Page 58 of Work with Me

“Rick, this is Alicia. We work together.”

I stared into the last pair of eyes I’d wanted to see tonight. “We know each other,” I said, my voice tight.

“We’ve been seeing each other on and off,” Rick said at the same time.

I stared at him. “On and off? We ended it four months ago.”

He shrugged. “I figured you didn’t want to date during the season, and we’d pick up where we left off after.”

Jackson’s hand convulsed in mine. “Alicia’s the woman you told me about in the gym?” His cheeks were pink, and he didn’t look at me.

Shit, what had Rick told him?

“You didn’t say you were seeing anyone.” Rick’s gaze arrowed to where our hands were still joined.

“We’re not—” I began.

Jackson dropped my hand. “Alicia and I work together.”

A chill settled in my chest.

“Rick. You and I are not getting back together.” My voice crackled with frost. “Not when the season’s over. Not ever.”

His green eyes flared. “You were a bad lay, anyway, Ice Queen.”

A fraction of a second later, Jackson was in his face. “Out.”

“But I—”

“Out.” Jackson used his larger body to herd Rick toward the door, ignoring the people they jostled along the way.

I stood where they’d left me, my feet stuck to the floor like I was exactly what he’d called me, an ice queen, a statue.I’d tried to be open with him. I’d let him into our lives. He’d met Mom and Esmy. We’d even taken the boys on a couple of our dates.

But had I really let him in? Had I held something back, not giving him a chance? Would I always be holding part of myself back, like Mom had with Dad?

Had it been me who sucked in bed, not him?

I wrenched the cap off the bottle of water and chugged it, the cold liquid burning my throat. By the time Jackson rejoined me, I’d emptied the bottle. I shoved it into his hand. “I’m going now. Thanks for inviting me.” My voice was two-dimensional, like my heart.

“Don’t go.” He rested a hand on my arm below my shoulder, not pinning me there, but comforting me with a squeeze. “I’m sorry about Rick. I didn’t know he was the one you told me about.”

“Yeah. Well.” I stared at his boots. “I shouldn’t have come.”

“Alicia.” His big body shielded me from Tyler and the college guy lolling on the couch, as well as the rest of the party. His voice was low, urgent. “I’m glad you came. I want you here. Please don’t let that asshole Rick ruin this for you. You’re a strong woman, one of the strongest I’ve ever met. I’m honored you’ve allowed me to be your friend. Letting people get close to you is your choice. Not mine, and not his.” He nodded at the door he’d muscled Rick through.

My throat closed up, and the words piled up behind it like water behind a dam. Even though we were surrounded by people, by loud hair-band music, by the ghoulish uplights, we two were all alone under Synergy’s awning, his gentle fingers blotting away blood at my hairline. I reached down and tangled my fingers with his for a moment. I hoped he could see the gratitude shining out of my eyes.

“Ouch.” He winced.

Gentling my grip, I lifted our joined hands. His knuckles were red, and one had an abrasion that was starting to well with blood.

I stared at him, my eyes bugging.

He shrugged. “Punches to the face are hard to execute well.”

A groan from Tyler ripped through the moment. I let go of Jackson’s hand and peered around him. “Tyler, are you okay?”

“Spinning,” he mumbled.

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