taunting.
“Candace!” he snapped at her.
“Hey, Candace, really?” Jake was being far more calm about her rudeness, and Candace turned her venom on him while Fiona gaped, not quite able to respond after the sudden attack.
“Stop being so pathetic, Jake. You realize Eli wants to fuck her brains out, right? Boss gets what he wants, don’t ya know?”
Jake looked stunned as his eyes shifted nervously to Eli’s before glancing away quickly. Fiona was still staring in shock at Candace’s comments, as was most of the table, and when she managed to look up at Eli, he just stared back at her. What he didn’t do was deny Candace’s accusation. He should have. His denial would have been appropriate at a table full of people. He should have at least said something to the contrary, but he didn’t. He let the table look between he, Fiona, and Jake and devise their own story.
Eli finally stood and rounded to Candace’s seat. “Get up.” His voice was seething with a quiet fury.
She stood and snatched her purse from the back of her chair like a petulant child.
“Come with me.” He walked away, glancing quickly at Fiona as her gaze followed him. When he managed to make it outside into the blustery winter air, he rounded on Candace quickly. The sidewalk was quiet, and they were alone. “Give me your keys to the showroom and the shop. And if that’s not clear enough for you, since you don’t seem to take a hint well, you’re fired.”
Her shocked, gaping mouthed expression was priceless, and he committed the look on her face to memory. He was so completely done with her bullshit he’d take whatever fallout there was. When she pulled her work keys out of her purse and smacked them into his outstretched palm, he smiled. “It’s been a pain in my ass knowing you, and it’s an absolute pleasure to see you leave.” He turned then, and started back for the door of the restaurant.
“You’re going to fuck it up. You know that. It’s why your fucking ex-wife slept with half the town. You’re a cold fish, Eli. Always have been. Better hope she’s impressed with a big cock because that’s about all you’ve got going for you.”
She sauntered away as he struggled to compose himself, and once he was sure the fury was safely contained, he walked back into the restaurant.
He sat without saying a word to anyone, and when he glanced up, Fiona was watching him again. Her eyes were wide, and he stared right back at her, letting the table gawk at them some more. He eventually returned to his dinner and conversation. Jake’s attention toward Fiona was hesitant for a few minutes, but as she returned her attention to him, he relaxed, and Eli tensed.
When dinner was finally over, everyone started to grab coats and say their good nights. Eli couldn’t seem to stop staring at Fiona, and he knew his reaction was coming off more as anger at this point given the uncomfortable look on Mike’s and Beth’s faces.
“I have to go to the shop, why don’t you let me give you a lift? Unless of course you have plans with Jake.” He eyed her, ignoring Jake’s stunned expression.
She glanced at Jake and opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. “Umm…”
“No, it’s fine. Boss gets what he wants, right? I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jake smiled at her kindly, but when he glanced up at Eli, his smile turned to a glare—at least as close to a glare as sweet Jake could manage.
Eli led her out to his car, and they were silent as he drove her home. He was not, however, silent when he walked in with her, and he regretted it the moment he opened his mouth. “I thought you weren’t going to start fucking my employees.” His comment was unfair, and it was a stupid thing to say.
She wheeled on him quickly. “Excuse me?” Her expression was furious. “How dare you…”
“How dare I?” He couldn’t seem to stop. He was jealous. He hated it, yet, he was going to lash out at her. “You’re trying to
“Candace!” he snapped at her.
“Hey, Candace, really?” Jake was being far more calm about her rudeness, and Candace turned her venom on him while Fiona gaped, not quite able to respond after the sudden attack.
“Stop being so pathetic, Jake. You realize Eli wants to fuck her brains out, right? Boss gets what he wants, don’t ya know?”
Jake looked stunned as his eyes shifted nervously to Eli’s before glancing away quickly. Fiona was still staring in shock at Candace’s comments, as was most of the table, and when she managed to look up at Eli, he just stared back at her. What he didn’t do was deny Candace’s accusation. He should have. His denial would have been appropriate at a table full of people. He should have at least said something to the contrary, but he didn’t. He let the table look between he, Fiona, and Jake and devise their own story.
Eli finally stood and rounded to Candace’s seat. “Get up.” His voice was seething with a quiet fury.
She stood and snatched her purse from the back of her chair like a petulant child.
“Come with me.” He walked away, glancing quickly at Fiona as her gaze followed him. When he managed to make it outside into the blustery winter air, he rounded on Candace quickly. The sidewalk was quiet, and they were alone. “Give me your keys to the showroom and the shop. And if that’s not clear enough for you, since you don’t seem to take a hint well, you’re fired.”
Her shocked, gaping mouthed expression was priceless, and he committed the look on her face to memory. He was so completely done with her bullshit he’d take whatever fallout there was. When she pulled her work keys out of her purse and smacked them into his outstretched palm, he smiled. “It’s been a pain in my ass knowing you, and it’s an absolute pleasure to see you leave.” He turned then, and started back for the door of the restaurant.
“You’re going to fuck it up. You know that. It’s why your fucking ex-wife slept with half the town. You’re a cold fish, Eli. Always have been. Better hope she’s impressed with a big cock because that’s about all you’ve got going for you.”
She sauntered away as he struggled to compose himself, and once he was sure the fury was safely contained, he walked back into the restaurant.
He sat without saying a word to anyone, and when he glanced up, Fiona was watching him again. Her eyes were wide, and he stared right back at her, letting the table gawk at them some more. He eventually returned to his dinner and conversation. Jake’s attention toward Fiona was hesitant for a few minutes, but as she returned her attention to him, he relaxed, and Eli tensed.
When dinner was finally over, everyone started to grab coats and say their good nights. Eli couldn’t seem to stop staring at Fiona, and he knew his reaction was coming off more as anger at this point given the uncomfortable look on Mike’s and Beth’s faces.
“I have to go to the shop, why don’t you let me give you a lift? Unless of course you have plans with Jake.” He eyed her, ignoring Jake’s stunned expression.
She glanced at Jake and opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. “Umm…”
“No, it’s fine. Boss gets what he wants, right? I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jake smiled at her kindly, but when he glanced up at Eli, his smile turned to a glare—at least as close to a glare as sweet Jake could manage.
Eli led her out to his car, and they were silent as he drove her home. He was not, however, silent when he walked in with her, and he regretted it the moment he opened his mouth. “I thought you weren’t going to start fucking my employees.” His comment was unfair, and it was a stupid thing to say.
She wheeled on him quickly. “Excuse me?” Her expression was furious. “How dare you…”
“How dare I?” He couldn’t seem to stop. He was jealous. He hated it, yet, he was going to lash out at her. “You’re trying to
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