“You’resucha pervert.”
“Guilty as charged. And you love it.”
“Ugh!” She tossed her hands in the air. “You areimpossible!”
“You said that already.”
“The truth bears repeating!”
Acting completely dejected—and having way more fun than he’d had in a long time—he sighed. “Fine. Have it your way.”
Handing over her clothes, he watched her pick out her bra and panties. Seeing her shimmy into them had him growling in earnest. And without conscious thought, he advanced on her.
“No. No, no!” Up went her finger again—her delightful, biteable finger. This time, she added a wag. “Back up three steps, sir. And once you’ve finished doing that, I suggest you put that thing away.” She made a vague motion toward his dick, which had regained its former glory. The condom was once more stretched tight around him. “Liable to put someone’s eye out,” she muttered under her breath.
He laughed.Reallylaughed. And, man, it felt good. Alas, since his fun was over—for now—he looked around for some place to dispose of the used condom.
Chelsea, ever polite, pulled a new roll of paper towels from the shelves and handed him a square. “There’s a trash can behind you in the corner.” She pointed over his shoulder.
He turned to see she was right. When he swung back, he thought he saw something drift across her face. A fleeting shadow. But then she pulled her sweatshirt over her head, and when her expression was visible once again, she was all smiley lips and twinkly eyes.
Still, hehadseen something, hadn’t he? However brief it had been?
His mind turned it over as he disposed of the condom and dressed. But before he could question her about it, she put her hand on the door handle and asked, “Ready to face the firing squad?”
“Is that what we’re calling them?”
“You think it’s an unfair description?”
Knowing the Black Knights? “Not at all.”
She pushed open the door, revealing the trio parked outside. Ace, Emily, and Christian stood in the middle of the kitchen. They formed a neat line, and when Dagan and Chelsea emerged from the pantry, they began clapping.
Chelsea blushed to the roots of her hair. But in typical, smart-ass Chelsea-style, she didn’t let them get the best of her. Instead, she took a theatrical bow complete with rolling hand gesture.
Her upthrust ass in those jeans had Dagan’s brains leaking out of his ears. Which was why he forgot about the shadow that had passed over her face and the fact that she needed to tell him something.
Chapter 29
“Okay, okay.” Chelsea patted the air after standing from her bow. She retrieved her glasses from the kitchen counter. Not that she really wanted to see the tormenting looks on the faces of her coworkers. “You’ve had your fun. Now cut the crap.”
“Aw, look at them.” Ace threw an arm around Emily’s shoulders. “Our babies are all grown up and finally getting jiggy with it. I’ve been hoping and praying for this day for so long. Brings a tear to the ol’ eye, doesn’t it?” He mimed wiping away a tear.
“It does,” Emily agreed, grinning like a fool. “My only question is why the pantry? Unless…” She glanced behind Chelsea and Dagan at the open pantry door. “Is there whipped cream in there? Chocolate syrup? If so, I can completely understand—”
“We weren’t in the pantry,” Dagan interrupted. “At least, not originally.”
Chelsea turned and widened her eyes. Her expression screamedIx-nay on the etails-day!
He ignored her. “Before you guys stomped in like a herd of elephants, we were here in the kitchen.” When he pointed to the counter—theircounter—Chelsea prayed the floor would open up and swallow her whole.
“Remind me not to prepare food in here until the whole place has been sanitized.” Ace’s lip curled.
“Speaking of food,” Dagan said, brow furrowed, “I thought you guys were supposed to bring us something to eat. I see no to-go bags.”
“We left the bar in a bit of a hurry.” Christian had the grace to look guilty. “A run-in with a mean drunk. Nothing major. But still, sorry to leave you in the lurch. If it’s any consolation, the fish and chips would have been a soggy mess by the time we got them here.”
“Guess it’s cereal for us,” Dagan lamented.
