Page 23 of Slow Ride

Agreatthing.

And here he was messing it up for her.

He really was the worst person possible for Wren.

Fuck.

Before either of them could say something, Kason beat them to it.He practically snarled when he neared and asked, “How’d you get in here?”

Funny, that wasn’t how he’d looked at Jordan during “Secret Love.”Was he afraid Jordan was going to mention their eye-fucking or the intimate moment they’d shared in front of 10,000 or more of their closest friends?

Jordan tried not to look guilty as he tapped the backstage pass in the flimsy plastic holder around his neck.

Kason peered at it, his eyes widening when he realized it was the autographed ticket he’d obviously given Wren.“Where’d you get that?Did she give it to you?”

Jordan shook his head.He wasn’t about to throw Wren under the bus when she obviously liked this guy, even if he was kind of tipping from hottie to jerk in Jordan’s estimation.“Found it when I went to visit my partner.Well, his grave I mean.”

Kason’s green eyes grew wide then flew to Wren.“Partner?Your ex was hispartner?”

Why would Cox get so bent out of shape about that?Jordan narrowed his eyes, putting his agent skills to work now that his brain was starting to reengage.

“Jordan is a special agent for ICE,” Wren deadpanned.“They were literally partners.”

As much as they both knew Jordan had wanted it to be more than that, working together and sharing her was all he’d been able to claim about his actual relationship with Johnny.

“Oh.”Was it his imagination or did Kason Cox seem disappointed by that news flash?After the way he’d sung “Secret Love” to Jordan, Jordan wasn’t sure what the man was into.He certainly had seemed to be enjoying having his tongue stuffed down Wren’s throat.

Maybe he was bisexual, too.Or at least like Jordan believed himself to be even if he hadn’t had the right circumstances to test that theory.

“Son of a bitch, Wren.I’m sorry, okay.I should have realized you’d be here.”Jordan swallowed hard.“I wasn’t thinking.I was on my way to the lake, saw the ticket, and came right over.Sorry.I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

No, he hadn’t done it on purpose.But he couldn’t say he was sorry he had.Because some base portion of his brain still thought of Wren as his.

Worse was the part that got off on watching her come apart in another man’s arms.

Maybe he shouldn’t have interrupted.Then he could have spied on them…

You’re a sleazy fucking asshole.

“Enjoy the rest of your evening together.I mean that, sincerely.”He stuck his hand out to Kason, who accepted it grudgingly.The guy had a solid grip.Even that couldn’t account for the impact of his hand enfolding Jordan’s.Both of them released each other simultaneously, before they could acknowledge the zing that traveled between them.“The show was fantastic, Mr.Cox.Johnny would have loved every second.”

Wren didn’t say anything, but Jordan saw her throat flex as she swallowed down her emotions.She nodded brusquely.When he pivoted to leave, she called out, “Hey, Jordan.”

He spun around again so fast he got dizzy.It would have been impossible not to notice the protective and possessive hand Kason had on her lower back.“Yeah?”

“Make sure you put that back where you found it.”Her steely stare gutted him, and he deserved it.

“Of course.”He closed his eyes for a moment, then really did leave that time, stopping only momentarily to reassure Devra and the Hot Rods ladies that he was fine even if he clearly wasn’t.

It was more important to him that Wren was, though.So he said to them, “You’ll make sure she gets home safe?”

“Us Hot Rods and Hot Rides stick together,” Sally promised him.“We’ll be fine.”

For the first time in a long time, Jordan wished he belonged somewhere—anywhere—too.

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