Page 95 of Rush of Jealousy

“How much for your damn shirt and bra?” he growls.

My eyes light up. “How much do you got?”

He counts and recounts his money. “Seven hundred forty-five dollars.”

I make an exaggerated pouty frown. “Oh no, that’s too bad. They cost seven fifty.” I shrug and then click my tongue against the roof of my mouth.

Graham’s eyes narrow.

I lick my lips for dramatic effect. “Also too bad, I would have given you a blowjob for a thousand or for the transfer of your houses to my properties. But it looks like you are a poor saver. ”

His growl lets me know that I am getting to him. It feels powerful and freeing. Dare I sayfun?

“Using sexual favors as currency, I see. Smart alternative strategy for a game that only has one,” he says shaking his head at me. “I underestimated you once again, Miss McFee.”

He rolls for his turn. He lands on one of my railroads and, because I own three of them, owes me one hundred dollars. Or he can opt for the question.

“Question.” His voice is hoarse.

I love that we get to each other. We know each other’s buttons and know exactly how hard to push them. It is a dangerous game of edge play. The push and pull. Give and take. Rise and fall.

I just never thought Monopoly would be the catalyst that would bring out these sides for us.

“How many sexual partners have you had before me?” I blurt out in a fast string of words.

“Fuck, Angie. Really?”

I move my head up and down. “Yes, really.” I have been curious since we started heating things up. Plus, he already knows my sexual history, although it lacks any real experience. Only seems fair I should know his. I watch as he tilts his head back and closes his eyes. Ugh. How many does he have? “Do you need an accountant to help with the addition?”

“Twelve,” he spits out.

So I am unlucky—or lucky—number thirteen. I am not exactly sure how many I thought he would say. But I think any number other thanonewould make me have the rush of jealousy that is currently smacking against my heart. I knew he had a past. You don’t get as good as he is with his hands and mouth without having some type of practice. Porn can only provide so much education.

I let the number marinate in my head a bit more before I ask a follow-up question. “What do they all have in common?”

“They are all female.”

A boisterous laugh bursts out. “Smart-ass.” I should have expected it. Neither of us like openly talking about our personal lives. “Can you be more specific?”

“They all had vaginas.”

I scoff. “Graham!”

“What do you want to know, Angie? I barely remember most of them. Some were just sex partners and nothing more. It’s not like I have had many actual relationships. I fuck and forget. And a few times, I fuckedtoforget.”

“Eww.” I make a disgusted face. He makes it sound so nasty and clinical when he puts it like that.

“You have been the only person I have ever really wantedmorewith.”

“What about Sophia?” There. I said it. The one woman in his past who makes me want to spit nails…into her eyes.

“Right now Sophia and I are strictly just business associates. She is employed under Entice as an escort and under Jealousy as a signature model for the jewelry line. We had an on-again but mostly off-again”—he pauses to search his brain for the right word—“partnership.”

“Romance.”

“It is not what I would call romantic.”

“Would you guys go to restaurants?”

---