He ignored that little sense of impending doom that hovered over him as they left the office, resetting the security system. “You knew the access codes.”
“Parker told me a long time ago, and they were still the same. Good thing you guys never went into security. You’d suck.” She plopped into the passenger seat of his car, for the first time looking something other than annoyed. “Nice wheels. I didn’t expect something like this from you, Jackjack.”
Another shot of anger, this time not at all associated with anything to do with her. “It was my Dad’s.”
He stepped on the gas, cranking the music up to discourage her from saying anything else. They had too much to talk about, but at that moment he didn’t want to say a single thing.
The night wasn’t proceeding like she’d expected, and the entire drive from her brother’s office to Jack’s apartment, Pepper appreciated the gap in conversation. It gave her time to really consider what she was going to tell him.
The truth?
Well, at least part of it. That was the only option, because the best lies were always based on truth.
No way in hell would she admit all the details. Not to the man who probably figured she was still a virgin, and besides, he’d probably go and spill the beans to her brother. Which was all kinds of wrong.
Jack’s sphinx imitation continued until he tossed his keys on the sideboard just inside his apartment door. “Bathroom is down the hall on the left, guest room is the next door toward the back. Sleep as long as you want. The office isn’t open until noon tomorrow, so I’ll be around in the morning, and we can talk then.”
It wasn’t the brightest idea she’d ever had, but he was so damned cocky and bossy she couldn’t help but argue. “What if I don’t want to talk to you in the morning?”
Jack stopped in the middle of pacing away from her, then turned back with darkness in his eyes. Man, she’d forgotten how deadly those dark chocolate eyes could look. Normally they twinkled with humor—well, when his gaze was directed at someone other than her. For some reason, she seemed to bring out his intense side.
Also known as his annoying caveman asshole side.
“Go to bed, little girl. You really don’t want to push me right now.”
His snide dismissal stung. “Really?”
“Really. Because if you don’t want to talk, first I’m going to find out exactly how far those bruises go, even if it means I have to strip you like a toddler who’s fallen into a mud puddle. And I won’t give a damn how little you like it.”
She paused, working for control. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He shrugged. “It wouldn’t be the first time I had to rescue you, and this is a whole lot more serious than you taking a tumble into some dirty water wearing your good clothes.”
Then he stood there, waiting for her to make a decision. Waiting for her to push him one more time. “You are the most irritating, overbearing, bullheaded, stupid bastard.”
“Agreed. Now get your ass to bed before I change my mind about this entire thing and send you home.”
They stared each other down again. Pepper was tempted to ruffle his feathers some more, but truth was, she was too damn exhausted for any further verbal sparring, so she decided to let Jack win.
This time.
“Fine.” She tilted her head. “Can you give me something to sleep in? I don’t want to soil Jack Hunter’s sacred sheets with my dirty traveling clothes.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched. “I’ll grab you a T-shirt.”
She trailed after him toward the hallway, too tired to pay much attention to her surroundings. Then again, she probably wasn’t missing much. Knowing Jack, the whole apartment was furnished with beanbag chairs and decorated with framed headshots of his cocky self.
His cocky, attractive self. Just because the man was a major pain in the butt didn’t mean she couldn’t acknowledge his hotness. Six feet tall, rock-hard bod, chiseled features—Jack Hunter was hot with a capital everything. Growing up, she’d seen countless girls throw themselves at him, though how any of them had stomached his God’s-gift-to-the-world attitude, she had no clue.
Maybe he made up for it in bed? Naah, she doubted it. If the guy wasn’t a selfish lover, she’d eat her hat.
Jack stopped at the second door and left her in the hall as he popped in to find her a shirt. He returned a moment later and thrust out his hand. “Here. Now go to bed.”
She accepted the faded gray T-shirt. “Thank you, Master. I shall retire to my quarters and see you on the morrow.”
He raked a hand through his sandy-blond hair and muttered something under his breath.
“What was that?” she said sweetly.
His jaw tensed. “I was just saying your hippie parents really should’ve reconsidered their no-spanking stance.”
Pepper smirked at him. “Wow. You wanna spank me, Jackjack? Dirty boy.”