Love is a Battlefield

by Vivian Arend

  Had she imagined Dean? Not likely.

  But she was honest enough to admit it wasn’t her imagination exactly how hot it had gotten her to have someone watch.

  Jack pressed a kiss to her temple and she smiled. She’d tell him what had happened once they had their clothes straightened out. Meeting up with Dean the next time—maybe she should feel worried or weird, but somehow she thought even that would work out fine.

  It was alllll fine.

  She snickered.

  “What?” Jack asked lazily.

  “I’m so mellow right now I don’t think anything could get me riled up,” Pepper confessed.

  “Good to know.” He caught her by the chin and twisted her face to his so he could give her another kiss, this one languid and thorough, exactly like two people who’d just fucked themselves into a sated post-sex coma.

  Issues would be dealt with later. Right now Pepper wasn’t worried about anything but relaxing in Jack’s embrace.

  Lynn

  “Tomorrow night’s a go. I’ve booked massages for us at seven o’clock.” Suz’s cheerful voice chirped over the extension before Lynn even had a chance to say hello.

  Rolling her eyes, Lynn balanced her cell phone on her shoulder as she peeled off the tinfoil covering last night’s lasagna. “Hi, Suz. I’m great. How are you?”

  “We’ve known each other for more than a decade, hon. I think we’re past the whole pleasantry bullshit.”

  “Good point.” Lynn pursed her lips and stared at the casserole dish. There were only two decent-sized servings of lasagna left, not nearly enough to satisfy Parker’s voracious appetite. Even if she threw together a salad, it wouldn’t stop him from grumbling afterward about how hungry he still was.

  She headed for the freezer, poking her head inside to see if she could scrounge up some chicken breast or steak. Or both. Lord, that man could eat.

  “Anyway, I’ll text Pepper the details,” Suz was saying. “I swear, girls’ night is absolutely happening. Nobody is allowed to cancel this time.”

  “We’ve all been busy,” Lynn answered.

  “Uh-huh. If by busy, you’re referring to you and Pepper forgetting about us little people because you’re getting your rocks off, then sure, you’re busy.”

  “Ha. Says the woman who cancelled last week because Tony and Diego flew in.”

  “Lynn, when you have a standing arrangement with two bisexual pilots who only fly in once or twice a year, that’s not considered cancelling. It’s called common sense.”

  “Hey, I’m just saying. You can’t begrudge me and Pepper our very active sex lives.”

  “Oh, Pepper’s been active, all right.” Suz’s admiration echoed over the line, a hint of jealousy in her voice. “I always suspected Jack knew his way around the bedroom, but every time I get on the phone with the girl, the stories she tells blow me away. Me, the inventor of kinky sex. Did she tell you how a few weeks ago, Jack spanked her in the office without realizing Dean was watching them?”

  Lynn grinned to herself as she grabbed a tray of chicken breast from the freezer. Maybe they hadn’t gotten together very often, but she and Pepper were chatting on a regular basis. “Yup.”

  “And then when Jack found out Dean had stumbled on their spank fest, he got so worked up he did her right there in the apartment pool. Lordy, some girls have all the luck.”

  Lynn snorted. “Bisexual pilots, babe. That’s all I have to say to that. But I do love hearing you all jealous. Pepper and Jack’s escapades remind you of your glory days, huh?” She couldn’t help but needle her friend a bit more. “Poor Susanna, growing slow and tame, while young’uns like Pepper get freaky action in offices and public spaces and—” At the sound of footsteps nearing the kitchen doorway, Lynn’s mouth snapped closed.

  Parker strode in a second later, his green eyes narrowing. “What?” he demanded.

  “Suz, I’ve gotta go,” she told her friend. “The boyfriend’s home.”

  “Ugh. You are so cock whipped. I still love you, though. Later, hon.”

  Lynn hung up and set the cell phone on the counter, while Parker’s suspicious gaze bore a hole into her face.

  “Why’d you stop talking the second I walked in?” he said warily. “You keeping secrets from me, sweetheart?”

