Page 23 of Smooth Moves
Chapter 5
Cash wouldn’t have thought it, but he’d missed Jordan the minute he’d left her apartment. And after last night, the pretense that she was just a coworker and meant nothing to him was more difficult to maintain. He had no idea how he could feel simultaneously comfortable and aroused by a woman at the same time.
At least at work, Finley hadn’t annoyed him too much. Knowing Jordan had again been paired with Smith bothered the crap out of him, but he’d never admit as much to Reid, so he let things lie. When several of the gang decided to meet at Ringo’s that night after work, he took a pass, complaining of a headache.
As he’d said to Jordan, he needed a break.
Because as God was his witness, he’d never felt so out of control in lust before. Combining that with genuinely liking the woman, his libido was off the charts. His hands on her hips, holding on tight, had been the only thing stopping him from doing her right there in her tiny kitchen last night.
So he understood her looking both sexy and confused after they’d kissed each other senseless. Or at least,he’dfelt muddled. Maybe she’d been confused about something else. Had she felt the same tsunami of desire he had? Man. He hated not being sure.
The smart move would be to stop working alongside her altogether and keep things professional. No more dinners. No helping him pack up his mom’s place. No talking to her brother. No personal relationship, period.
But that would be akin to cutting off his arm. Hewantedto be around her. Even to joke around, all platonic-like.
Did she still think about that kiss? He did. Hell, he’d beaten off to it this morning. Twice.
He groaned, glad that at least he had the weekend to think about how to deal with the mouthy beauty.
Later that evening while the gang met at Ringo’s, Cash sat beside Evan at his cousin’s place, sharing a pizza.
Evan frowned at him. “You okay? You’ve been groaning a lot lately.”
Cash shrugged. “Life.” He reached for another piece of extra cheese and finished off their first pie. “Good thinking, getting a few boxes.”
Evan grinned. A lot like Reid but more easygoing, Evan Griffith had also done his time in the Marine Corps. Unlike Reid and Cash, Evan had become an officer. A logistician, and from what Cash knew, the guy had been on his way to making real grade. But Evan had left the service as a captain, become a CPA, and made enough money that he’d been able to afford investing heavily in Vets on the Go! He was the other, more silent, partner in the business.
“So when are you gonna quit your job and work with us full-time?” Cash asked, having heard his cousin complain about his beautiful, brainy, domineering boss one too many times.
“Pretty soon, I think.” Evan started on his fourth piece, no slouch at putting down food. “I’ve been redoing my five- and ten-year plans. With what I have put aside, some investments, and some ideas, I think I might be able to take a break for a while.”
“A break? As in not work?”
“Why not? I’ve earned it.”
“Well, I guess.” Cash couldn’t imagine doing nothing. Oh, for a day or two, he could focus on the gym, petty chores, watching his dramas or seasonal sports on TV. But too much time gave him too much potential to get into trouble.
Evan snorted. “We’re not all obsessive type A’s like you and Reid.”
Cash huffed. “Please, Evan. You’re worse than Reid is. I work because otherwise I get myself into trouble. That and I like to eat.” He started on another piece of pizza. “Being able to afford food is a pretty decent motivator to keeping a job.”
“Yeah. Especially with as much as you put away.”
“You’re no slouch.” Cash stared at his cousin’s now-empty plate. “I’ll open the other box.”
“Do that.” Evan sighed and sank back in the couch. “Yeah, my time at McNulty & Campbell is at an end. I just don’t want so many hours. Vanessa’s a workaholic yet still has time for her husband and little girl. I have no idea how she does it.” He sighed. “I feel tired all the time.”
“You look like shit.”
“Thanks so much.” Evan rolled his eyes. “I know you think I’ll become this huge sloth, but I just need a week or two off to relax. Then I’m thinking of working part-time, doing people’s books. The rest of the time I’ll help grow Vets on the Go! Thanks to Reid and Naomi, we have a decent start.” He paused, saw Cash’s annoyance, and added, “Oh, and you too. You are the one who beat up that burglar on TV. Way to save Gotham, Batman.”
Cash could do without the sarcasm. “First of all, I was stopping some lowlifes from knifing a kid. I didn’t know anyone was filming it. Second, that they happened to be robbing the neighbors made hitting them feel damn good. I felt like I should have been paying them for the privilege.” Cash shrugged. “So suck it if you don’t like my skills.”
“Whatever. Still, that heroic act got us the attention that’s made a real difference. Remember where we started? With just you and Reid doing all the lifting?”
“More like me lifting while Reid bitched about it,” Cash murmured.
“Right. But now we have, what, ten employees?”
