Not Just Friends (Hot in the City #3) - T. Gephart Page 0,70

busy all the time, I’d totally take you out shopping with me to be my personal stylist.”

“As long as you don’t mind waiting a while, I’d love to.” I smiled as I took a seat, Jared’s eyes wide as I shuffled toward the table. His leg pressed against mine, one of his hands disappearing under the table and squeezing my knee.

Blowjobs, I reminded myself. He was thinking about blowjobs.

Thankfully the awkwardness didn’t last long, Maddy—the birthday girl—squealing she was hungry. Then like a huge and unexpected sinkhole, conversations started around the table, ignoring me and my dress.

“So, after we take Presley to work, where do you want to go?” Tibbs asked Leighton, ignoring the heated looks his best friend was giving me.

“I thought we were hanging at Diablo.” Jared cleared his throat, sliding his hand slightly up my leg before extracting it.

I breathed out in relief, thankful he wasn’t going to hitch higher up my leg and tease me as payback for what I’d said to him in the room. Little did he know, I had my own torture happening. Didn’t need any extra from him. “You guys don’t have to stick around. Bennett and his team are more than capable of handling security and have been doing it since we opened. And a drive-by a few days ago doesn’t mean anything. For all you know it could’ve been someone else’s car.”

Ordinarily, I loved Jared spending time in my club. Even though my time was limited, I selfishly liked having him there. I liked those stolen kisses in my office. Those flirty glances he threw at me when I walked by. And then the hungry grab of his hands the minute I was done. It was completely unreasonable and greedy, but it made my night infinitely better.

But that was before.

And while I still wanted all those things, since my heart had gotten involved, I was going to need a minute.

Just a break to sort things through and work out what the hell I was going to do.

“You don’t want us to stay?” Jared asked, the subtext saying something entirely different. He wasn’t worried about security or Lewis or even my brother. He was asking me why I wouldn’t want him to stay, to steal those precious moments when we could.

“Presley’s right.” Tibbs loaded his plate with roast beef, agreeing with me for the first time in forever about backing off. “Bennett has it under control and we’d probably be more useful somewhere else. And of course, we’ll pick her up when she’s done. That’s not even an issue.”

I shook my head, shooting that idea down too. “Not necessary. Rae can drive me home. You both just go out and have a good time.”

Jared couldn’t hide the confusion on his face, probably wondering how we’d gone from flirting in his old bedroom to me telling him to go have fun elsewhere. But I needed the space, even if it was just for the night so I could sort through my feelings.

He’d understand. He was the most perfect man anyone could ever ask for. And when I untwisted all my thoughts and worked up the courage to tell him, he would know why.

At least, I hoped he would.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his heated look asking me to reconsider but I wouldn’t be swayed.

“Yep, it’s fine. Now let’s eat. I need to get to Diablo early for a staff meeting, so we either move this along, or I’m going to steal Elena.” I laughed, attempting to lighten the mood and teasing him about his beloved car.

“Hey, you leave her out of this. She’s done nothing to you.” He returned the playful banter, hopefully moving from his concern back to our happy flirty place. “No one drives my baby but me.”

“Then it’s settled. We eat, then leave, and Rae drives me home.” I forked some of the roast beef on my plate, spreading a smile across my lips.

“Whatever you want, Sis.” Tibbs nodded, heaping more food on his plate. “And then, maybe I’ll finally find out more about Leighton’s woman. I swear, I’m beginning to think you’re ashamed of either her or me.”

My eyes widened, praying to God dinner would go quickly. “And it sounds like your evening’s set too.”

I was so fucked.

Jared

FINGERING A WOMAN in my childhood bedroom probably wasn’t my finest moment. It had been hot, making her come in the same room I’d jerked off in a million times, juicing me up more than it should. Those saints and angels