  “Nope.” She looped her arms around his neck, then leaned up to brush a kiss over his lips. “We’re having lasagna and grilled chicken for dinner. And a salad. Are you cool with that?”

  She should’ve known better than to think her big, stubborn man would drop the subject. “What were you and Suz talking about?”

  Lynn stifled a sigh. “I’m not telling you.”

  Chiseled features hardened to stone. “Why not?”

  “Because it’s not something you want to hear.”

  His expression became downright petulant. “But I’m the boyfriend. You just said so. That’s one of the perks a man has when he’s in a relationship—he gets to hear all the latest gossip and not be judged for wanting to hear it.”

  Resting her palms on the center of his broad chest, Lynn arched a brow. “Fine. We were talking about Jack and Pepper and all the wild, kinky sex they’ve been—”

  “Stop!” Parker shouted, his hands shooting up to cover his ears. “Don’t you say another fucking word, Lynn.”

  Laughter tickled her throat, then spilled over when she glimpsed the sheer misery on his face. Although Parker seemed to be handling Jack and Pepper’s budding relationship fairly well, and with surprising maturity, Lynn knew he still wasn’t entirely comfortable that his best friend was dating his little sister.

  “See, I was trying to spare you!” she protested between giggles. “I told you it wasn’t something you wanted to know.”

  His arms slid down and crossed over his chest, a dark look clouding his eyes. “As far as I’m concerned, my sister is a virgin. And that’s all I’m ever gonna say on the subject.”

  Swallowing a laugh, she gave him another kiss. “I’m glad you didn’t say ‘she wears a chastity belt’, because from what I hear, I think Jack could open any lock, in the dark, while handcuffed—”

  “Lynn!” Two seconds later her wrists were behind her back, Parker’s fingers carefully but firmly trapping her in position. Her breasts were pressed to his rock-hard torso, and the rough contact sucked a little noise of pleasure from her lips.

  His eyes flashed with heat. Suddenly all teasing and gossip and dinner plans were forgotten as her eager boyfriend dragged her to their living room and made her glad all over again that she was his.

  Chapter Ten

  Jack showed up at Pepper’s apartment earlier than planned. They’d arranged to go out for a late dinner so he could do some recon on the girlfriend of a new client beforehand, but it hadn’t taken long to gather all the info he needed for DreamMakers to organize the perfect date. Some women were that easy to figure out, broadcasting their personalities like neon lights.

  Other women—one Pepper Wilson, for example—were chock full of surprises. In the past three weeks, he’d discovered sides to Pepper he’d never expected. Like her penchant for kinky, kinky sex—which he didn’t mind one damn bit. Or her surprising amount of bubbly energy first thing in the morning—which he did mind, because he preferred to stay curled up in bed for as long as humanly possible. Plus there was her total obsession with trying new scented soaps and creams, which meant with how up close and personal they were getting, half the time he smelled like he’d been present when a bomb went off in a flower shop.

  Of course, the one thing that didn’t surprise him was her argumentative nature. It was exasperating and infuriating and goddamn sexy. He found himself looking forward to doing verbal combat with her, especially since their bickering always resulted in explosive sex that blew his mind.

  The raunchy memories brought a grin to his lips as he rapped his knuckles on Pepper’s door. He’d texted her to let her know he was heading over early. He hadn’t heard back, but since Pepper was notoriously terr
ible at responding to texts, he’d come anyway, knowing she wouldn’t care about the change of plans.

  When the door swung open, he realized why she hadn’t responded.

  “Jack,” Kendra greeted him in surprise. “Hey. Are you here to see Pepper? Because she’s not back yet.”

  He couldn’t mask his disappointment. “Oh. Where’d she go?”

  “Out for a run.” Kendra opened the door wider. “Come wait inside. She shouldn’t be too much longer.”

  He followed the petite blonde into the apartment, smiling at the overflowing shoe rack braced against the wall in the front hall. A multitude of footwear was crammed into the small space, and when Kendra followed his gaze, she let out a laugh.

  “Pepper and I have way too many shoes,” she said, sighing. “The closet is jam-packed with them, too. I think we need a better system.”

