God, he was starting to hate those two words. Claire used them to keep him at a distance and Harmony used them to issue warnings.
Rick came home and that seemed to finally put a cork in Harmony’s interrogation. Jake took the opportunity for escape his brother’s arrival afforded.
“I’m gonna get going.”
“Why don’t you stay for dinner?” Harmony asked.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll just grab some takeout from the Clubhouse.”
Rick eyed him and Jake wondered what else he and his wife had talked about. “You sure?”
Jake nodded. He crossed over to Nick and gave him a kiss on the top of his head. “Be good, little man.”
The little boy flicked his eyes from the screen for a split second before turning back to his dragon movie. “Bye, Uncle Jake.”
Jake slapped his brother on the shoulder and kissed Harmony on the cheek.
“I hope I didn’t run you off,” she said softly.
“Not at all.”
“What’s this about?” Rick asked.
“Friends, bro.” Jake winked. “Just friends.”
He drove to the Clubhouse and went into the tavern to order a burger and some fries. Settling at the bar, he asked the bartender for an autumn ale on draft and waited for his dinner.
The conversation with Harmony wasn’t what he’d expected tonight. She had it right, though. He wasn’t boyfriend material for anybody. His brother knew it. Claire knew it. It was what it was and he wasn’t going to try to change now.
His phone rang and he glanced at the screen. “Damn it.” He answered with a sigh. “Hi, Dad.”
“What’s been going on down there?”
Bill Chapman’s bluster was just what he needed right now.
“Working on the project.”
“You met with the Institute.”
“You know I did.”
“You get with the developer?”
“Yeah. I’m working on an addition to the plan actually. Adding a kids’ course to bring in more guests.”
“And more revenue,” Bill said. “Good plan.”
The praise was given flatly so Jake accepted it in like tone. “Thanks.”
“How’s your brother? And Nick?”
Jake thought he heard a little desperation in his father’s voice and could guess the reason.
“They’re both good. Nick is growing up fast.”
“Yeah. I see that on Facebook. Kid’s a looker. All Chapman.”
Jake made a sound of agreement. He wondered if Rick knew their father trolled his site for any information about him and his son. It was a little creepy and he made a mental note to let Rick know.
“I should have the numbers ready to present in a week or so,” Jake told him.
“You working with that pretty little redhead?”
“Yes.”
Bill grew quiet and Jake didn’t like the sound of that. Usually he laughed about Jake playing the field and scoring big.
“Let me know when you have something concrete, Jake.”
Jake knew a dismissal when he heard it. He’d heard enough from the old man over the years to recognize when Bill Chapman’s mind was on to other topics.
“Bye, Dad.”
Bill ended the call and Jake sipped his ale. He and his father had no better a relationship than the man had with any of his children. Rick had found happiness away from Chapman Financial and Jake was just biding his time until he could do the same. It was the reason he took assignments far and away from Boston.
He thought about Cassie and wondered what their little sister was up to. She was wilder than Jake but in a totally different direction. Where he was all about building things she was about taking them down. And apparently having a blast with her euro-trash friends as she did so.
God, they were all so fucked up and all because of Bill Chapman. His desertion of their mother so long ago. Her unending devotion to him up until her death despite the lack of any attention apart of throwing money at the kids he had nothing to do with. Maybe Rick had it right. Maybe it was time to leave the old man for good and make his own way.
What sucked was that Jake had been playing at life for so damn long he had no idea how to make a real future for himself.
His meal came in a tidy little bag and he paid. Getting back in his Jeep, he thought about heading over to Claire’s. No. She didn’t deserve a booty call. He hadn’t even bought her dinner this time.
He took the rough path to the tent-cabin and put thoughts of his screwed-up family and his screwed-up life out of his head.
Chapter 12
By Wednesday afternoon Claire was on pins and needles. She knew the call was going to come. That she was going to have to put her money where her mouth was and meet with Jake to work on his project. Seriously work as the money mind of Cypress.
Every time she heard the soft chime sound, indicating the front door opened, she jerked in her chair. She admitted that she found herself looking for him around corners. At the coffee shop. In the lobby. But he’d been scarce and she felt his absence, as silly as that should be. He had a life, though she didn’t know what that entailed.
He’d had dinner at Rick and Harmony’s last night. Harmony had told her that when she and Nick had stopped in to say hello to Rick. Her friend had looked at her like she was searching for something. Had Rick told her how weird she’d been the other day when he’d innocently asked her about Jake? That would be just terrific.
“Are you up to anything tonight?” Tammy asked, poking her head into the office.
Claire swiveled in her chair as she shook her head. “Nope. Why?”
“I’m having a lingerie party at my townhouse.” She winked. “Toys, too.”
“Toys?”
Tammy raised her perfectly-plucked brows. “Toys, Claire. You know. A girl’s best friend?”
Claire’s cheeks flamed. “Oh, toys.”
“Yeah. You’re welcome to come.”
Claire opened her mouth to refuse when the door chime dinged. “Thanks, but I don’t think so.”
Tammy waved a hand. “Come on. I bet you could use a friend.”
