Warrior & The Charming Gentleman

Jarom liked Easton. The cowboy was a nice guy, funny, andconfident. He just didn’t like the cowboy being around Autumn. A little healthy competition he didn’t mind, but he was out of his element this time. First of all, he was certain Autumn was more important to him than any other woman he’d been drawn to. Second, he didn’t have his closet full of flattering, tailor-made men’s wear, cologne designed to complement his body chemistry, his fleet of vehicles and private jet, and opportunities to take her on epic dates that would impress any lady. Third, he didn’t know if Autumn was drawn to the smooth billionaire or the tough cowboy type. Fourth, what if Autumn truly wouldn’t let her heart of iron be penetrated?

He and Autumn climbed the stairs, and she checked his suite. He edged into his bedroom and leaned against the door jam, admiring her as she finished checking the closet and strode toward him. Her cheeks flushed as she met his gaze.

“I guess it’s time to don the jeans and boots, or wear the clothes you worked out in,” she teased as she stopped a foot away.

“You’re enjoying me being thrown out of my element, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. Is it a sucker punch right to the abdomen?”

“Worse,” he said, tilting his head and folding his arms over his chest. Her eyes trailed to his biceps and stayed there until he spoke again. “How does a classy billionaire recover from wearing no-name jeans and boots?”

She laughed. “I think you’ll survive. You’ll be grateful there are no cameras to play for up here.”

It was odd not having most of his life videoed or photographed. He had an entire team who dealt with his public persona. He wondered how Isabella and all of his CEOs, managers, and team leaders were holdingup without him. It was intriguing how distant he felt from his normal life, and he strangely didn’t miss the nonstop phone calls, emails, meetings, and demands that made up his days.

“I don’t know about that. If there were cameras to play for, we’d have the blessed opportunity to fake an engagement.” His gaze dropped to her lips. “There would be definite advantages to that arrangement.”

Her brows lifted, but she didn’t engage. “Aiden’s tech team sent your texts and emails to me. When would you like to go through them?” Her voice was tight.

He wondered what she’d seen. Texts from other women? Was there jealousy in that tone? That boded well for him.

“After we shower, I’ll ask Jared if I can transfer them to his computer. I can go through them and delete or deal with issues much faster.” He liked to ‘touch’ each of his companies at least once a day. His people were top notch and wouldn’t fold without him—some would even soar given the opportunity—but it was a shift not to be part of it all. “Did Aiden explain my absence to my assistant Isabelle and my other team members?”

“It’s Aiden, so I would imagine so. Okay. I’ll be waiting for you after you shower, and we’ll figure out the computer thing.”

“Thank you, but I’m certain I’ll be the one waiting for you after the shower.”

She guffawed. “Who are you lying to now? We both know you’re prissier than I am, and you’ve got to figure out how to make cowboy boots and jeans fit your metro style.”

Jarom hated that she’d called him prissy. Sure, he was metro and classy, but he wasn’t some girly-man. “I have news for you, Miss Cardon.”

“Oh.” Her mouth formed an O. It was adorable and alluring. “What’s that?”

“First, I can make any style of clothing look good.”

“I’m sure you can,” she said, looking him over carefully. His blood ran hotter.

“And I can definitely shower quicker than you.”

“We’ll see.” She darted past him.

Jarom grasped her around the waist, lifted her off her feet, spun her around, and pinned her against the wall. She was closer to his height with him holding her aloft. He could feel the bulge of the gun in her pocket. The fact that she was armed and could protect him only added to her allure.

She yanked in a breath and stared at him, her eyes sparkling like pure gold. “Nice move, Mr. Love.”

“Thank you.”

“You are aware that I can drop you to the floor in pure agony or break all manner of bones from this position.”

“I am now.” He wouldn’t show his concern. Instead, he smiled gallantly. “But love, I don’t believe you want to hurt me.”

“Don’t test me.” She was still smiling. He thought he might be safe. Might.

“Forgive me. I simply wanted to show that I possess a few quick moves as well.”

“Noted.” She was decidedly out of breath. “I’ll be rushing for the shower now, and beating you done.”

He chuckled, but before he could react, she grabbed his forearm and applied pressure of the most painful sort. He gasped for air and released her. She dropped lightly to the floor, darted out of his arms and out the door, slamming it behind her.

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