Red sighed, and Ryden sipped his soda before speaking up.
“Okay, yes. I know we can’t keep this up forever. I just…I don’t know what to do with him. He drives me batshit. Everything about him is so…ugh.”
Jay wasn’t like anyone Ryden had ever known. He was as bold as his fashion choices and didn’t give two shits what anyone thought of him. The guy could hold a grudge until the end of time, but he was also funny and thoughtful andson of a biscuit eater!He had to find a way to get Jay out of his head.
Red hummed. “Well, talking it out doesn’t seem to work for you two. Maybe you two just need to, I don’t know, fuck it out.”
Ryden had not been prepared for that and started choking on his soda.
“Shit! You okay? Breathe, man.” Red slapped Ryden’s back as Ryden gulped for air and did his best not to die.
“What the hell?” Ryden wheezed. “Where’d that come from?”
Red shrugged. “It seemed to work for Lucky and Mason. Before they got together, we figured they were either going to kill each other or fuck.”
“That’s…” Ryden shook his head. “That ain’t what’s happenin’ here.”
“No? So Jay didn’t try to lunge at you to inflict bodily harm after you put a fake spider in his desk?”
Okay, that happened. Still….
“Could you at least call a truce?” Red asked.
“I’ll think about it. No promises.”
Behind them, the chocolate fountain whirred, screeched, then caught fire. Ryden let his head hang. “They’ve managed to set chocolate on fire, Red. I don’t even know what to do with that.”
With a laugh, Red patted Ryden’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go put out the chocolate fountain. Think about what I said.”
Ryden nodded. He thought about it.
Truce my ass.
CHAPTER FOUR
“A truce?”Jay eyed Ryden, then his outstretched hand. Mmm, no. He wasn’t going to fall for it. After what Jay had witnessed on the surveillance video from the Rusticucci party, no way Ryden wanted a truce. The guy was still leaving particles of red glitter wherever he went.
“Yes, a truce,” Ryden sighed. “Stop lookin’ at me like my hand’s gonna electrocute you or somethin’.”
“How do I know it won’t?” Jay narrowed his eyes. He was well acquainted with Ryden’s sneaky sneak ways. Pfft. Their office feud had been going on for years.Years. And not once had Ryden ever called for a truce. What would that even look like?
“It’s not a trick.”
Ha! That’s exactly what someone who wanted to trick him would say. “Yeah, I’m not buying it.” Jay went back to reading his paperback. He didn’t have time for Ryden’s shenanigans. Things were about to get steamy between the sexy duke and the equally hot highwayman. The last thing Jay needed was Mr. Marine, who wasnotthe man of his dreams, trying to pull one over on him. “If you’ll excuse me, I must find out who betrayed the duke and ruined his good name. Truce not accepted.”
“Fine.” Ryden turned and walked off. “It was his aunt.”
Jay slowly lowered his book. No. Had he…? No way Ryden had just spoiled the end of his book. Besides, Ryden didn’t read historical romances. Or any romance for that matter. The man seemed to be allergic to it. Not a romantic bone in his body. “You didn’t.”
Ryden turned, walking backward, his grin smug. “I read the end while you were at lunch. Oh, and she used the highwayman to do it. The duke’ll find out about that later.”
“No,” Jay gasped. With a frustrated growl, Jay lobbed his book at Ryden, who caught it with a laugh. “You jerk! I was enjoying that book!”
Ryden looked at the paperback and wrinkled his nose. Turning it, he tapped the model on the cover. “Why’s he shirtless? Does he walk around the English countryside shirtless?”
“Maybe he does.” Jay crossed his arms over his chest. Why was he even having this conversation with Ryden? The man was so frustrating!
“It takes place in thewinter,” Ryden shot back. “Look. There’s snow on the cover. He’d freeze his nipples off! Among other things. Completely unrealistic.”