  “Maybe I can build you guys something,” he offered. “Some built-in shelves for the closet or something.”

  She looked impressed. “You can do that?”

  “Sure. I’ll take some measurements and see what I can come up with.”

  “I didn’t know you knew how to build stuff.”

  He shrugged. “My dad did some construction on the weekends whenever we were strapped for cash. Sometimes I’d come along to his job sites.”

  Kendra nodded. “That’s cool. I wish I was handier, but I can’t even use a hammer without hurting myself.”

  Jack chuckled, sweeping his gaze over her tiny frame, which was clad in a short blue sundress with white polka dots. “Ah, don’t worry. You’re too cute for manual labor, anyway.”

  Her cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink as she twined a lock of hair around her finger. “Ha. So you’re telling me to just sit there and look pretty?”

  The two of them laughed as they headed into the living room. It had a lot more furniture than the last time he’d stopped by. The end tables on either side of the couch were new, and he noticed that Pepper had hung some photographs over the TV unit. He could tell they were hers—her love of bright colors and quirky subject matter were her trademark.

  “Do you want something to drink?” Kendra asked as he settled on the couch. “We’ve got orange juice, water, and a couple of beers, I think.”

  “Naah, I’m good.” He swiped the remote off the coffee table. “I’ll just channel surf until she gets here.”

  “Cool.” Kendra hesitated. “I was on the phone when you knocked. Do you mind if I leave you here so I can call my friend back?”

  “No prob.”

  “Okay. I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

  As Pepper’s roommate hurried off, Jack switched on the television and scrolled through the list of channels until he located ESPN, then leaned back to watch the week’s baseball highlights. The sound of Kendra’s voice wafted in from the hallway, and he frowned at the distress in her tone. He was about to raise the TV volume when he heard Pepper’s name.

  “…how to tell Pepper. She’s going to be mortified!”

  Jack didn’t make a habit of eavesdropping, but Kendra’s agitated remark brought a rush of uneasiness. He warily rose from the sofa and crept down the narrow corridor toward the bedrooms, then paused near the door Kendra had left ajar.

  “Maybe I shouldn’t say anything,” Pepper’s friend was murmuring. “It’s not like she’s on Facebook, anyway, so she probably won’t find out about it.” A long pause. “I know, but she’ll be furious.” Another pause. “Ugh. You’re right. I have…tell her.”

  Kendra was talking more softly now, so Jack took another step toward the door—and the floor beneath his feet creaked so loudly he froze.

  In the bedroom, Kendra stopped abruptly, then spoke again. “Mags, I’ve gotta go. I’ll call you back in a bit.”

  Jack swallowed a curse as hurried footsteps snapped toward the door. He had nowhere to hide and no time to sprint back to the living room, and when Kendra appeared in front of him, all he could do was offer a sheepish grin.

  “Seriously?” she huffed. “You’re eavesdropping?”

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have listened in, but you sounded upset, and…” He shrugged in apology, then met her eyes. “What’s going on, Kendra?”

  Her hesitation was palpable. “Nothing.”

  “It didn’t sound like nothing,” he said firmly. “What happened, and why is Pepper going to be furious?”

  Kendra’s silence dragged on and on. And on and on. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip, hands fidgeting with the silky fabric of her dress.

  Just when Jack was about to voice another demand, Kendra’s mouth opened and a defeated breath flew out. “Fine. I’ll tell you. Actually, maybe that’s better. That way you can be the one to break it to Pepper. You know, as her boyfriend.”

  His chest tightened with alarm. “Break what to Pepper?”

  Sighing, Kendra gestured for him to enter her bedroom. Jack stepped inside and followed her to the desk by the window, where a silver laptop sat, the browser open to what he recognized as a Facebook profile page.

  “So I’m sure Pepper told you about that guy we were traveling with, right?” Kendra started awkwardly. “Adam? He started a fight with the other guys, the night Pepper got hurt?”

  Just thinking about Pepper’s cuts and bruises sent a jolt of anger through him. His jaw went so tense all he could offer was a jerky nod.

