Page 11 of Smooth Moves
Chapter 3
Working with Smith had its moments, Jordan thought. Thursday afternoon, after they finished moving a woman from Queen Anne to Kirkland, which had taken all day thanks to traffic and a mother of a haul, Jordan sat with the taciturn man as he drove them back to the office.
“You don’t talk much.” She studied him.
He looked a lot like Cash. Had she not known better, she’d have thought them related. Big, strong, and obnoxious when he did deign to speak, he resembled Cash in mannerisms too. Probably why she got along with him so well.
Hector and his twin, Lafayette, didn’t mind him, but they got along with everyone. Heidi didn’t seem to care for him, nor did the others. But Jordan thought of Smith as a surly younger Cash, and to her befuddlement, he made her feel safe, like one of the guys. Finley liked to flirt, and she knew had she given him the slightest encouragement, he’d have been after her for a date. Hector had given off a playful vibe as well, and she knew he’d welcome a chance to get to know her better. As much as she genuinely liked him, she didn’t feel anything but friendship toward him.
Not the way she felt for Cash, which still confused her. She felt attracted, annoyed, and disturbed that she thought about him at all, especially since he was her boss. Smith, her coworker, had the same rugged good looks, an amazing body, and an attitude that amused more than aggravated her. But she didn’t feel that same spark she felt for Gunnery Sergeant Annoying.
“Why are you staring at me?” Smith growled.
“Just wondering what crawled up your ass and died.”
He smirked. She grinned.
“I like doing my job. Didn’t know I needed to talk about it.”
“You don’t. But it wouldn’t hurt you to say more than ‘on your left’ when you pass by. You could say, ‘Gee, Jordan. You’re super efficient. Mind if I watch and learn?’ See, that would be nice. Or you could just grunt hello and goodbye instead of disappearing like a ghost.”
“You want me. I knew it.” He sighed.
She blinked. “What?”
“Women get chatty when they want some of me. I can’t help being this fine. But, honey, I’m too much for a sweet thing like you to handle.”
That was more than Smith had said at once in all the time she’d known him. Had she wanted him to be more chatty?
“You know what? Don’t talk.”
He grunted.
She turned up the music, and they listened to alternative rock on the drive back.
It surprised her when Smith spoke again. “You like Cash, don’t you?”
“He’s okay for a boss.”
Smith sneered. “He’s an asshole playing at being ‘one of the guys.’ How can you stand him?”
She’d wondered at the hostility she’d sensed from Smith toward Cash and sometimes Reid. But he’d never said anything about either one of them before. “If you hate Cash so much, why work for him?” To be honest, Cash insisted they workedforReid and Evan. The movers workedwithCash, as far as Cash was concerned.
She didn’t know why he continued to make the distinction, but it seemed important to him that everyone agree. And since he never acted superior, just led by example, she humored him.
“I need the job,” Smith said and went back to being quiet. After another quarter hour in standstill traffic, he asked, “What about Reid? He’s a douche, but not as bad, right?”
She blew out a breath. “Look, Smith. I like working for Vets on the Go! It’s not something I’ll do forever, but it’s a job I can honestly be proud of. I enjoy my coworkers—usually.” She glared at him, uncaring that he glared back. “If you’re just going to bitch, keep it to yourself or quit. It’s exhausting enough working all day moving heavy crap. Having to listen to you complain about the job is torture. Shut up, move on, or deal with Cash and Reid on your issues, okay?”
He shut up until they’d parked the van in the warehouse. “Anyone ever tell you you’re kind of direct?”
“What clued you in?”
“I like that.” He actually smiled at her, and wow, did a smile on his face make a huge difference. “Okay, no more comments about our fuckhead bosses.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Want to grab a beer?”
