CHAPTER54
I hand him back his water, throwing him a look of indulgence, a look that says, “All that casual sex?” He lets me go to take a drink; he empties the bottle and throws it in a nearby trash can, impressed with his own bullseye. That juvenile boy inside fist pumps his ability to dunk a plastic bottle.
“Do you really want me to learn how to beat you up, Jake?” I smile impishly, watching him with amusement.
“Carina, even if you became a pro boxer, I would still put you on your ass. You’re half my weight class,” he smirks and squeezes my shoulder lightly.
“I don’t even know what that means.” I stop, leaning back to stretch out my limbs and start jogging on the spot to signal I’m recovered enough to continue. He pulls my hood further forward over my face and shoves me in front of him playfully so that I’ll lead.
“It means that you’ll never be able to beat my ass, girly,” he laughs with a huskiness that is a little too alluring.
“Don’t tempt me,” I warn.
“I like a challenge.”
“Well, if beating is what you’re into?” I retort, catching the mischievous glint in his eye, and sucker punch him in the ribs playfully before he can reply. He pushes me away and tries to trip me deliberately, catching my wrists so I don’t fall, and he receives a pout and glare. He rights me on my feet with a laugh, and we set off again.
He’s in a childish mood this afternoon. Great! That’s all I need. It’s seriously his worst mode.
We jog on in silence for two blocks before we round a corner and head in a new direction. I take in the unfamiliar streets and surrounding scenery; Seattle seems slower-paced and more relaxed than New York, and it hasn’t got the same buzzing energy, but I kind of like it. It’s a welcome break in our hectic schedule lately.
“What are you thinking about, carina?” His voice cuts into my thoughts. Jake’s looking at me as we run, and he has to keep pushing his hood back at the side to see my face. The gesture makes him look childish, and I smile warmly.
“Wondering where I would dump your body if I beat you to death,” I retort smugly.
“It’s like that, is it?” he grins.
“Yep.”
I’m not prepared for the sudden lurch as he lifts me by the waist and tips me upside down in mid-air. With his muscles, I’m no more than a gym bag in weight, and I squeal in surprise and choke on the sharp intake of breath. He flips me over completely, back onto my feet, so that I’m still bent double but in a head lock, my butt facing away from him with my head against his abdomen. I’m squealing and trying to wrench myself free as he keeps walking, but I’m stumbling backward.
“Jake … stop it!” I’m laughing stupidly and unable to fight as he has my arms pinned to my sides.
“I can’t. I’m looking for a shady corner so I can administer some much-needed discipline,” he threatens with playfulness in his voice. He finally releases me and hauls me back up, pulling me against him with an arm around my shoulders, and drags me onward. My hood falls free, letting the soft rain cool my heated face, while I’m breathless from his antics and disheveled from his manhandling.
“You know how many sexual harassment laws you just broke? I could haul your ass through the courts,” I point out, laughing hard as I do so.
“With my reputation, my lawyers would probably just settle,” he smirks and winks, and I shake my head at him, trying to pull my clothes back into their rightful place within the confines of his arm and failing miserably.
“Should stop manhandling the staff then!” I snort, unable to stop giggling while he’s walking fast and making me stumble to keep up. “Where are we going?”
“A walk. I’m bored at the hotel,” he says dejectedly.
“Are you ignoring my suggestion?” I ask innocently.
“About manhandling my staff?”
“Yes.”
“Yes. There’s no fun otherwise. You were made for manhandling, Ems.” He throws his playful ‘I’m hot shit so I get away with it’ smile, and I fight the urge to sucker punch him again. I pull myself free from his grip and shove his arm off so I can finally adjust my clothes properly. He has them all twisted around me, and my hair is falling in my face. He tugs the hair tie out of my ponytail so that it all comes tumbling down, and I throw him an exasperated look.
“It was coming down anyway,” he offers by way of an explanation and tosses the hair tie in a dumpster as we pass.
“Hey,” I sulk, “I don’t have another one with me.”
He shrugs, which only makes me annoyed with him.
“You’ll just have to leave it loose then, won’t you?” He ruffles my hair, trailing his fingers through the length and down my back softly.
“Stop acting like a child,” I say with exasperation. “Sometimes I seriously can’t understand why I work for you, or how you even run an empire.” Watching him now, he’s far removed from Mr. Business, or even Mr. Public Eye. He’s adolescent Carrero."
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