Page 65 of My Office Rival

“I’m not sure what gave you that impression.” He grinned at me and then drew me up against him. “But I’ll tell you a secret.” He pressed his lips to my ear. “I think you’re perfect.”

He released me as we got to the front of the line. I tried to be annoyed, but all I felt was hot under my clothes.Perfect.

We clambered into the tiny car, and the operator slammed the bar down over us. Jason tested it, his thumb brushing my leg. “Ready for this?”

“I’m leaning in,” I grumbled, and he laughed.Beautiful man.After all his time in the dark, the fact that he could be here, laughing, making me take risks.He doesn’t show this to anyone else, I bet.My throat tightened.

We started to move, rattling and shaking, until we got to the first drop. We paused and my stomach lurched, knowing what was coming. And then we tipped off the edge, and my stomach dropped to my shoes. I threw my arms up, trying to enjoy the exhilaration, instead of panicking, as we twisted and turned. I was thrown against Jason’s hard thigh again and again.

“Hell yes!” he yelled. I turned to see him losing his shit, and I laughed at the pure shock of it. He grinned at me and pumped his fist in the air. We twisted one more time, and he fell against me, making me laugh again, and then shriek as we went nearly upside down. We finally came to a shuddering stop, and I slumped, adrenaline making me shaky. Jason’s hand entered my field of vision, and I grabbed it. He hauled me out and down the steps with an arm wrapped around my waist. It felt good to be taken care of, to lean into him as I stumbled off the platform. I caught my breath on the side of the wooden frame, my hands on my knees.

“That was insane. I haven’t done that in years.” Even my voice was shaky.

“That was my first time.”

I looked up in shock. “You never went as a…oh of course you didn’t. Well, what did you think? I poked him in the side, hishardside, and he swatted at my hand.

“Not bad,” he responded, thoughtfully. “I think I might need to go again for the full effect.” His eyes lit with unholy light.

“No. No way. I’ve barely recovered from the last round.” My whole body rejected the idea of doing that again. “We tempted fate just doing it the one time. Do you see that wooden beam there? It doesn’t look secure.” I pointed, he turned, and Iran. My feet slapped the grass once, twice, before he caught me. His breath was hot on my neck and his arm a band of muscle around my middle. I laughed helplessly.

“Don’t try to run,” he growled, and I stilled.Fuck, that voice was hot.

“Or what?” My voice was breathy, high.

His lips touched my ear and my belly flipped. “Or I’ll catch you and you won’t like the consequences.”

“Or maybe I will.” I was playing with fire, but I couldn’t help it. He held me close for one more second, the beat of his heart a steady thump against my back. I wanted to lean back, to luxuriate in the closeness, but he pulled away. We wove our way through the throngs of people, his body sheltering mine when the crowd got too thick. Hisworry over losing me squeezed at my heart.This man is going to destroy me.One day, Jason Elliott would be an amazing husband. When he finally let himself have a second night, and then a third night with someone, she would be the luckiest woman on earth. He would help shoulder her burdens, make her dinner, keep her from getting lost in the crowd.

For the first time, I let myself wonder. What would it be like to be his? For just a few seconds, I imagined that his hand on mine was leading me into the future with him, that his laughing glances back at me were filled with affection.

It didn’t matter. He was the one-night man, and I’d been lucky enough to have two. It would have to be enough.

After another decadent fried Oreo, we headed for the car, walking in comfortable silence as the voices of the revelers mixed with the sounds of the early evening cicadas.

An angry voice cut through the pleasant hum. “—Why the fuck do you think I told you to take care of it?” The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

Jason stiffened. Was he going to go postal on me again? He pulled me against the car and put his hand against my mouth before I had a chance to react. I grabbed his wrist, but he shook his head, his eyes wide.

“Yeah, but the bribe wasn’t enough. He’s asking for more,” another man responded, his voice grating and low.

“That’s not my fucking problem. Use force if you need to, but we need that permit,” the familiar voice responded. “And no one should find out about this. That goes without saying. But your boys are fucking idiots, so it bears repeating.” I turned the contours of that voice over in my mind. I knew it. But from where?

The other man grumbled something inaudible, and the sound of their steps moved toward us. Jason grabbed my hand and yanked me between two cars. He forced me down and I shoved at him. “What the hell?” I mouthed the words.

“Not now,” he mouthed back. His chest was pressed to my back, and his heart raced under his shirt.

What the hell is going on here?Jason Elliott was keeping secrets.

When we finally got back in the car, Jason shoved unsteady hands through his hair before starting the engine.

“Drive. And then talk,” I commanded. “You’re not getting out of this one, so you tell me now what the fuck is going on, or you tell me at home.”

“Okay.” His voice was unsteady. “Okay,” he repeated, almost to himself. His thumb stroked the steering wheel reflexively. He seemed almostscared.But what could scare this normally unshakable man?

39

JASON

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