Page 14 of Cocky Prince
Interesting choice of criteria. And damning, if he’s involved with the Blue Stars. “And if I win?”
He shrugs. “Whatever you want. I’m pretty good with my hands.” He grins suggestively, and I roll my eyes. “You’re a single girl. I’m sure there’s something you need help with around the house.”
“That’s the best you can do? I’m not sure replacing a lightbulb is equal to me ignoring suspect activities at work. But putting that aside, how do you know I’m single? Just because I’m not interested in you, doesn’t mean I’m not interested in another man.”
His jaw shifts. “Are you single?”
I ignore that one. Won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing my private life. “More to the point, how do you knowI’mnot handy?”
There’s a moment of silence as Adam stares at me, his jaw still tensed from the first question. “Are you good with your hands, Hayden?”
That sounded like a double entendre. One that just made my chest flutter, damn him. And no, I’m not good at fixing things. “Fine. If I win, forget repairs—you canbuildme something. Since you’re so good with your hands.”
Oooh, I’d just love to see this pretty boy try to build something—anything. I bet he’d hammer a nail in his thumb, cuss a few times, and pay someone to take over. That in and of itself would give me ammunition to use against him for months. Worth it. Besides, there is no way he’s winning this bet.
He raises an eyebrow. “No hints as to what you need built?”
“You’ll see. After I win.” I glare at his arm beside my head, caging me in and causing ripples of heat to spiral down my body.
He drops his arm and I open the car door. I slide in the backseat, ready to get away from Adam’s scent, which is doing funny things to my head.
Tyler waves to Adam, who’s rounding the front of the truck, and puts the car in reverse.
“Everything okay?” Mira asks.
“Yup. Just a little friendly bet I plan to win.”
Chapter Five
Adam
Ireturnto Zach and Nessa’s living room, my chest puffed up, hands clenched and tingling from adrenaline. The only reason I agreed to Hayden’s bet is because there’s no way I’ll lose. And I need her to stay out of this business Blackwell has me on.
There’s nothing wrong with hiring a few people, but Paul and William have been acting shifty about this venture for months, and I don’t trust them. That’s not enough reason for me to back out—it would take a hell of lot more for me to pass up the opportunity to sever myself from the Cade money—but I will keep Hayden out of it just to be safe.
Jaeger stares at me like I’ve lost my mind. “What the hell was that?”
Did he overhear my conversation with Hayden? Because I’ve gotta say, I enjoyed our mental tussle. Always gets my blood firing, but I don’t want Jaeg to know about that. He might get the wrong idea. I shrug it off. “What are you talking about?”
“You. And Hayden. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. We argue. That’s typical for us.”
Jaeg’s head tilts. “I’ve never seen you chase after a woman.”
I scratch my neck. “I wouldn’t say Ichasedher.”
“Chased.”Jaeg enunciates the word very deliberately.
When I wasn’t working for my father, I taught snowboarding with Jaeg and a couple of buddies at Heavenly during winter breaks. We were inseparable then and have been close ever since. The guy knows me, which, in this case, is inconvenient.
“Fine. She drives me batshit crazy, but I work with her. I don’t want there to be tension tomorrow. I went out to smooth things over.” Sort of. I also might have antagonized her, but that’s her fault. She brings out the animal in me.
Everyone is silent—Jaeg, Cali, Zach, Lewis. And they’re staring. “What, already?”
Jaeg looks to Zach, who purses his lips and shakes his head, as if he doesn’t believe me either, or can’t believe what he’s seeing. He turns toward the stove and collects pans, placing them in the sink. Lewis wraps a long arm around Gen’s shoulders and continues to stare like he’s never seen me before.
Jesus, can’t a guy have a chat with a woman without his entire gang labeling it?
