the urge to jump across the desk and throttle the pompous little jerk. “She was in my bed last night. I think that makes it my business, don’t you?”
He leaned back, folding his arms. “What’d you say your name was?”
“J.T. McCall.”
“Ah, you’re Ty’s brother, the bull rider, right?”
“Right.”
He sighed. “Can’t say that I’m surprised you and Nikki finally hooked up. I kind of suspected she had a bit of a thing for you.”
J.T. couldn’t have repressed the smile if he wanted to, which he didn’t. “What makes you think that?”
“Little things. She’d check out your pictures when we went to your brother’s house. She was surfing the net at my place one day, while I was in the shower, guess whose name popped up in my search history?” He shot J.T. a sidelong glance. “It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. Finally, I asked her about it. She said you guys met a few years back, but nothing came of it ‘cause you thought she was too young for you. What happened to change your mind?”
J.T. chuckled. “I can’t get arrested anymore.”
He frowned. “She wasn’t that young when you met her, was she?”
“No, she was legal, barely.”
Jake rubbed his hands over his face. “Look, I like Nikki a lot, but she’s free to do what she wants, with whomever she wants.”
J.T. sat down across from him. “I’m glad to hear that, ‘cause I don’t intend to back off.”
“Is that what you came here to tell me?”
“No, I wanted you to know that whatever little arrangement you two had ends today.”
“Who the hell are you to tell…”
J.T. leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees. “I want her and she wants me. There’s no room for a third person in that equation, man.”
“What makes you think Nikki’s interested in a relationship with you? Her career comes first. Always has, always will.”
There was no way J.T. was going to tip his hand now. “Why don’t you let me worry about that? I just need you to tell me that you got the message. If not, you and I are gonna have a big problem, my friend.”
“You’re used to getting what you want, aren’t you? You like bullying people into submission?” J.T. stood up, a scowl crossing his handsome face. “Good luck trying to pull that crap with Nikki. I’m telling you now, it’s not gonna work.”
Chapter Nine
Nikki climbed the stairs to Jake’s studio two at a time, hoping he wouldn’t mind if she used one of his treadmills before her appointment. Unless he had a last minute cancellation, she knew he was with a client. Jake’s passion for his business ensured he was booked all day, every day. When she rounded the corner and saw Ty, she knew she was in trouble. By all accounts, he and his brother were close, which meant J.T. had probably filled him in on their interlude, in spite of her request that it remain between the two of them. “Hey, handsome. What’re you doin’ out here all by your lonesome?”
Ty grinned, giving her a quick hug. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”
She grimaced. “I just came from a photo shoot. I swear I could scrape this make-up off with a knife. Thought I’d come in a bit early so I could wash up and get a bit of cardio in before my workout with Jake. Speaking of Jake, where is he?”
Ty glanced down the hall, looking uneasy. “He’s in a meeting.” He sighed. “With my brother.”
Her eyes darted to the closed door at the end of the hall. She half expected to hear the sound of glass shattering or drywall crunching under the weight of angry fists.
Groaning, she asked, “What the hell is he doing here?”
Ty smirked. “I’ll give you one guess.”
She decided to stop hedging and come clean. Ty was her friend and she and his brother were both single, consenting adults. There was no reason for her to feel guilty or remorseful about what happened last night… yet she did. “I’m going to assume J.T. told you?”
Ty nodded, looking
He leaned back, folding his arms. “What’d you say your name was?”
“J.T. McCall.”
“Ah, you’re Ty’s brother, the bull rider, right?”
“Right.”
He sighed. “Can’t say that I’m surprised you and Nikki finally hooked up. I kind of suspected she had a bit of a thing for you.”
J.T. couldn’t have repressed the smile if he wanted to, which he didn’t. “What makes you think that?”
“Little things. She’d check out your pictures when we went to your brother’s house. She was surfing the net at my place one day, while I was in the shower, guess whose name popped up in my search history?” He shot J.T. a sidelong glance. “It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. Finally, I asked her about it. She said you guys met a few years back, but nothing came of it ‘cause you thought she was too young for you. What happened to change your mind?”
J.T. chuckled. “I can’t get arrested anymore.”
He frowned. “She wasn’t that young when you met her, was she?”
“No, she was legal, barely.”
Jake rubbed his hands over his face. “Look, I like Nikki a lot, but she’s free to do what she wants, with whomever she wants.”
J.T. sat down across from him. “I’m glad to hear that, ‘cause I don’t intend to back off.”
“Is that what you came here to tell me?”
“No, I wanted you to know that whatever little arrangement you two had ends today.”
“Who the hell are you to tell…”
J.T. leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees. “I want her and she wants me. There’s no room for a third person in that equation, man.”
“What makes you think Nikki’s interested in a relationship with you? Her career comes first. Always has, always will.”
There was no way J.T. was going to tip his hand now. “Why don’t you let me worry about that? I just need you to tell me that you got the message. If not, you and I are gonna have a big problem, my friend.”
“You’re used to getting what you want, aren’t you? You like bullying people into submission?” J.T. stood up, a scowl crossing his handsome face. “Good luck trying to pull that crap with Nikki. I’m telling you now, it’s not gonna work.”
Chapter Nine
Nikki climbed the stairs to Jake’s studio two at a time, hoping he wouldn’t mind if she used one of his treadmills before her appointment. Unless he had a last minute cancellation, she knew he was with a client. Jake’s passion for his business ensured he was booked all day, every day. When she rounded the corner and saw Ty, she knew she was in trouble. By all accounts, he and his brother were close, which meant J.T. had probably filled him in on their interlude, in spite of her request that it remain between the two of them. “Hey, handsome. What’re you doin’ out here all by your lonesome?”
Ty grinned, giving her a quick hug. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”
She grimaced. “I just came from a photo shoot. I swear I could scrape this make-up off with a knife. Thought I’d come in a bit early so I could wash up and get a bit of cardio in before my workout with Jake. Speaking of Jake, where is he?”
Ty glanced down the hall, looking uneasy. “He’s in a meeting.” He sighed. “With my brother.”
Her eyes darted to the closed door at the end of the hall. She half expected to hear the sound of glass shattering or drywall crunching under the weight of angry fists.
Groaning, she asked, “What the hell is he doing here?”
Ty smirked. “I’ll give you one guess.”
She decided to stop hedging and come clean. Ty was her friend and she and his brother were both single, consenting adults. There was no reason for her to feel guilty or remorseful about what happened last night… yet she did. “I’m going to assume J.T. told you?”
Ty nodded, looking
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