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I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension leaving my body.

“So,” Jake whispered against my lips, “what’s under that hot outfit? Fuck, please tell me garters. The mental image will get me through the day until I can get home and see for myself.” His voice was husky as his grip on my ass tightened and he pulled me closer.

Before I could answer, Kase loudly cleared his throat and drew our attention. Jake turned slightly, though his hands stayed on my ass.

“A word,” Kase clipped, his face thunderous.

Biker Barbie, proving she had no sense, stood next to him as she avidly watched Jake and me.

“Yeah, gimme a minute,” Jake muttered, his brows lowered as he looked between them and tried to figure out the vibe of the room.

“Jacoby,” I interjected, purposefully using his full name.

So sometimes I stumble off the high road. Sue me.

“Did you get everything figured out?” I asked.

Jake’s organization system sucked and another part had gone missing. He’d been working late the past couple nights to try and get things in better order. They’d been finding parts that had rolled under things or been set down and forgotten about.

He left work well into the night, came to my place to crash, and then would wake up at dawn to start again.

“Not yet. I had to secure a replacement to get the car done. Now I’m dealin’ with tryin’ to sort shit.”

“I hope you figure it out.” I went up on my toes to kiss him. “I gotta go. I’m gonna be late.”

“Okay, babe,” he murmured. “Come back here when you’re done. Yeah?” He looked down, his face soft as I nodded up at him.

I didn’t want to be in the same county, let alone the same room, when Kase inevitably told Jake what he’d overheard. An angry Kase was bad enough. I’d been on the receiving end of Jake’s temper and, according to him, he hadn’t even been mad atme.

Even still, I forced myself to walk away calmly when all I wanted to do was run.

*******

I felt deflated when my meeting ended. It’d been like talking to a robot that was programmed to give predetermined, generic answers. I left with the promise that I’d hear soon regarding any other available options.

I wasn’t holding my breath.

Rehashing the meeting as I walked back to my car, my frustration grew the more I thought about it.

“You are a valued bank customer,”I said to myself in a robotic voice.

“That’s good, but what about my loan?”

“You are a valued bank customer,” I repeated in the robot voice.

“Cool, cool. But my loan?”

“Loan reviews are a lengthy process and can be denied for any number of reasons.”

“The reason for my denial was…”

“Any number of reasons.”

“But my specific reason was…”

“You are a valued bank customer. Bee boo bee bop bop.”

When my phone beeped in my purse, I laughed at the timing.