Just being around the woman made Pepper feel like…like… A child? Like she might not be good enough for Jack?
But that was ridiculous. They were good together. So what if she was younger than him? So what if she didn’t have Charlene’s elegance and perfectly manicured talons?
Still, by the time the meeting wrapped up, Pepper was overcome with relief. The three of them headed for the door, where Charlene stopped to shoot Pepper a sweet—no, a dangerous—smile.
“So you just finished college, huh? You must be excited to be done with school.”
Pepper nodded warily. “Yeah, I am.”
“And now you’re joining the workforce,” the woman said brightly, all too eager to remind Pepper of her inexperienced place in the world. “That must be exciting for you, too.”
Condescending much?
Pepper had to grit her teeth to avoid making a blatantly nasty remark. “It is.” The smirk, she couldn’t fight. “Especially since I’m working so closely with Jack.”
A flare of anger lit Charlene’s eyes. “Yes, I imagine that’s an added bonus.” She checked the delicate silver watch strapped to her wrist. “I should get going. Jack, always a pleasure.” She practically purred the word pleasure, before her voice sharpened. “And we’ll schedule another meeting in a few days, sweetie. If you’re done by then you can show me the first draft of the presentation.”
“Sure thing, ma’am,” Pepper chirped.
With a look of irritation, Charlene disappeared down the hallway, perfect ass swaying seductively as her high heels clicked on the floor.
There was a beat of silence, and then Jack glanced over with an incredulous look. “What…was that?”
Pepper feigned innocence. “What was what?”
“You. Scowling at her the whole time. Calling her ‘hon’ and ‘ma’am’. Implying you like working here because it gives you the opportunity to bone me.” He shot her a dark look. “When twenty minutes ago, you laid down the no-boning law.”
She shrugged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was very polite to your precious Charlene.”
Pepper took off, crossing her fingers he would leave it at that, but it was too much to hope that Jack Hunter would shy away from a confrontation. She was halfway down the hall when he tugged on her arm and shoved her through the open doorway of his office. He closed the door and turned to her with folded arms.
“You were not polite,” he said flatly. “You were being—pardon my French—a total dick.”
She bristled. “Gee, excuse me for not rolling out the red carpet for the woman you were sleeping with before me.”
Jack’s brown eyes narrowed, and then understanding dawned. “Shit. You’re jealous.” A husky laugh slipped from his mouth, laced with pure satisfaction. “Your little claws came out, eh, Candy Cane? Drove you nuts to think about me and her getting it on, didn’t it?”
The green-eyed monster reared its ugly head again, this time slashing forward with razor sharp nails. Pepper took a breath, trying to quell the images of Jack and Charlene in bed together, but a few had already flashed to mind, and she found her hands curling into fists.
“I swear to God, Jackjack,” she ground out, “if you don’t kiss me in the next two seconds, I’m going to fly into a rage.”
He was laughing as he closed the distance between them, stopping when his mouth was inches from hers. “You need some validation, is that it? You need me to prove you’re the only woman I’m interested in?”
“Yes,” she said through clenched teeth. Maybe it was juvenile and needy of her, but damn it, seeing the splendor that was Charlene Halliwell had done a number on her confidence.
“Well, tough.” Jack’s lips hovered over hers briefly before he took a firm step back. “You’re not getting off that easy.”
Her jaw fell open. “You’re really not going to kiss me?”
“Why would I? It goes against your rules of professionalism,” he said mockingly.
“I changed my mind.”
“Even so, I’m not about to reward you for being rude to our client.” His eyes gleamed. “You were a bad girl, Pepper. Bad girls need to be punished, not rewarded.”
Her pulse kicked up a notch. The wicked look on his face was both terrifying and promising.
“So if I accept my punishment like a good girl, will I be rewarded then?” She tipped her head, locking her gaze with his.
Jack’s tongue slid out to sweep across his bottom lip. “Maybe.”
“Fine. Then let’s get started. Punish me, Jack.” She licked her lips, too, knowing how hot it got him to see her do that.
Sure enough, a glance at his groin revealed the thickening bulge beneath his fly. His eyes burned hotter, heavy-lidded and intense as he pointed to the sofa. “Take your pants off and bend over the back of the couch. Now.”
As her heart pounded furiously, she took a deep breath and did exactly what he asked.
Chapter Nine