Page 81 of Always Red (Chasing Red 2)

“If I offered you a job, what would you say?”

She let out an annoyed sigh. “I’d say you can kiss my butt.”

I knew it.

“Okay.” Then I widened my eyes. “What? Right now? You’re so insatiable. I thought that parking lot session was enough, but I guess it left you wanting more. Now I have to satisfy you in…other ways.”

Her mouth fell open. I just had to laugh.

Although…I was serious. I was really serious. In fact I was thinking that—

“Like what?” she asked.

I froze. Her eyes had darkened. Damn. My pants felt tight.

Then she shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. “I’m serious, Caleb. Don’t.”

Huh?

“Don’t what? Satisfy you in other ways?”

She was blushing so hard that even the tips of her ears were red. I realized she hadn’t meant to have that unguarded moment when she asked, in that sexy, make-love-to-me voice, Like what?

She had fried my brain with that simple question and the look in her eyes.

I couldn’t keep up with her. She drove me wild.

“No,” she replied quietly. “Let’s stop talking about sex for a minute, please?”

Why?

But I nodded. I didn’t want to push her on this. But damn. I wanted her so damn bad.

And I really needed to adjust my pants. When she looked out the car window, I quickly did.

“I have my own job. I don’t want you to give me work. I want to make it on my own.”

We were back to this. Okay then. I let out a defeated sigh. There was no arguing with her when she was in this mood. I knew when to push something and when to let it go. The set of her jaw and the warning in her eyes told me this was nonnegotiable.

“Okay, then I didn’t say anything. It was your imagination. Can I hold your hand now?”

Her lips stretched into a pretty smile, and I reached for her hand, played with her fingers.

“You said you had a deal with your mom. I’m trying to understand why.”

“Why what?” But I knew what she meant. And it embarrassed me to talk about it.

“Why wouldn’t you want to work for your company while you were in college? It would have been a big help to you, wouldn’t it? In school and for your position in the company now, if you had more training.”

Embarrassed, I rubbed the back of my knuckle on the tip of my nose. “I did actually work for Ben before. You know I wasn’t always this responsible and respectable.”

She raised her eyebrow. I know that very well, her expression said.

I let out an uncomfortable laugh. “Even before my parents’ marriage completely fell apart, my dad had already moved out.”

My embarrassment was replaced by resentment so quickly that I didn’t realize my hands had turned into tight fists until she pried them open gently. With her sweet, silent coaxing, she laced her fingers with mine.

“I just switched off, I guess. I didn’t want to care that much. My dad wanted me to be one of the best hoteliers, so I worked my ass off. And when he left when I was in high school, I rebelled. Didn’t want to make him proud, didn’t want to do anything with him.”

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