“She already has one,” Jake said from the hallway.
Tammy yelped and stepped back. “Jake!”
Claire just stared at him. He was wearing a soft-looking Henley shirt and jeans that did something really nice to his perfect body. His hair was brushed back but still a little unruly, like he’d just raked his long fingers through it.
“Right, Claire?” he asked, his eyes sparkling. “You have a friend right here.”
Claire groaned.
“Um, that’s not exactly what we were talking about,” Tammy said.
Jake’s brow furrowed. “Oh? Then what?”
Claire jumped to her feet. “Thanks for the invite, Tammy. Another time, maybe.”
Tammy looked utterly confused but she nodded. “Okay.” She dragged out the word. “I’ll drop off a catalog before I leave.”
Claire nodded until she was gone and then covered her face with her hands. “God.”
“What’s wrong?” Jake shut her door, trapping her in the office with his big body and his delicious smell. “You’re all red. Usually you only blush when I’m making you crazy.”
She lowered her hands. “Yeah well, you’re making me crazy right now. Tammy just invited me to a lingerie and toy party.”
He stared at her for a beat, then laughed.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“Then I was right.”
“About?”
“The friend Tammy was talking about? That was a little something-something to make you…blush.”
“Yes, it was.”
He nodded. “And I was right on another count, too. You already have one of those.”
She leveled a gaze at him. “You, right?”
He splayed a hand over his chest. “Yes indeed.”
She shook her head. “Look, friend. If we’re going to be working together th
at other stuff has to stop.”
He leaned close and tapped her nose with his finger. “What other stuff would that be?”
She turned away. “You’re not going to make me say it,” she whispered.
He chuckled this time. “All right. I’ll stop teasing.”
Risking a glance at him, man he looked good, she braced herself and forged ahead.
“What time do you want to get together?” she asked.
He shrugged, then settled in her swivel chair. “What’s good for you?”
“I’m free tonight.”
His smile widened. “Me, too. Want to do dinner first?”
She bit her lip, then noticed his eyes riveted to her mouth. “Um, sure.”
He leaned back, causing his shirt to lift and show the tiniest bit of his abdomen. “Want me to bring pizza again?”
“No, because we’ll just end up on the couch again.”
The words came before she could stop them, but there it was.
“And?”
“Friends, Jake.” She put her hands on the armrests and leaned close to him. “We’re friends. The other stuff is over.”
“Why?”
“Why?” She straightened. “Why? Because we’re working together now.”
“On one project. And only a piece of one project, really.”
“Still, that’s the truth of it.”
He stared up at her, his eyes a compelling shade of blue gray now. “If that’s the way you want it, I’ll be good.”
She knew what he was doing. He’d be good, all right. He’d be good all over her couch like last time. She had to get on surer footing and fast.
“How about we shoot some pool?” she asked.
Jake blinked and she knew she’d caught him off guard. “Shoot pool? Where?”
“The End Zone. Have you been there?”
“The sports bar? Sure. Once or twice with my brother.”
“We’ll eat there and shoot a couple of games. I always think better after playing.”
He nodded and stood, a smile playing over his mouth. “Claire, you’re full of surprises.”
She grinned at him. “Just wait until tonight.”
***
He was going to lose his mind. There was no other outcome from this night. He was going to lose his fucking mind.
Jake deliberately pulled at his bottle of ale, watching as Claire set up another shot. She’d changed before he’d picked her up. Casual Claire was a sight to behold.
Her jeans hugged her round little ass and dipped just low enough that he glimpsed a sliver of her panties in the back. Purple tonight. He narrowed his eyes as they traveled over her back to her smooth neck revealed by her ponytail. Was she wearing a matching bra?
The crack of the ball drew his attention back to the game he was rapidly losing. Without doing a damn thing. She’d broken the racked balls and hadn’t given up a shot to him yet. Solid ball after solid ball sank precisely where she said it would and he was left standing there like a doofus. Leaning on his pool cue and hoping his half-hard dick wasn’t visible in the lights hanging over the pool tables.
“Eight ball right side,” she said, reaching over to smack the winning shot into the pocket. “Ha!”
She straightened and turned to him, her eyes bright and her smile wide. Jake felt it like a punch to the gut.
“Damn, Claire. I never took you for a shark.”
“Not a shark, Jake. Everyone I play with knows what I’m capable of.”
He eyed the other guys in the place. More than one of them had watched Claire as she’d whipped his ass, and it wasn’t because they had any money riding on the outcome. Nope. It was because she looked so damn hot when she was playing.
“I’m glad we didn’t play for money,” he said, taking the rack from her to set up the next game.
He started to rack the balls as she chalked her cue. “I think the stakes are a little bit higher than the usual twenty bucks.”
“Oh?” He stopped and caught her eye. “Just what are we playing for, then?”
She blinked those big blue eyes at him, trying to look innocent but he could see the gleam there. “Maybe the stakes are to be named at a future date?”
His blood pounded low and he nearly growled at her. “And maybe the winner can name them?”
