Leah Braemel - Private Property

“My point was that you love that woman.” Sam stabbed his hand through the air toward the television. “And she loves you. Didn’t you see how she was looking at you when she asked you if she should continue? Shit, man, it was soul-deep love. Jodi’s a one-man woman. She deserves a one-woman man. Someone who’ll protect her. Love her. Who won’t share her with anyone else. She’s too damn special to have you offer her around to your friends so you can get off.”

Mark snorted, but his anger evaporated as fast as a water drop on a hot griddle. He slumped into the chair on the opposite side of the desk. “You’re right. I do love her. But I didn’t realize that until tonight. What tipped you off?”

“Every time you said her name you got this goofy look on your face.” Sam took another sip of his drink, then held up the can and glared at it, frowning. “But you were so damned determined to bring me in as your third, kept telling me it was just like ‘the old days’. That you two were just partners having a little fun. You were trying too hard to convince yourself, ya know?

“And then tonight…when I touched her…I’ve never seen that look on your face before. You looked like you were ready to tear my head off.”

“I was,” Mark conceded.

“Yet you let me continue. Let her think you were cool with sharing her. And that was flat-out wrong.” Sam set the can down and gave Mark a hard stare. “So I figured I had to do something to get through that thick skull of yours. Make you realize how good you got it.”

Mark ran a hand over his scalp. “Yet this conscience of yours didn’t stop you from fucking her, did it? You want to explain that one?”

One of Sam’s shoulders pulled up in a halfhearted shrug. “It was all her choice. She could have used the safe word at any time. And don’t forget that when I put the proposition to her, she asked you and you said-”

“I told her she could trust you. I let it go on.” Mark scrubbed at his face, then dropped his hands into his lap. “I get your point. No more mйnages. I don’t think I could hold myself back if another man touched her. I’d probably rip his head off.”

Sam closed his eyes and exhaled noisily. “Thank the good Lord above for that! She’s a special lady.” Sam leaned forward, planted his elbows on the desk. He pointed at Mark as if his fingers were a gun. “But you hear me, Mark, and you remember me well. If you mistreat her, if you fuck around on her, I’m gonna be on your ass like a hound dog on a hare. We straight?”

“You’d have to get in line,” Jodie said from the doorway.

“Thanks for the offer, Sam, but if Mark ever fools around on me, I can take care of him myself.” Jodi scissored her fingers together. “And I’ll be more brutal than Lorena Bobbitt. If he fools around on me, Mark won’t have any balls to tuck into his jockeys by the time I’m done with him.”

Both men immediately crossed their legs.

Sam barked a laugh and pounded his fist on the desk so hard the phone jumped out of its base. “I think you’ve finally found someone who can keep you in line, ol’ buddy.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Mark grinned back. “Come over here, Lorena.”

Jodi sauntered over to Mark, conscious of the hungry look in his eyes as he tracked her. She bent to kiss him but stopped an inch away from his lips, murmuring, “Oh, and by the way, if you think I’m going to invite another woman to our bed as a quid pro quo for tonight, I should warn you. It ain’t gonna happen.”

“I don’t want anyone else.” Mark pulled her onto his lap and nuzzled her neck.

“Man, if you two are going to get all mushy on me, I’m leavin’,” Sam drawled then drained the remainder of his drink.

Jodi pulled away. “Don’t leave, Sam. I want to thank you for what you did tonight.” Color rose up her neck. “I mean, about tying Mark up-that was to make him jealous, wasn’t it?”

He glanced away, as if unwilling to meet her gaze. “Yeah, well…”

“I appreciate what you did-especially since it could have backfired on you.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek, then cocked her head and looked at him. “You know, I’ve got a friend I think you might like…”

He held up both his hands in mock surrender. “No thank you. I’m not desperate enough for a blind date.” He grew serious as he glanced between them. “Look, if later on, down the road, you two decide you want a third in bed again, you call me, all right? And, Jodi, don’t let Mark here ever force you to do something you don’t want to do. He does, you call me and I’ll pound some sense into his head.”

“Thanks.” She laughed and patted his hand. “You’re a good friend, Sam.”

“Man, how’d that sonuvabitch get so lucky in snatching you up?” He hung his head and shook it. When he lifted it, a sly smile crept over his broad face, lighting a twinkle in his eyes. “You sure you wouldn’t consider coming to work for me back east? I’m always on the lookout for a good security consultant.”

Jodi laughed and looped her arms around Mark’s neck. “Nah, not a chance.” She sobered. Sam’s request reminded her of something that had been bugging her all night. “You know, Sam, I’ve been wondering…”

“Why am I thinkin’ I should be worried?” Sam quirked an eyebrow.

“I’ve been wondering why you left the combination to the safe where I could find it. You did that deliberately, didn’t you? Were you testing my competence? Do you think I’m not good enough for your company?”

Mark swore under his breath. “No wonder you took that bet that you could crack it in under two minutes. You had the combination the whole time, you cheater.”

“You know I never bet unless I’m absolutely sure I can win.” She turned back to Sam. “I could have cracked the safe without the combination, you know.”

Sam shrugged one shoulder. “Yeah, I know.”

“So why make it easy on me? Why leave the combination where anyone could find it?”

The shoulder hitched up again. He crushed the can and tossed it in the trash. “You might not have found it.”

She paused, watched him deliberately avoid her gaze. “There’s something more here, isn’t there?”

When he didn’t answer, Mark straightened. “Sam? What are you hiding?”

Sam turned the chair sideways, eyed the door. “It’s no biggie. Just forget about it, okay?” He opened the door to a small fridge built into the credenza. “Y’all want a drink? I’ve got ginger ale, beer, you name it.”

“Sam?” Mark persisted.

“Oh, all right.” Sam picked up another beer can then exchanged it for a bottle of Pellegrini. “It was part of a bet. Satisfied?”

Jodi turned to Mark and raised one brow in query. “Don’t look at me, babe.”

When both sets of eyes turned on him, Sam continued, “I told my assistant to let you in without the usual security check so you’d buy into Mark’s story about the place needing an upgrade in its security. But that woman was like a starving dog with a T-bone and wouldn’t let it go until I explained exactly why I wanted to let you in.”

Heat crept up Jodi’s neck as she thought of the straitlaced assistant and what she might think if she knew what had really gone on that evening. She pressed her fingers to her mouth. “Please tell me you didn’t tell her what you really had planned for tonight.”

Sam scowled. “I do have some discretion, you know. I told her I was checking out the efficiency of Mark’s employees as part of the merger agreement. Told her I’d challenged him to have you break into the safe.”

“But that doesn’t explain why you left the combination for me to find.”

Sam eyed the door again, reminding her of how she’d felt trapped earlier that evening.