Rebel (Renegades 2)

“If I leave it down, it’s always in the way. ” She pulled off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. “I’m glad you’re here. Maybe you can diffuse the mood around this place. These guys can get so intense. And when they’re stressed, I’m stressed. ”

Rubi wandered to a window and opened the blinds so she could look out on the scene. “Speaking of intense, what’s going on out there?”

“Not exactly sure, but something that pissed Wes off-not exactly easy to do. Something about explosives and blowing up a bridge and… Hell, I never know what these guys are going to do from one day to the next. I’ve got to make this phone call before they come back in. ”

While Rubi watched the men pacing and gesturing as they spoke, Rachel put the phone on speaker and punched in a number. Rubi turned away from the window just as someone picked up on the other end of the line.

“What?”

The abrupt, challenging male voice made Rachel’s gaze dart to Rubi’s, her lips parted in alarmed surprise. A moment of silence hung before Rachel said, “I’m looking for a Mr. Ryker-”

“I don’t do mister anything. Just Ryker. ”

His voice was deep, rough and…it had a vaguely, but intensely, sensual glide. Rubi lifted her brows at Rachel, who shrugged back at Rubi.

“All right just Ryker,” Rachel said in that sassy tone that made Rubi grin, “I’m calling from Renegades Stunt Company in Los Angeles-”

“I don’t want whatever you’re selling. ”

R

achel dropped her hands to her desk with an audible slap and glared at the phone. “Are you always this rude or did I just catch you on a bad day?”

Rubi curved her lips inward, holding back laughter.

A moment of tense silence followed when Rubi would have sworn the two were having a stare-down if they hadn’t been speaking over a phone line.

“Okay,” Ryker finally said. “I like spunk. You’ve got two minutes. ”

Rachel gave Rubi a the-fuck-with-this look and flipped off the phone. A snort of laughter escaped Rubi.

“Actually,” Rachel said, “I was calling to make you an offer, but you’ve kinda dinged my mood. ”

“Offer?” His tone turned lighter, more interested. “I hope it’s an offer of phone sex. You’ve got a hot voice, and I could use some decent incentive to give myself another hand job. God, those get so old. ”

Rachel’s mouth dropped open, her expression part outrage, part humor, part shock. “What in the-?”

“Joke. Thought you might have a sense of humor, but I guess not. Though your voice is hot. What did you say your name was? Rachel? That’s way too cute for the hot voice. What are you wearing, Rachel with the hot voice?”

She dropped her forehead into her hand. “I should have expected this from a friend of Troy’s. ”

Laughing softly, Rubi stepped up to the desk and pulled that damn clip from Rachel’s hair. When the other woman gasped and looked up, Rubi pointed to the phone, then fanned her chest with a luscious eye roll.

Rachel lifted her mouth in a half-grin.

“Troy’s been talking shit about me again?” Ryker asked. “What’s that fucker up to now?”

“You’ve got his mouth too. ”

“Oh, no. ” His voice lowered with suggestion. “Baby, my mouth is way better than Troy’s, all the women say so. ”

Rubi clasped her hand over her mouth and bent at the waist in an effort to hold back her laughter.

But Rachel didn’t even try. Her laugh was low and suggestive. “Really. Now you’ve got my full attention. Unfortunately, I haven’t called to give you a free round of phone sex. I’ve called because Renegades is looking for an explosives expert and Troy gave me your name and number. ”

Hesitation fell over the line. Then, “How…disappointing. ” Another hesitation. “If I said I’d consider blowing something up for Troy, could we renegotiate the phone sex? Cause, really, your voice already has my jeans a little tight. ”

Rachel shook her head, looking at the phone as if it had turned fluorescent orange. With a sigh, she dropped her chin into her hand and met Rubi’s gaze with a silly what-the-hell grin.