Page 29 of Under Daddy's Spell

She should have trusted her instincts from the get-go and never mixed business with her personal life. Well, it wasn’t too late to remedy that.

“Don’t bother,” she told him coolly as she took a step back, putting distance between them.

“Don’t bother with what? Thompson?” he asked, incredulous. “After you’ve been in here daily with a litany of minor annoyances, you’re turning down my help on something this big? Seriously?”

“Yes,” she snapped. “Because as much as I’m a brat, you’re an even bigger jerk. I’ll figure it out for myself. Thank you very much.”

“Yeah? How’s that been working for you so far?”

She turned on her heel to storm out, but he caught her arm and spun her around.

“I’m not done talking to you, Tessa.”

So badly, she wanted to tell him where to stick his help. Instead, she replied in a tone so sweet, sugar wouldn’t melt in her mouth. “Gee, that’s too bad,honey buns, because I’m through listening.”

She jerked her arm free, whirled, and, quicker than the last time, was out of reach and on her way to the front door. Their little drama had captured the attention of the entire gym. Even Hulk stopped grunting long enough to stare as she passed him. She ignored him and all the others. Not stopping when Jordan called, “Tessa, wait!”

She felt his eyes burning into her when she pushed through the double glass doors. Try as she might to keep her focus straight ahead, she lost the battle and shot a quick glance through the big front windows as she stomped back up the sidewalk. Just as she thought, he was watching her. His gaze aimed downward in the vicinity of her ass. Check that. Hersweet cheeks.

***

BEYOND STEAMED, WHENshe stormed into her steamier bookstore, she crossed to the coffee bar and snapped, “Ice water,” too irate to tack on either please or thank you.

While she waited, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through her recent calls. Her absentee landlord’s number was at the top of the list. As it rang, she tapped her foot with mounting annoyance. When the all-too-familiar voicemail message came on after the sixth ring, she lost what little control she had left.

“Mr. Thompson,” she snapped. “The weather forecast is for temperatures in the triple digits, and I have no air-conditioning. My employees and customers are going to keel over from heat stroke in my store. Since I’ve called you umpteen times and you have done not one damn thing”—cursing wouldn’t help the situation, but being polite sure hadn’t worked—“any subsequent lawsuits I’m referring to you. I think it’s to both of our benefits if you’d call me!”

She hit the red button then slammed the phone onto the counter when what she really wanted to do was throw it at Jordan’s head.

Angie walked to the ice machine, glass in hand. “I take it things didn’t go well next door?”

Still seething, she started pacing in front of the counter.“I’ve talked to tree stumps with more courtesy.”

“Who?” Angie asked. “Jordan?”

“No, Thompson.” Pacing the other way, she threw up her hands. “Do you believe he had the nerve to call me sweet cheeks?”

“Tightwad Thompson did that?”

“No, Jordan did.” She glared at her friend in annoyance. “Keep up, Angie.”

Tessa saw the lip-twitch of her barely contained grin from the corner of her eye.

“It’s not funny,” she muttered as she stomped past her.

“Sweet cheeks kind of is,” her friend said, as she gave up trying to hide her amusement and her smile emerged. “Especially with you wearing that skirt.”

She came to a sudden halt and looked down. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she demanded, “What’s wrong with my skirt?”

“Other than being so tight, it looks like you put it on with a paint roller?” Angie asked. “Remember, I’m coming at this from the same place Jordan is since I play for his team, not yours.” She held up her hand and waggled her finger with the gold band. “I’m also saying this as a happily married woman, but come on, Tess. With your booty, if you’re gonna wear an ass-hugging skirt, people will look.”

“You sound like Seth.”

“Whoever he is, he’d be right.”

“You aren’t helping,” she snapped, on the move again.

“Sorry, hon. Jord-i-licious wouldn’t turn it down a few notches?”

---