Page 56 of His Secret Obsession

“Dance with me?” I ask.

She looks around, probably seeing the mess of scattered wood and the concrete flooring with old grease stains. But she’s smiling, her eyes full of light when she looks back at me. “Here?”

I nod, slipping one hand to her lower back while the other rests on her hip. She nestles her cheek against my shoulder, and I feel like I’m holding something precious in my arms. There’s a foreign feeling in my stomach, a fluttering.

Because she is—she is precious to me.

My Maddie.

“Right here,” I agree.

I have everything I need right here.

Maddison

It takes me nearly two weeks to finish the sign in my spare time, but I’m almost reluctant to wrap this project up. I forgot how working with my hands, creating or reshaping things into something new, settles my otherwise busy mind. The work is soothing after dealing with my cunt of a boss all day and the self-entitled customers who often frequent the store.

Sorry, Irene—clients,not customers. I roll my eyes.

Standing back in the garage, I tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear and examine my handiwork. Using a wood cutter, I shaped a massive slab of wood into an outline that resembledthree mountaintops. The mountains are dark gray while the wordsParker’s Automotive Shopare in flowing, white letters. The letters curl slightly at the ends, giving it an eye-pleasing font that is easy to read. It’s also significantly larger than his last sign, making it more likely to be spotted from a distance.

“I hope he likes it,” I mutter.

Absentmindedly tapping my foot against the ground, my gaze glides over to the worktable I’ve temporarily commandeered. The sight of his other gift—the one he’s not expecting—makes my palms sweat. I’m not sure why I’m so nervous over such a small, inconsequential gift. It’s a box of new business cards shaped into mountains that match his new sign, bought from a local graphic design shop.

What if he doesn’t like them? God, he’s the kind of person who would use them anyway. And I don’t want him to feel like he’s stuck using something he secretly loathes.

I groan. A month ago, I never would have done this. I wouldn’t have opened up about my parents or shared his bed, for that matter. And now look at me, jumping on his dick every chance I get. But I can’t get enough of him, and I’ve been trying to ignore the tiny bit of guilt that niggles at the back of my mind when I think of what could happen if Luke found out.

He won’t find out, and what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

Peering at the clock on the wall, a ghost of a smile curls my lips. I have enough time to grab Jax and show him the sign, maybe even get in a quickie before my shift. With that thought, my mind is made up and I quickly throw my coat on over my t-shirt and leggings. Pulling open the side door of the garage, I shudder when the frigid winter air nips at my exposed skin. Shoving my hands into my coat pockets, I quicken my strides. Despite the miserable cold, I’m grinning ear to ear by the time the shop comes into view.

“You boys always take such good care of me,” a feminine voice purrs.

A trickle of unease shimmers down my spine, my guard immediately going up. It’s a sultry, sexy kind of voice that belongs in a bedroom, not an automotive shop.

And definitely nowhere near Jax.

“Of course, ma’am. Call us anytime.” Jax’s voice is smooth, polite but not flirty.

When I walk into the open stall where the voices are coming from, I’m slammed with a million different emotions: jealousy, fear, irritation, self-doubt, possessiveness.

There’s a blonde bombshell of a woman with her hand wrapped around Jax’s bicep, her perky tits barely restrained by her white shirt, and she’s shooting him a flirtatious smile. I pause to take the scene in, grinding my teeth. She’s looking at him like he’s her next snack. The sight of her hands on his biceps makes me want to kick all her pretty white teeth in.

“The other place I used to go to in Crestwood Heights wasn’t nearly as friendly. The customer service here feels so personable, ya know?” She bats her eyelashes at him, and I curl my hands into fists. I can feel my body temperature rising.

“That’s a shame. I’m sorry to hear that.” Jax’s tone remains all businesslike, and I recognize it as his customer service voice. His gaze briefly dances away, his eyes glancing over the row of cars still lined up in queue. Looking back at her, he smiles politely and tips his chin. “Well, you have a good day.”

She gives him a pouty look, but he’s already strolling away.

“I was thinking maybe if you were free for dinner tonight, I could cook us something? I make a mean steak.”

Jax does a double-take, his eyebrows pulling up. I cross my arms, shifting restlessly on my feet. My movement must catch his attention because that’s the moment his gaze zeros in on me.

I give him a pointed look that says,well?

Translation:I fucking dare you.

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