I lean back in the soft leather seat of Jax’s truck and hum along to the radio while he concentrates on the road. I glance at his thick thighs and his huge hands and try to stop myself thinking about how good he looks beneath that suit. I’ve seen him almost naked plenty of times at my parents’ house when he’s been in the pool and the sight of him in those wet swim shorts gives me a lady-boner every single time.
“So, you’re coming to dinner tonight then?” I ask.
“Of course,” he says with a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because it’s Friday night. I assumed you’d have a hot date?” I say with a shrug.
He arches an eyebrow at me. “I do, but not until after dinner.”
I hide the sting of jealousy behind a smile and a head tilt. “Oh, that kind of date?”
“What other kind of date is there?” He chuckles softly.
“You’re such a player, Decker. Do these poor unsuspecting women know they won’t even get breakfast in the morning?”
“Hey! I’m a good Southern gentleman. I always provide breakfast.”
“Yeah? To go.” I shake my head at him, feigning my indignation, but the truth is I’d much prefer he had casual hookups than a stable girlfriend. I would hate to have to play nice with whoever he dated seriously—and I would have to do that. He’s so much a part of our family and our life that I wouldn’t be able to avoid her. Of course, the thought that he might fall in love with someone and ditch us completely, or move halfway across the country, is even more depressing. He’s from Dallas originally, and he still visits there a couple of times a year.
“What about you? Anyone serious around?” he asks.
I lean back in my seat and close my eyes. “I’m sure you’d know if there was, Jax.”
“Well, you’re pretty good at covering your tracks when you want to, Lucia. Can you say Brad?”
“Ugh,” I groan. “How do you know about him?”
“It doesn’t matter how I know. Why didn’t you tell me about him?”
“Because, Jax, I don’t want to tell you about every single guy I meet and have you vet them before I can go on a date. That’s why,” I snap.
“Luce, you know that’s not what this is.”
“Isn’t it?” I fold my arms across my chest.
“Your father worries about you. I worry about you too.”
That makes my heart swell a little in my chest, but I know he only means it in an uncle kind of way. Him and my dad are so bloody overprotective. I get that our family has enemies, but that shouldn’t mean I don’t get to have a life. “Well, I can take care of myself,” I snap.
“So, Brad?” he presses.
“He was a complete jackass,” I say with a sigh.
He turns to me, a scowl darkening his handsome features. “Why? What did he do?” he snarls.
“Nothing worth beheading him for,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “He was just a player too. That’s all.”
“Did you and him—?”
“Jax!”
“Sorry,” he mumbles. “You need me to pay him a visit?”
“No! Definitely not.” That would be the worst thing ever—having my father’s hired muscle hang Brad up by his balls because he blew me off to go on a date with a Lakers’ girl instead is the last thing I want. I didn’t even like him all that much anyway, but he asked me out every single day for a month and I finally agreed. I suppose it was all about the chase for him.
I didn’t date much at all through college—I didn’t have the time between caring for Matthias and my studies—but I spent two freaking hours getting ready to go out with that jackass only to have him dump me five minutes before he was due to pick me up. He claimed he had diarrhea. It was only the next day his social feeds were filled with pictures of him and the aforementioned Lakers’ girl. Asshole!
“So there’s nobody?” he asks again.
“No, Jax,” I snap at him. It’s unnecessary, but I can’t help it. “We’re not all lucky enough to be able to hook up with complete strangers every night of the week.”
“Lucia.”
“What?”
“Hooking up with randoms. That’s not for you.”
“You’re a hypocrite. You know that?” I snarl.
“And you’re fucking exhausting,” he rolls his eyes. “We’ve been in the car less than ten minutes and you’re already giving me attitude.”
“I’m not.” I pout, aware that I’m completely proving his point.
“I hope you’re not going to be this much of a spoiled brat once you start working for Montoya Inc.”
I turn and glare at him, my mouth open as I’m about to give him a snarky comeback, but he’s grinning. He knows I hate it when he calls me a spoiled brat. I’m not one and he knows that too.
“You’re an asshole.” I say instead with a grin.
“An asshole and a hypocrite?” he chuckles softly.
“Yup!”
“Good to know.”
We’re both quiet for a few moments before he speaks again. “I didn’t mean that you couldn’t hook up with randoms,” he says softly. “Just that I know it’s not your style, is all.”
“Yeah, well, hooking up with anyone looks attractive right now,” I sigh deeply. He’s right that I’m not usually into casual hookups, but I haven’t even dated anyone for months. I see other people my age out in clubs and meeting people, and I wonder if I’m missing out on something.
“You’ll meet the right guy one day,” he offers.
I swallow hard and resist the urge to tell him that I already have met him, but he is completely off limits and will only ever see me at his best friend’s daughter. “Yeah,” I say instead.
We stop at a traffic signal and he reaches over and cups my chin, making electricity crackle up my spine. “Hey.”
I turn and face him again.
“You will, Lucia, because you’re…” his dark eyes search mine. I try to look away because I feel like he can read my mind, but he holds me with the intensity of his gaze.
“I’m what?” I whisper.
“You’re… you.”
“I’m me? Wow! That’s some deep shit, Jax.” I arch an eyebrow at him.
The traffic moves again and he turns back to the road. “Stop cussing. And I hope you’re not going to be this annoying when we’re working together.”
“You and me will be working together?” I blink at him because the idea of that is both terrifying and exciting.
“Yeah. Your dad asked me to show you the ropes for a few weeks.”
“You mean babysit me?” I say with a roll of my eyes.
“No. I don’t do babysitting. You should think yourself lucky. I don’t usually take rookies under my wing.”
“So why am I getting special treatment then?”
“Like it or not, you’re the boss’s daughter. You want to work with us, you got to learn the business, and who better to learn from than the best?” He winks at me and warmth floods my center.
“You’re so modest.” I flutter my eyelashes at him.
“You’re a real smartass today, aren’t you?” he grins. “But boss’s daughter or not, any of that attitude when we’re working together and I will think nothing of whooping your ass.”
“Hmm, we’ll see.” I smile as I settle back in my seat again and close my eyes.
Images of Jax putting me over his knee and spanking me are now swimming around my head and they are not even the slightest bit unpleasant.
