Laura cursed under her breath as desire segued to jealousy and pushed back the lust. It gave her a small measure of pleasure when he casually sidestepped Sue and continued his journey her way.
Jay stirred the still afternoon air as he sank to his knees beside her. She inhaled, absorbing his rich, earthy, masculine scent. When he nestled against her, a rush of moisture pooled between her thighs and gained her full attention. She shifted to face him.
His brow puckered, concern evident in his eyes. “You okay?” The rich cadence of his voice triggered a reaction from her body. Laura lowered her head in an effort to veil her expression.
Jay cradled her arm in his most capable hands and drew it closer for a more thorough examination. It amazed her how comforted she was by his touch. Using small circles, he brushed the pad of his thumb over her skin. Oh boy! She stifled a moan of pleasure as his tender caress brought back memories of how he’d used that same erotic motion on another highly sensitive body part.
“You took a beating in that last inning.”
She winced when he extended her arm.
“Ouch,” she protested, putting on her best scowl, all the while hoping it would draw attention away from the way her body vibrated from his touch. “Well, you didn’t have to dive for the base, you know.”
Dark lashes lifted over apologetic eyes. He cocked his head. “Sorry, it was an accident.” The soft tone of his voice singed her blood and curled her toes. “Of course, it wasn’t an accident when I slid into second and bowled Max over.”
Laura’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding?” For the last two months Max Baker, a junior research assistant from the fifth floor, had been asking her out. No matter how many times she declined, he continued to persist.
Jay’s bad-boy grin turned wicked. “Nope.”
“Why?”
His grin collapsed. His brows knitted together. Surely that wasn’t a spark of possessiveness in his eyes. She had to be mistaken.
“It pisses me off the way he disrespects you. I know you told me you can take care of yourself, Laura.” His jaw clenched and then he continued. “And I know you can, but I just wish you’d let me set him straight. He’s obviously not taking the hint from you.”
Her voice stalled when his blue eyes skirted over her face. His penetrating gaze robbed her of her next breath. There was no leashing the desire that moved into her stomach.
“Here, I brought you some ice.” He moved closer, crowding her, and placed a cold poly bag over her elbow.
His thoughtfulness touched something deep inside her. When she glanced into his rich, seductive bedroom blues, she had to rein in her emotions. She swallowed down the raw edge of yearning and worked to keep her voice level.
She moistened her lips again and pulled in a breath, still unable to fill her lungs to their fullest.
“Thanks.” Setting her drink down, she reached for the pack and anchored it in place. She graced him with a smile. “I got it.” His hand grazed hers as he pulled it away. The rough caress heated her blood and aroused all her senses, leaving her warm and wanting.
And wet.
His eyes regarded her tenderly as he brushed a wayward strand of hair from her eyes. A shiver raced down her spine.
“When that melts, let me know and I’ll refill the bag.”
Warmth flowed through her and touched her deepest corners. She felt an odd closeness between them as he sidled impossibly closer. There had always been an easy comfort between them, but she sensed a curious shift, some sort of unspoken intimacy with him that hadn’t been there before. Maybe it was just her wishful thinking.
A sudden breeze blew through the backyard and helped cool the heat inside her. Jay remained at her side, obviously not in a hurry to bond with the others or to take a dip in the pool—a pool swarming with a bevy of blond piranhas just waiting for their prey.
Fearing that he’d want to discuss their botched experiment the previous evening, she guided the conversation to Bonnie and Clyde.
She arched a questioning brow. “Did the new serum work on Clyde last night?”
Once again, his brow puckered into a frown as he gave an impatient sigh. Thick muscles flexed and relaxed again as he moved himself to the foot of her lounger, gathered her feet in his hands, and draped them over his lap. He scrubbed his hand over his chin and shook his head. His square jaw clenched as he donned his professional face.
“No, dammit. That’s why we really need to test it again tonight, on me. I need to feel and record the results myself.” He muttered curses of frustration under his breath.
Laura, too, slipped into her professional mode and directed her thoughts. “I don’t know Jay, I still feel something is missing from the formula. It’s like we’re overlooking something. Something small but vital.” Deep in concentration, she nibbled on her bottom lip. “I just can’t seem to put my finger on it.”
Bare feet padding on the cement walkway a few feet away heralded the arrival of their director and pulled her from her musings.
“Well, well, look at you two. Both deep in thought.” Laura tilted her head, shaded the hot afternoon sun from her eyes, and watched Reginald Smith saunter closer.
He dipped his head. Thick gray hair, too long for a man of his stature, fell forward as his attention glided over her ice pack. “How’s that elbow, Laura?”
She flexed her arm and ignored the dull ache. “It’s fine. Just stiff,” she assured him.
He drove his hands deep into the pockets of his tight neon-orange swimsuit that undoubtedly had been kicking around his closet since the sixties. Not a real great look for a man
