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with sarcasm. “And what do the female agents say…that hot, fuckable body .” He snickered and I wanted to reach through the phone and wrap my fingers around his ugly, scrawny ass neck. “But we didn’t mean it literally. Keep your dick in your pants. You get to know the girl without fucking her. Am I clear?”
    “Sir. With all due respect…”
    He interrupted. “Do you think we didn’t see that kiss the other night?”
    I slammed my hand on the hard granite. “Sir. She asked me to kiss her. I would have jeopardized myself more had I declined.”
    “You can slant or skew it anyway that makes you feel better. But I want to know two things. Is she involved or isn’t she? Does she know about it or does she not? You being able to tell me what she tastes like doesn’t help nor does it interest me. And the last thing we need is to be sued by some woman who thought you’d be sticking around.”
    I knew I wouldn’t be sticking around. If the fucking AD didn’t understand how it went down—that wasn’t my problem. Her melted brown eyes lured me in, searched somewhere within me, and I wondered if she read in my eyes that a kiss had been a long timing coming for me as well. 
    “Stroud?”
    “Yes, Sir. I heard you.”
    The line disconnected, and I angrily threw the phone at the sofa and simultaneously kicked the ottoman to the kitchen. Flashbacks flooded back. My hand at the curve of her back. Her dainty finger poking through the material and making contact with my skin. Her beer breath panting over my face. And her taste… Shit! Worried, I dragged the length of my face with my palms resigned to the fact that I could never kiss her again. Undoubtedly if I did, I wouldn’t stop there. That much I knew from the other night.
    When I walked to the fridge to get a beer, I decided I was going for a run instead. This pent up frustration needed an outlet.
    Twenty minutes in and I heard the roar of a car creeping up. Taking a glance over my shoulder, I saw TJ sitting eerily behind the wheel. I offered him a nod and sweat dripped into my eyes hindering my vision.  What the hell was he doing out here?   
    “Hey. What’s up?” TJ said.
    I leaned over, peering in his window.
    “Oh. Hey TJ. Just joggin’. What’s up with you?”
    Being the total douche that he was, he revved the engine.
    “Ah. Just thinking about doing some shooting practice.” 
    His eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses. The hair on my neck didn’t stand often, but it was on end and that wasn’t a good sign.
    I tapped his window as I excused myself from this conversation wondering if I could consider that a threat.
    “Be careful,” I said.
    “See you for football on Sunday. And Adam, you be careful too.”
    Now that, motherfucker, was a threat. Knowing he was probably watching me from his review mirror like any piece of shit pussy would, I kept pace.  The moment I watched his car turn off the gravel road, I flipped back around and headed home. 
    Obviously, some townie had run their mouth to him about Anna and me.  Now more than ever, I needed to be on guard and ready for either of them to react. 
    The one thing the AD didn’t realize was that if Anna was willing to give herself fully to me…there was no way in hell she was involved or helping TJ in any capacity.
     
     
    The next day the weather was cooler again; soon we would be working indoors so my visuals of her would lessen. The ache in my gut hadn’t gone away since I woke up during the long night and regretted not making the call to her.  She warranted so much more than that. Better than that.
    When she finally made it out of the house, I stepped outside to try and catch her eye. No go.  As she walked in the opposite direction with her shoulders held high, there was a slight tug on my heart.
    “Fuck it,” I hissed out, dropped my hammer and jogged toward her. “Anna! Wait!”
    Her guarded eyes fluttered up to mine. If me not calling hurt her, what was going to happen when