Needing to push her buttons, I lifted my beer to take a swig before calmly asking, “Would you like to wager on that, Jersey?”
“No, because it’s not happening again,” she repeated for a third time.
Stubborn woman.
“What’s not happening again?” Jade asked, appearing out of nowhere. As if she’d sensed the tension, her attention bounced between Amy and me. “What did I miss?”
“Nothing,” Amy snapped at her friend. While Jade sat back in the chair she had vacated, Amy again avoided my stare but couldn’t bring herself to do the same when it came to Jade’s. “Stop looking at me like that. Your brother-in-law has taken a page out of Brad’s playbook, and it’s truly getting boring.” Unconvinced, Jade continued to assess the two of us, and based on the rise of her one brow, she didn’t believe her friend.
So that was how she wanted to play it? Unfortunately for Amy, I didn’t play games… especially when it came to sex. Normally, I’d walk away… there were plenty of fish. But for the first time I’d be willing to play a little if it put her in her place. And if it could create more explosive encounters between us, then why not?
What I wouldn’t do was hide this brewing storm between us. One way or another, Jade would know we’d fucked. I figured I could either let Max do the dirty work, knowing the man couldn’t keep a damn thing from his wife. Or I could just end this charade right then and there.
But my sister-in-law beat me to it when her mouth gaped while she pointed an accusing finger at Amy. “Oh my God. Nate’s your regret.”
I released a sarcastic huff. “Is that what she said?” A cocktail of spite and desire swirled through me. Regret, my ass.
“No… she hasn’t said a thing. But whenever Amy makes a change”—Jade motioned to Amy’s new hairdo—“it’s because she regrets something that she did.” As my eyes raked over her, Jade went on to say, “It all makes sense now. I can’t believe you lied to me.”
“I didn’t lie. I omitted.”
Based on the smile gracing Jade’s lips, she didn’t find the betrayal or her revelation disturbing. “I knew something was bothering you the minute you found out Nate was coming over—”
“Stop talking, Jade,” Amy hissed through gritted teeth.
“Oh, no way. This is too big to ignore.”
“I agree,” I said to Jade before lifting my beer while drilling my gaze through Amy. “By the way, although I loved the way your ebony locks felt through my fingers, I do love the new look as well.”
The apples of Amy’s cheeks flushed. “Shut up,” she snapped, to which I chuckled.
Max chose that moment to join us, and his wife turned her interrogation to him. “Did you know about this?”
Eyes exactly like mine landed on my face, and a slight nod gave him a green light to fess up. “I just found out on the way home.” When Max added, “I was going to tell you later,” Amy and I both rolled our eyes.
“When did you two… you know?” Jade directed her next question at her friend. But she received silence in return.
“Last Friday.” I had no problem speaking the truth, and that was just what I did. From seeing her at the auction, to the deal I struck up, to the sex against my door. The more I revealed, the more Amy simmered in her seat. Damn, it was fun to watch.
“Please make sure I’m there when you tell Brad,” Max said with a dimpled grin. “He’s going to shit himself.”
“You got it.” I couldn’t help but grin as well, which caused Amy’s scowl to deepen.
Now having heard it all, Jade took a hard look at her friend, and sympathy altered the jovial expression she’d had a moment ago. “When is this date that you need to go on?”
Amy said nothing, so I responded, “We haven’t discussed it yet.” The terms stated it needed to be within a month from the auction. One week had already gone by. If I hadn’t seen her tonight, I had planned to call her sometime in the upcoming days. But since we were on the subject, I added, “I’ll tell you what, Jersey.” She stared right through me while folding her arms. “One week from tonight… next Saturday. I’ll pick you up at eight. You get to pick the restaurant.”
“Oh, that’s perfect,” Jade said. “It’s her—”
“Saturday works,” Amy interrupted and then glared at her friend. “The sooner we get it over with, the better. And yes… I’d be happy to pick the place.” I wasn’t sure what caused a slow smirk to spread over her ruby-tinted lips. My instincts shouted she was up to something. Even more so when she said, “Is there anything you don’t eat?”
“Nope… I’m an uncomplicated man.”
“The watch on your wrist says otherwise.”
Her comment forced a grin. “I know what I like. I’m not hypocritical in denying myself pleasurable things.”
She nodded. “Makes sense. You do send off a spoiled-brat vibe. Is the courtroom where you prefer to throw your tantrums, or in the bedroom?”
“Either way, many have benefited greatly from my tantrums. You, for one, could testify to the latter.”
“Spoken like a true asshole.”
“Actually, I’m more of a hard and punishing prick.”
We glared at each other as if Max and Jade weren’t sitting right there beside us, watching our banter no differently than how they’d watch a tennis match. Amy tried to maintain an unaffected facade, but her tongue poking out to moisten her lips gave her away. I couldn’t be cocky about her reaction when my own had materialized through the tenting in my shorts.
What the fuck was it about this woman?
I insisted on walking her out and hailing her a cab. If her ire wasn’t obvious while at Max and Jade’s, it sure as hell peaked when I attempted to slide in beside her.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Ensuring you get home safely. You’re very agitated, and that causes distraction, which means you won’t be aware of your surroundings.” Her refusal to move across the worn pleather bench seat caused me to climb over her. In doing so, every part of my body skimmed over every part of hers. “Thanks for moving.” She merely blinked at me and shook her head.
“Where are we going?” the cabbie asked from the front seat. No response.
“You have five seconds or we’re going to my place.” With another annoyed huff, she recited her address, and I grinned when he pulled into traffic.
Not surprisingly, the ride proceeded in silence until she said, “What’s your agenda in this, Mr. Navarro?”
“In what?”
“This whole date thing, specifically, paying a small fortune for me… and I don’t believe for a second it’s to pimp your law firm.” Her comment seemed to catch our driver’s attention, as he twisted his head during a red light, probably wondering if she was a high-class escort.
Wanting to have some fun, I shrugged. “In hindsight, I’d probably pay double for you now.”
“Fuck you,” she spat out with pure contempt.
“Just say when.” Amused, I leaned closer and asked, “I have a question. Why are you so angry?”