She laughed, a free sound that sent her head tilting back. His eyes ran over the curve of her throat, then followed the natural course down to the deep V of her plain yet sexy yellow t-shirt.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, stepping closer.
She met his gaze. “I don’t intend to lose, Jake. So don’t go making any plans to spend your winnings.”
Jake wanted to kiss her right then. He wanted to bend her over the pool table and run his tongue all over her until she begged him to take what he wanted no matter who won the game.
“Can I get in on the action?” a guy asked, stepping up to the table.
Claire smiled at the newcomer, a good-looking country boy type. “Hey, Mark.”
The guy gave Jake the once over and Jake did likewise. “Mark, is it?”
Mark nodded and stuck out his hand. “Yeah. I’m a friend of Claire’s.”
Jake shook his hand. “Jake Chapman.” He shot a look at Claire, whose cheeks had gone that shade of pink he so liked. “I’m a friend of hers, too.”
Mark tilted his head toward the table. “So what are the stakes? You know, our girl rarely loses. I’d watch what I bet if I were you.”
You’re sure as hell not me and cool it on the “our girl” stuff. Jake managed a smile. “Don’t you worry about me.”
“Hidden talents?” Claire asked, leaning one hip against the table.
Jake and Mark both faced her.
“Just because you haven’t seen them yet doesn’t mean they’re hidden,” Jake said. “I get to break this time.”
“Can I play?”
“Nope.” Jake smiled at Mark. “No offense Mark, but this is between Claire and me.”
Mark stared at him, then a light dawned in his eyes. Good. The sooner the guy realized Claire was Jake’s if she was anybody’s, the better.
“Okay, then.” Mark walked over to Claire. “I think you have a real challenger here. Maybe you’d better watch out.”
“Oh no, Mark.” Claire slid a glance in Jake’s direction. “What we have her is just a friendly rivalry, isn’t that right, Jake?”
Jake made a show of giving her an easy shrug. “Whatever you say, friend.”
She laughed again, this time softer and from the throat. Jake nearly groaned but at least whatever was zinging between them was clear enough to send Mark away to find his own game three tables away.
“I can’t wait to see your moves,” Claire said, waving a hand over the racked balls.
He held his stick steady and leaned down. “Haven’t you seen a few of them already?”
She gasped and he smiled to himself as he broke. The balls scattered but didn’t rest until the purple and white spun across the felt to sink in the left side pocket.
Eyeing Claire, he sized up his shot. He’d sunk the twelve ball so now the stripes were his.
“Fourteen corner pocket,” he called, hitting the ball and sinking it as he’d planned.
He heard Claire grumble something but kept it up. The thirteen and ten followed, and he couldn’t resist taking a peek at his opponent. Her eyes were trained on the table, her head doing that tilt thing he now knew meant she was calculating. If he missed a shot, he was screwed. He knew it. She knew it. Hell, even Mark probably knew it.
He didn’t miss, thank God. He sank all the stripes and all that was left on the table was her solids and the eight ball.
“Eight ball, right.” He cracked the cue ball against the eight and it went down like a stone.
“Damn it,” she whispered.
It was his turn to lean on his cue, all casual. “I believe we’re even.”
She took a draw from her pumpkin ale and shook her head. He realiz
ed she hadn’t taken a sip the entire time he was shooting, no doubt too anxious to take her eyes off the table.
“So best two out of three?” she asked, reaching in to grab some of the balls out of the pockets.
He grabbed the others then stepped closer, just to watch the color creep up from her cleavage to her cheeks. “Stakes?”
She stared him dead in the eye. “Oh, no. When I’m the winner, I’ll name them.”
“When?” he countered with a raise of a brow.
“Yes, when. You got lucky.”
She began to rack the balls and he leaned close to her ear. “I haven’t gotten lucky yet, but I’m going to.”
Clicking her tongue, she shook her head. “Getting cocky, Jake. That could lead to your downfall.”
“I don’t doubt that, believe me.”
She grinned, then focused on clearing the table before he even got in a shot. And focus she did. Time and again she’d step back from the table and tilt her head, using that fantastic brain of hers to size up her shots. And time and again she sank the damn ball she’d called until she was the one facing him over the felt with triumph in her eyes.
“Shit,” he muttered.
“That about sums it up.”
Chapter 13
They put their cues in the rack, signaling the table was free. Claire grabbed her purse as the two of them walked back into the bar. She looked absolutely adorable with her head held high and her little nose in the air. Smug looked good on her, though he hadn’t taken her for the smug type.
“So what are the stakes, Claire?” Jake had to know.
“I’m still thinking.”
“Now I’m scared.”
She grinned again. “You should be. Why don’t we get to work and worry about the stakes another time?”
“Here?”
She shrugged and waved to the girl working behind the bar. “This is as good a place as any. We’ve determined that working at my place isn’t an option.”
“Ah, the couch.”
She dipped her head. “Yes, the couch. And forget about your place by the lake.”
“What do you know about my place by the lake?”
“It was Harmony’s, remember? She told me when you moved out there.”
“Yeah. All by my lonesome.”
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