Friction(28)

"And you said I was an underachiever." He winks at me despite my cringe at the old memory. "Get the website figured out, Williams, and let me know if you need anything else. I'm always, always at your disposal."



“You know, when you texted asking what I was doing for lunch, I didn’t realize you were waiting out here,” I say when I walk into the reception area to find my best friend waiting for me on Monday afternoon.

“Sorry to surprise you, but I just finished my shift and wanted to see where the magic happens before I go home.” Jamie holds up a takeout bag and wiggles it around. “I brought food, but your gatekeeper says I can’t come back.”

Daisy’s mouth drops open. She swivels her chair around to give Jamie a look of mock outrage. “And here I was thinking we were bonding over my badass leggings and haircut. I said you couldn’t go back without Lucy. And without leaving me an eggroll, but don’t tell Jace that because it’s technically blackmail and he’s not into that sort of thing.”

“You’re good at that.” I shoot a dark look at Daisy, and she grins broadly before I face Jamie. “Last week, she talked me into taking her to lunch where she exchanged gossip for gyros.”

Of course, learning more about my boss was worth the fifteen dollars.

Like the fact he hasn’t attended a party like the one at Mr. B’s for pleasure in over two years.

“You sneaky, sneaky girl,” Jamie tells Daisy, fishing around in the takeout bag. A moment later, Daisy happily accepts the bribe.

“And I hate to do this, but can you leave your phone up here?” When my best friend’s eyebrows lift, Daisy hurriedly explains, “Jace hates phones with a passion. Plus, one of his VIPs is stopping by today, and he’s big on privacy.”

Jace had surprised us this morning with news that Mr. B wants to check the progress on his table. I’m not sure if I can face the elusive B without imagining his Doublemint twin blowjob.

“I promise I’m not going to sell sexy secrets, but okay.” Jamie places her phone on Daisy’s desk then looks at me. “Ready to eat, love?” When I suck in my cheeks, she grins broadly and gives Daisy a questioning look. “I’ve just got to ask—does he call you that, too?”

“Negative. He didn’t even call Michaela that when she worked here, and … they were very friendly.”

Michaela. Jace had said that name during our interview, but this is the first time Daisy’s mentioned her. There’s a part of me that desperately wants to question what happened—and what exactly does she mean by very friendly—but I feel Jamie’s gaze burning into the side of my face. If I say something, she’ll just point out that the tension between Jace and me is all too real.

And it’s not.

At least, it’s not supposed to be.

Thankfully, we talk instead about Jamie’s upcoming neonatal seminar in Ohio from the moment we sit down to eat our lunch. I’m almost in the clear as we finish the last of our chow mein but then Jace taps on my door.

Goddammit it.

He sticks his head in before I tell him it’s okay to enter my office. “B will be here in twenty minutes, Williams, but I—” His dark brows tug together in surprise as his eyes land on my guest. “Jamie,” he says, inclining his head politely. “I didn’t realize you were here.”

Because he doesn’t smile and I notice that his attention drops down to her lap and my desk, as if he’s searching for something, I clear my throat. “Daisy took her phone at the door.”

The worry creasing his brow begins to fade. “Just making sure.” He glances up at Jamie. “I like to protect my … interests.”

“I completely get it. But I miss my phone so much that I was just on my way out.” She tosses the empty takeout boxes in my wastebasket. “I’m ready to go home and crash and—” She freezes when the door creaks open, and we’re faced with Jace’s bare torso. “Jesus, Exley. Where’s your shirt?”

Good question. Where is his shirt?

He had on one this morning. I had begrudgingly admired the way the long-sleeve tee hugged his ripped arms while he told me about B’s visit. And the way he moved his thumb around the neckline when our eyes met from across the workshop an hour after that. So, where the hell is it now?

Zeroing in on the tattoo spanning his muscular pecs—it’s an intricate, black and gray mix of tribal and roses in full bloom—I swallow hard in a desperate effort to push down the pressure swelling in my throat. I’m not the only one feeling the aftershock of shirtless Jace Exley because Jamie coughs nervously.

Her brown eyes are enormous and they haven’t moved from my boss’s chest.

I can’t exactly say I blame her for staring.

“You’re meeting B without a shirt?” I say at last, my husky voice drawing his blue eyes to mine. They narrow in amusement.

“Hadn’t planned on it. I’m on my way to grab a clean shirt since I want to look … professional.” This is one of those moments where his accent is obvious, and the crisp consonants and stretched vowels sound even more enticing when paired with his current state of undress. “If you think going without might help me move more product, though, I’ll—”

“No,” I breathe, and he leans a tan shoulder against the doorframe and chuckles. “I mean, wear a shirt. Is there … is there something you needed?”