Jardin's Gamble (Haven, Texas 9)
“I barely touched her wrist, J,” he said with a frown. “I couldn’t have hurt her, not unless . . .”
“She was already hurt,” Jardin said. He looked thoughtful. “She’s worn long-sleeved, high-necked shirts all week.”
Carrick sucked in a sharp breath. “I don’t like this. You think someone’s abusing her?”
“I don’t know. But there’s something going on with her.” Jardin stared at Carrick. “If she’d replied to your messages, come to the garage that day, you’d still be seeing her? Want to be with her?”
Carrick swallowed. How the fuck did he answer that? “Well, yeah, but I’m with you now.”
“One doesn’t have to preclude the other,” Jardin mused.
“You mean you . . . you like her too?”
“I’m having a lot of trouble keeping her out of my head. I keep having to recite all the reasons I shouldn’t want her, yet none of them seem to stick.”
“So, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that we need to figure out exactly
what’s going on in my PA’s life. We need to fix it. And then we need to convince her that having two men dote on her, protect her, dominate her, is better than one.”
“She might not go for it,” Carrick warned. “And I . . . I can’t be just another dick again, J.”
Jardin reached over and grabbed him behind the back of the neck, his face fierce. “You were never just another dick. I don’t ever want to hear you say that about yourself. But if for some reason you ever feel it, you’ll tell me.”
Carrick nodded. “Yeah. I will.”
“Besides, Thea isn’t Sally. And I do believe it might just take both of us to take care of her.”
“I’ve got to go,” Jardin told Carrick at this front door.
Carrick sighed. “I know. So do I. You’ll text me if you find out anything about Thea?”
Jardin frowned. “Yeah. I’ve got a meeting with a client and then I’ll go into the office and try to have a talk with her.”
“Should we take things slowly with her? I mean you and I have just started . . .” Carrick trailed off.
Jardin reached up and cupped the side of his face. “You and me? Always meant to be. We’ve known each other for years.”
“Not like this.” Carrick’s eyes ran over him and Jardin felt his blood heat.
“No, not like this. But I suppose you could be right.”
Carrick raised his eyebrows in shock. “I am? Never thought I’d hear you say those words.”
Jardin mock-scowled at him. “I can admit when I’m wrong.”
“Uh-huh.” Carrick leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed over his wide, naked chest. Fuck, it was hard to remember he had to work and couldn’t take him back to bed.
“Jardin? You okay?” Carrick teased. “You’ve kind of spaced out. Did I keep you up too late last night, old man?”
“I’m only a year older than you. Watch yourself.”
Carrick’s eyes flared in challenge.
Shit. He didn’t have time for this.
“We likely have to take things slower with Thea. The idea of being with two men is probably foreign to her. And, well, when one of those men is—”