  “Well, this is Adam’s Facebook page.” Kendra gestured to the screen. “And this is what he posted about an hour ago.”

  Jack leaned in to study the screen. As he read the paragraph on the page, his eyes widened, but the shock swiftly transformed into a hefty dose of anger. Cursing under his breath, he lifted his head to look at Kendra.

  “People actually write shit like this for everyone to see?” he exclaimed.

  “Yup,” she said glumly. “Social media is the devil.”

  He shook his head, then reread the words on the screen. His gaze shifted to the profile picture on the corner of the page, which revealed a decent-looking guy with curly black hair, bright eyes, and a cleft chin. Rage bubbled in Jack’s gut the longer he stared at the picture. As innocent as he looked, this was the creep who’d caused the fight that Pepper had tried to break up. The asshole who’d given her a black eye. Accident or not, the guy deserved an ass-kicking for putting Pepper in harm’s way like that.

  “Is any of this true?” he asked Kendra.

  She paused before answering. “I’m not sure, but that’s not the point. I mean, everyone we went to college with knows Pepper as Penny, so there’s not much chance of any of her friends or family here reading this. And she’s not on Facebook, so she probably won’t care. But all our college friends will see the post, and I’m worried people will start calling her about it, or saying stuff behind her back.” Kendra’s face collapsed. “I don’t know if I should tell her about it.”

  Kendra looked so upset that Jack couldn’t help but reach out and squeeze her slender arm. “Hey, there’s no need to freak out this hard. Clearly this guy is hung up on Pepper, he’s pissed that she’s not into him, and he decided to act like a petulant, spiteful brat and spread gossip about her on the Internet. We’ll tell Pepper about it together, and she’ll most likely laugh it off. You know her—she doesn’t give a shit what people think about her. It’s what her friends think that matters.”

  Concern still lingered in Kendra’s eyes. “You’re probably right. She’s not the type to shoot the messenger.”

  Jack grinned. “Naah. But she might shoot him—” he pointed to the face on the computer screen, “—so it’ll be up to you and me to talk her out of any craziness. Deal?”

  A hint of a smile lifted Kendra’s lips. “Deal.”

  “Good. Now stop stressing and come watch some baseball highlights with me. And when Pepper gets back—”

  The sound of a door slamming, followed by Pepper’s cheerful “Hellooooooo, roomie!” interrupted Jack midsentence. His grin widened as the entire mood in the apartment shifted. Pepp
er had that effect on every person, and every room she was in. Electrifying the air with her larger-than-life personality and mellow attitude.

  “Come on,” he told Kendra. “Let’s go.”

  This time she squeezed his arm, her touch more friendly than intimate, but soft with concern. “What about you?” she said urgently. “Are you okay with this?”

  He furrowed his brow. “With what?”

  “What he wrote.” Kendra lowered her voice. “I mean, if it’s true, then…”

  “Then nothing,” he said easily. “Whatever Pepper did or didn’t do before we started dating doesn’t affect me.”

  Kendra paused, then nodded. “Good.”

  They left the bedroom, entering the living room just as Pepper strode in from the hall. She was wearing the tiniest shorts Jack had ever seen, and a tight tank top damp with sweat clung to her spectacular tits. Maybe it made him a hound dog, but even concerned about breaking the bad news to her, he got semi-hard the second he laid eyes on her.

  Pepper arched a brow when she spotted him. “Whatcha doing, Jackjack? I thought we were going out at eight.”

  “I finished up early.” He went over to give her a kiss, forcing himself to keep it brief because her roommate was standing two feet away. “I texted you saying I was coming by.”

  “Oh. I didn’t have my phone on me. I was out for a run.” She removed the earphones hanging over her neck, slid off the armband that had been holding her iPod, and tossed both items on the coffee table. Then she popped into the kitchen, returning a second later with her phone in hand. She glanced at the display, frowning in displeasure. “You’ve got to be kidding me. I have nine missed calls from Adam. What does that fucker want now?”

  Jack and Kendra exchanged a look, which Pepper didn’t miss.

  “What?” she demanded. “Why do you two look all guilty?”