Page 84 of Stripping Bare

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When Tessa climbedinto the driver’s seat again, Jonah didn’t balk. Didn’t say a word. In fact, he said not a word for 130 miles. When they were closing in on Steele Ridge, he finally spoke. “Your car should be at my place bynow.”

“How? My keys are in yourhouse.”

“I’ve got a talented family. Between the lot of them, they could’ve broken it down for parts, then put it back together again during our jaunt toCharlotte.”

When they drove up, her car was sitting in front of his house. Once they were inside, Jonah held out his hand for Clementine’s keys, but Tessa skirted around him. “I wanther.”

“Huh?”

“I want to buyClementine.”

“You drive aBMW.”

“Yes, but now I want a 1970 Plymouth HemiSuperbird.”

“She’s mycar.”

Good grief. Men really were possessive, weren’tthey?

“Remember what you said? Winner of Steele Survivor gets to make the rules for twenty-four hours.” In fact, that was the reason he’d grudgingly agreed to let his family in on what was going on. Because she’d insisted on it. “Well, I’m making a rule that you have to sell that car tome.”

“She’s not at all yourstyle.”

Tessa’s lips curved and she moved in on Jonah. By the wary look in his eyes, it was clear her smile was just as predatory as she’d intended. “What style is that? She’s flashy and I’m not? She’s fast and I’m not? She’s powerful and I’mnot?”

“No,I—”

She poked him in the chest. “You think you know me. You think you have me all figured out. Put Tessa in her good-girl, head-shrinker box in the corner. You have no idea what I’m capable of, Jonah Steele. And the next time I have you naked, you’re going to find out just how flashy, fast, and powerful Iam.”

A throat cleared behindTessa.

They were here. Hisfamily.

Wanting to drop her hot face against Jonah’s chest, Tessa closed her eyes for a second to regain her equilibrium. Then she opened them and whispered to Jonah, “Please tell me it’s Reidagain.”

At least then, she could contain her embarrassment. After all, he’d already gotten an eyeful of hergoodies.

“I like this girl, baby brother.” Okay, not so bad. Just Micki, who’d seen her in herunderwear.

“Finally, someone who can match wits with him.” If the flooring under her feet had suddenly turned to quicksand and sucked her under, Tessa would’ve died a happy woman. Because that last comment had come from MissJoan.

And the totally smart-ass humor in Jonah’s eyes made Tessa want to…to…

“Breathe,” he whispered before pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Welcome to the Steelefamily.”

At his touch and his words, Tessa’s heart jumped. After a mere morning in their company, she was pretty sure she would love to be a part of this big, rowdy, crazyfamily.

She was still frozen, contemplating that turn of thoughts, when Jonah clapped his hands once. “If you want to know the whole story, let’s go into my cave.” He pointed, and Tessa turned to see his finger was directed at Reid. “And don’t touch anything unless I say youcan.”

Not to be left out, Badger barked from his kennel, and Tessa carried him into Jonah’s tech cave. Inside, Jonah took over like the CEO he’d once been. He gave the group the low-down on what had happened with Tessa’s files, the game mods, and their dead-end field trip to see CarsonGrimes.

“Who is this guy and what the hell does he want?” Reidasked.

“I’m running some theories around in my head,” Jonah said. “But—”

“He hasn’t been able to backtrack to him through the file-holding company’s network yet.” A sly smile on her face, Micki stretched out her hands as if she were about to go into the boxing ring. “But now I’mhere.”