Chapter 4 #2
There’s only one thing I want from Adam, and the imprint of his warm hand on my body isn’t it. “What’s going on at Blue? I know there’s something, so don’t feign ignorance.”
I’ve asked around. Rumors indicate that Paul, one of Blackwell’s Blue Stars, used to be just like Drake Peterson, the man who hurt Gen and the reason Blue hired me.
A couple of admins said Paul was handsy with female coworkers and often propositioned the cocktail waitresses.
Not that I trust rumors a hundred percent.
I know better than anyone how wrong rumors can be, but with all the secrecy among management, I can’t help wondering what Blackwell is hiding about his Blue Stars.
And since I’m not a part of his inner circle, I have no problem pumping Adam for information.
He leans back on his elbow. “Nothing I can talk about. Some things are…exclusive.”
My blood boils. I turn, bending the side of my leg over the cover in order to face him. “What kind of crap is that?” I glance at our friends and take a deep breath, lowering my voice. “Have you any idea how awful those guys you’re chumming around with are?”
Adam frowns and sits up, his face inches from mine. “Why? What have they done?”
“Jaeger must have told you what they did to Gen and Cali?”
“Yeah, of course. It was terrible, but that was one guy, not the casino. And that guy is in prison. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Oh really?” My sarcastic tone makes it clear I disagree.
His eyes narrow. “What’s up, Hayden? What do you know?”
“Some things are exclusive.” It’s an immature comment, but forget him.
Adam’s turning into one of the Blue Stars; he probably knows all about Gen and a lot of other things, like the drug suite Mira and Tyler found around the time Drake was fired.
But now he knows that I know—well, at least some of it—and I’m not going to ignore what’s going on behind the scenes the way he’s willing to do.
He studies me a moment longer. “Why do you hate me? Is this all because of what I did years ago?”
“Hate you?” I gasp. “Because I don’t throw myself at your feet like every other woman?”
He glances up, as though considering. “Women throw themselves at my feet? If they do, I’ve missed a few. And I’m rather observant where women are concerned.”
I ignore the taunt. “You traipse into Blue without a clue, and suddenly wind up as a manager, hiring people for a secret project that puts you in Blackwell’s pocket? I don’t know, Adam, why wouldn’t I trust you?”
He leans closer. Probably because my voice is getting louder and louder the longer we talk. “I don’t know, Hayden. If you’re being honest and you’ve gotten over the past, then what do you have against me?”
Against him. His words echo in my head, and suddenly all that heat is back—the heat radiating off his body, the warmth building inside me from his nearness.
His blue gaze, nearly black in this light, dips to my mouth, and I suck in a breath.
“Screw you.” I jump off the hot tub cover and walk toward the group, but Mira is already on her way over.
“What’s going on?” she says, looking past me to Adam, who’s leaning on his elbow again. But this time he’s staring down and frowning.
“Nothing. I think I’ll take an Uber home. I’m tired.”
“Let’s leave.” She looks over my shoulder toward him. “Especially if Adam’s being a ass.”
I swallow and realize it’s not Adam. It’s Blue. “He isn’t.”
I don’t know with certainty that Adam is in cahoots with the Blue Stars. Having suspicions about Blue Casino and not knowing for sure is driving me crazy. “I’m just frustrated with work,” I tell her.
We return to the group, and Mira makes an excuse for us to leave. We say our goodbyes, and a few minutes later Mira, Tyler, and I make our way to Tyler’s Land Cruiser parked in the driveway.
I hear my name called and I turn.
Adam is jogging toward us. “Hold up,” he says.
Mira raises her eyebrow in question, but she and Tyler climb into the truck, while I stand outside with Adam.
He tucks a hand in the front pocket of his designer jeans. “I know it’s awkward—me hiring people without your say. It’s not normal, I get that. But it’s how Blackwell wants things.”
It should be cooler out here, away from the fire, but it isn’t. It’s hot and edgy. “I understand. You have to follow Blackwell’s orders. But hiring the right people isn’t as easy as it looks.”
He smirks. “How hard can it be to hire an assistant?”
There we go. There’s the Adam that infuriates me at work.
Instead of a sharp set-down to fire back, an idea springs to mind… Maybe it was the tequila tonight, or maybe it was unloading my disreputable past on my new friends, but I’m feeling the need to kick a little ass. “How do you feel about a bet?”
“We’re betting now?” He chuckles. “Is this how far our relationship has degraded? I didn’t take you for the gambling sort.”
“When I’m certain of my odds, I’m willing to gamble.”
He leans in, resting his arm on the side of the truck. “What did you have in mind?”
A whiff of soap and man hits me, and my mind blanks.
My body tips against the truck, and I blink hard. “Whoever you hire for the assistant position…I bet you’ll let them go soon after.” I glance up, mentally calculating. “I give it two weeks.”
He looks into my eyes. Something crosses his face—curiosity? Respect? “I’ll take you up on that bet. How about, if I win, you stay away from my new hires. No snooping in their files, or keeping tabs on them.”
Interesting choice of criteria. And damning, if he’s involved with the Blue Stars. “And if I win?”
He shrugs. “Whatever you want. I’m pretty good with my hands.” He grins suggestively, and I roll my eyes. “You’re a single girl. I’m sure there’s something you need help with around the house.”
“That’s the best you can do? I’m not sure replacing a lightbulb is equal to me ignoring suspect activities at work. But putting that aside, how do you know I’m single? Just because I’m not interested in you, doesn’t mean I’m not interested in another man.”
His jaw shifts. “Are you single?”
I ignore that one. Won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing my private life. “More to the point, how do you know I’m not handy?”
There’s a moment of silence as Adam stares at me, his jaw still tensed from the first question. “Are you good with your hands, Hayden?”
That sounded like a double entendre. One that just made my chest flutter, damn him. And no, I’m not good at fixing things. “Fine. If I win, forget repairs—you can build me something. Since you’re so good with your hands.”
Oooh, I’d just love to see this pretty boy try to build something—anything. I bet he’d hammer a nail in his thumb, cuss a few times, and pay someone to take over. That in and of itself would give me ammunition to use against him for months. Besides, there is no way he’s winning this bet.
He raises an eyebrow. “No hints as to what you need built?”
“You’ll see. After I win.” I glare at his arm beside my head, caging me in and causing ripples of heat to spiral down my body.
He drops his arm and I open the car door. I slide in the backseat, ready to get away from Adam’s scent, which is doing funny things to my head.
Tyler waves to Adam, who’s rounding the front of the truck, and puts the car in reverse.
“Everything okay?” Mira asks.
“Yup. Just a little friendly bet I plan to win.”