Page 32 of Unhinged

Anger surged through Luke. “Watch your mouth.”

“Is that how it’s going to be?”

His body literally quivered under the force of the fury rippling through his veins, and he crossed his arms over his chest in an effort to contain it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Knox stared at him. “You want her.”

Luke couldn’t deny that. But he was a man of his word. He would stay on until he was done and keep his hands off… even if it physically hurt to even consider it. “I told you I won’t touch her.”

Knox let out a sigh. “Look. I trust you, I just don’t trust her.”

Luke opened his mouth to protest, but Knox cut him off. “It’s not her personally, I just don’t trust anyone. I don’t want to be sued before we even get off the ground.”

Luke understood that, even though he disagreed with Knox’s assessment of her. “I know. She’s not like that, though. She’s… I don’t know.”

“You like her.”

It was more of a statement than a question, and Luke shrugged. He didn’t honestly know what he felt for her. Lust, definitely. There was something else, though, too. She intrigued him. “Like you said—she’s off limits so I’ll keep my distance from now on.”

He knew it was the right thing to do, but it was going to be next to impossible. That night in her office had broken down the barrier separating them. She’d felt so good in his arms, and she’d opened up so much in that half hour they’d spent together in the dark, just the two of them.

Now, with her new clothes and come-hither attitude… He initially thought she might have a date last night, and he was loath to admit the little surge of jealousy he’d felt. But then she’d shown up that morning in an equally sexy new outfit and thrown a coy glance his way. If she was trying to get his attention, then mission accomplished. She had it.

Something must have shown on his face because Knox’s eyes narrowed. “Something happen that I need to be aware of?”

Luke wiped his expression clean. “Nope.”

“Bull.”

“Let it go, Knox.”

“I knew I should’ve taken over when you first came to me. Did you disappear on her?”

The anger was back, simmering just below the surface. Luke curled his hands into fists by his side. “I didn’t sleep with her.”

Yet.

The unspoken word hung in the air, and Knox’s eyes narrowed.

“But you plan to.” Knox leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together over his midsection.

“Is this an interrogation now?” Luke glared back at him.

“Yes. This is business, not pleasure. All you have to do is behave for a while, just until her contract is up.”

“Trust me, you don’t have to worry about that.”

A slow grin spread over Knox’s face. “So that’s the problem. I wondered why you were so grumpy.”

Luke just rolled his eyes in response.

“Maybe that’s exactly what you need to take the edge off,” Knox replied. “Just not one of our clients.”

“I don’t want some random woman.”

“She’s that good?”

“Knox…” If he kept this up…