Page 85 of Secret Squirrel

“Don’t try to change the subject. I know what you’re doing!”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, you’re hoping you can get me riled up enough that you can talk your way out of this. I know what’s going on. You decided to give in to Duke. You’re finally admitting that you want him.”

“I would never admit to wanting any man,” I snapped. “Especially a mechanic!”

I turned and stormed away.

“Which is how I know that’s exactly what’s going on!” he shouted. “If you were yourself, you wouldn’t let me rile you up over this! You’d just kick my ass!”

I paused for just a split-second when I realized he was right. Damn, I’d shown my hand, and now it was too late to take it back. And if that didn’t make matters hard enough, Duke chose that moment to walk through the front door.

My face flushed bright red as Lock smirked at me. Oh, yeah. I had it bad, and it was only going to get worse from here.

“Hey,” Duke said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I uh…remember that thing I told you the other night?”

I had no clue, and with Lock standing there, smirking at us like he’d won the lottery, I couldn’t think straight.

“No,” I answered, not remembering anything but the way his hands roamed over my body. And then a wave of heat washed over me as I remembered the dirty things he did to me with his mouth. I shifted slightly, trying to hold myself together.

“About…about Carly.”

Yeah, my mind was still thinking about his mouth on me.

“I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer, and I didn’t want you to think…I have that reunion thing tonight.”

I heard Lock’s deep chuckle behind me and realized this was the perfect opportunity to prove him wrong. I grinned at Duke. “Have fun tonight.”

“Really?” he asked, flinching back.

“We both know what this is,” I said with a smile. At his confused look, I turned and walked past Lock, smirking as his face fell. He should know better than to mess with me. I never let anyone beat me in the past, and I wasn’t about to start now.

19

DUKE

I got out of the truck, feeling ridiculous as I strolled over to Carly’s side of the truck. I was going to a fucking reunion, one that I had no desire to attend. And all because I was a sucker—and because of fucking Rae.

If she had said it bothered her and she didn’t want me to go, I would have dropped Carly in an instant. But instead, she was totally fine with it. What kind of woman fucked a man and then sent him off on another date?

Carly was primping her hair as I swung the door open. While she was dressed to the Barbie 9s, I was wearing jeans and a henley with work boots. I put in zero effort, thinking that would help me out, but instead, Carly gushed over how handsome and strong I looked. I couldn’t fucking win.

She held out her manicured hand for me, and I rolled my eyes as I took it and helped her to the curb. “Dukey, you’re so wonderful,” she sighed.

“Please, don’t call me that.”

She smiled coquettishly at me, then leaned on her toes and kissed my cheek. I sighed heavily as I slammed the door. This was going to be a night from hell. She intertwined her arm with mine and practically dragged me into the bar. Thank God there would be alcohol and plenty of it. I’d fucking walk home if I had to.

“Hey!” she shouted, raising her hands in the air as we walked into the bar. “Carly’s in the house!”

A round of cheers went up as girls came over and grabbed her by the arms, gushing over her indecent dress. Men stared at me, dressed like a bunch of college frat boys, unsure if they should approach me or pretend they were too good for me. I sauntered over to the bar and took a seat, nodding to the bartender.

He smirked at me as he set down a shot glass. “Duke, what are you doing here?”

“Got dragged into it.”

“This isn’t your crowd.”