Rebel (Renegades 2)

Wes glared at the man’s back as he disappeared into the production trailer.

“We’ve already reworked the next couple of days since we knew Bolton would be out,” Jax said. “Why don’t you finish up those scenes and head home?”

Because, fuck, he didn’t want to leave Rubi right now.

And… “I don’t have the rig ready. ”

He wasn’t all that thrilled about facing his entire family without it. While he knew he could go home to see Wyatt without the rig, the thought of facing all twelve-thousand extended relatives who’d be coming in and out of town to see Wyatt and their parents made his gut tighten. He could hear the derogatory comments from the spattering of uncles, grandparents, and holier-than-thou cousins already.

“You’re almost thirty, Wes. When are you going to grow up?”

“Wesley, when are you going to stop fooling around and come home where you belong?”

“I just made partner. Pulling down seven figures. What’s new with you, Wes?”

On one level, Wes was secure and fulfilled enough with his life to tell them all to go fuck themselves. But on another, he yearned to make his parents proud. They’d always defended him in the family, despite their reservations with his decisions after college. And then there was Wyatt’s physical therapist—Melissa. The woman who’d left Wes after six years together and dissolved their marriage plans because he’d refused to spend his life in a cubicle at her father’s engineering firm.

“Have I mentioned how much I fucking hate Bolton?” Wes asked.

Jax rolled his eyes. “I recall—”

“And have I mentioned that I’ll never fucking double that bastard again?”

The growl of an engine drew their attention. Rubi pulled the Aston into a nearby lot, and Wes’s emotions twisted in a whole different direction. Damn, now he was in a pissy mood. Even her hopping out of the car in short jean cutoffs, loose lacy sweater exposing her belly, and spike-heeled boots barely lifted the new shadow. His body, however, responded like a champ. He would have reached down to reposition his “rig,” now standing at attention, but wanted to avoid another “keep your focus” lecture from Jax. As if Jax didn’t lose his own every time Lexi stepped on set.

Wes forced ease into his stance and turned his mouth in a smile. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin Rubi’s feisty mood. But halfway across the distance, Rubi’s expression grew serious, and by the time she reached them, she was frowning. It was difficult to get his mind around what might have caused that transition, because the simple act of watching Rubi walk rerouted his brain and sent those electric currents zinging through his cock.

Those long, lithe legs—legs that had been clamped around his waist just hours ago—flexed with each step. Her perfect breasts—breasts that had been in his hands and beneath his tongue—jiggled playfully in the V-neck opening of her sweater. The bounce of her long, dark, shiny waves—hair that had been fisted in his hands as he’d tasted her—spilled over her slender, shoulders.

An insane and urgent need consumed him, gnawing at him from the inside out. But the light, happy expression she’d come with was gone.

“Christ, Rubi,” Jax said. “I just told you not to come on set dressed like that. ”

“I’m not staying. ” Her gaze darted between Jax and Wes, then those gorgeous eyes held on Wes’s face. He might just be letting his imagination create what he so desperately wanted, but he swore there was something more intimate between them now. Some kind of intangible connection that jumbled Wes’s insides with a warm thrill. She reached out to lay her hand on his bicep with true worry in her expression. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“Just some scheduling stuff,” Jax said. “Hey, would you mind stopping your work on the apps and funneling all the attention you can toward Wes’s rig?”

A flash of surprise eased her expression, then unmistakable humor. Humor she tried to hide by pressing her lips together. She released Wes’s arm and crossed hers, did a damn good impression of serious consideration

Finally, she lifted one shoulder as she met Wes’s eyes with a stern gaze. “Why aren’t you asking me to divert all my focus to your rig, Lawson? Do you want me to work on your precious toy or not?”

He couldn’t hold the grin back, but he did manage to quash the, Fuck yeah, I want you working on my rig.

“You’d have to make it worth my while,” she said. “I mean, the rig is fun, a challenge and all, but a girl has priorities. ”

“Whatever,” Jax said. If he noticed the sexual electricity arcing between Wes and Rubi, he didn’t show it. “Sorry about the changes, bud. But this might end up working out for you. And thanks, Rubi. For helping Wes out and for whatever you said to Lexi. ”

Jax turned and started toward the production trailer where MacKenzie had disappeared. Rubi’s gaze never left Wes’s, but her expression softened and heated and turned seductive.

“What’s this about Lexi?” Wes asked.

“She said yes to this house. ”

Wes grinned. “Hot damn. That will make the boss happy. ”

Rubi returned his smile. “What’s this urgent need to polish that rig of yours, Lawson?”

“Spillover from last night?”