by LM Spangler
EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2018 LM Spangler
ISBN: 978-1-77339-627-9
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Audrey Bobak
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
Three women need to be thanked for being my beta readers and the best cheerleaders an author could have. Thank you Kathy Ferri, Sharil Miller, and author extraordinaire Iris Blobel. These lovely ladies believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself. I am very grateful for all you’ve done for me.
Thank you to the wonderful people at Evernight Publishing and their authors. Couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to work with.
MY EX-PARTNER’S EX-WIFE
Romance on the Go ®
LM Spangler
Copyright © 2018
Prologue
She had no business being with the man. He’d cheated on her so often, like she didn’t matter.
She did matter. To him at least.
God, she was a vision to behold. The flowing red evening gown hugged each one of her generous curves to perfection. Hell, even her strappy black heels looked hot on her. Like a man’s wet dream.
The husband spun away from her and pulled another woman into his arms. His wife smiled and walked away, seemingly unaware that he’d probably sleep with the other woman before the night was over.
She glanced around the room and her gaze locked with his. The woman sauntered to him, hips swaying seductively, and sat down.
They spoke for nearly an hour and he realized he could fall in love with a woman like her. Her quick wit, her sense of humor, even her laugh.
And that posed a major problem.
She was his partner’s wife.
And he didn’t poach other people’s spouses or girlfriends.
Damn him for having morals. Especially when they left him aching for someone who was off limits.
He’d continue to do what he had for months now.
Sit on the sidelines.
Alone.
Chapter One
“Thanks, Jack. I know this might be awkward for you,” Ridley Asher said. “You never hung around us much.”
She had no idea. Jack’s libido went into overdrive every time he’d see her. Even in the presence of Dean Asher. Ridley was temptation with a capital T. Curvaceous, stunning, exotic. A man’s fantasy.
And his ex-partner’s ex-wife.
“It’s no big deal, Ridley. You need a job and Sterling Motors needs an administrative assistant. You win, and I definitely win. I’m organized when it comes to restoring cars, but I can’t organize this business to save my life.” He’d just walk around the shop with a raging woody for eight or so hours a day.
“Umm. Wha-what about Dean?” Her ocean-blue eyes searched Jack’s. A frown turned her full lips downward.
Her response bothered him. Ridley deserved to smile. “Dean doesn’t play into this. This is purely a business decision. You have the skill set I need and you understand the restoration process. You literally know the nuts and bolts of a job.” He leaned back in his beat-up leather desk chair, elbows on the arms, and steepled his fingers. “I will let Dean know I hired you. Just to avoid any surprises.”
She nodded. “Fair enough,” she admitted, wringing her fingers. “I hope I don’t put you in a bad situation, but I appreciate you hiring me. I can’t believe the firm closed down. We were in the green every quarter I worked there.”
“I’m not sure, but their loss is my gain.” He rose from his chair, reaching his full height of six-feet-two. He leaned his head from side to side, cracking the vertebrae in his neck. “I know this is spur of the moment, but can you start today? You’re already here.”
“I could, but I have Dozer with me.”
A brow rose. “Dozer?” A large piece of construction equipment popped into his mind.
A soft smile graced her face, adding alluring beauty to an already exquisite face. “My very large yellow Labrador retriever.”
He gave a mental eye roll. Dean had mentioned that she couldn’t find a man so she’d gotten a dog instead. Jack seriously doubted she had trouble finding men. His mechanics and metal workers stopped whatever they were doing and watched her walk to Jack’s office. A magnet had nothing on her.
“He’s welcome here. Three of my men bring their dogs with them. My only rule is they have to wear a fire retardant vest when they are around sparks or blow torches.”
“Again, fair enough.” She rose from the chair opposite Jack’s desk and maneuvered around the beat-up metal piece of furniture. She laid her hand on his arm and stood on her tiptoes. “Thank you, Jack. I’m glad Denny gave me the heads up on the job.” Her lips brushed his ever so softly, probably not to entice, but to show her gratitude.
Every nerve ending in Jack Sterling’s body roared to life. She returned to her chair and leaned over to pick up her purse. Her jeans hugged her heart-shaped bottom to perfection. Erotic pictures filled his mind. The most prevalent being him burying himself deep inside her. Again and again and again.
She needed his help. Dean was his friend and had been his business partner, but he was a dog. He’d cheated on Ridley on multiple occasions. Dean was pushing forty and found being with a woman half his age was the answer. He filed for divorce, moved out, and as soon as the divorce was final, married his twenty-year-old girlfriend. He had asked Jack to be his best man, but Jack couldn’t do it. He disapproved of Dean’s actions and wouldn’t be part of Dean’s scheme to bury Ridley in an avalanche of hurt and disgrace.
Ridley was a year younger than her ex-husband, making her thirty-eight years old. Time had been gracious. Jack had known her for almost twenty years and besides adding a couple of pounds to her luscious curves, she didn’t look any different. Dean had already grayed, calling himself a silver fox. If that was the case, Jack was becoming one as well. Gray teased his temples, beard, and mustache, adding streaks to his chestnut-brown hair. No pushing forty for him, he was already there.
He shook his head, hoping to clear the haze of lust. Think, think, he told himself. “How about I show you to your office and then you can grab your pooch? I’ll call Dean and tell him I employed you. And then I’ll show you around and introduce you to those who don’t know you.” He thanked his lucky stars that he sounded logical and not like a teenager with raging hormones.
“Okay,” she said as she straightened up.
Jack swallowed hard and his nostrils flared. Never in a million years would he have imagined that twisting her long, golden-brown hair into a bun and securing it would be a turn on. Damn, she was turning him into a rutting animal.
She started past him but stopped. “Thank you again, Jack. I don’t know how to repay you.”
Before he had time to think, he ran a finger along her jaw line and jerked away when he wanted to cup her face in his hands and kiss her. He managed to smile softly. “It’s not a problem.” Not yet at least.
She returned the smile and walked out of the room, leaving Jack and his thundering hormones to themselves. He exhaled heavily and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He dreaded the call. He hadn’t spoken to Dean since his wedding three months ago. Jack had cal
led to congratulate him and make a lame excuse for why he wouldn’t be attending.
His fingers danced over the screen of the smart phone as he found Dean’s number. He tapped his toes as he waited for Dean to answer.
“Hello?” Dean answered.
“Hey, Dean. How are you?”
“I’m good. Enjoying the married life much better the second time around. How are you?”
Jack moved to the window of his office and looked down on the workshop floor. His men moved about, sparks flew, and hammers pounded. “Working hard. Listen, I have to tell you something.”
“Shoot.”
“I, uh…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I hired Ridley as my new administrative assistant.”
Dean’s inhalations became audible and his tone became belligerent. “Why in the hell would you do that?”
Annoyance niggled its way into Jack. “Because Stephy Howard resigned to be with her growing family. Ridley had recently been laid off from the law firm. It was a mutually acceptable agreement.”
Dean snorted. “I bet she wouldn’t put out for her boss. Heaven knows she stopped putting out for me.”
Jack began to see why. Dean had become crude and belittling. No wonder Ridley wouldn’t have sex with him. He demeaned her. “Umm … that’s between you and Ridley. None of my business.”
“You aren’t going to start fucking her, are you?”
The little niggling annoyance had begun to blow full force. “Dude, you’re my friend, but who I want or don’t want to screw is my business. I just wanted to give you a heads up in case you and your new wife would show up. I know you’re three cities away now.”
“I apologize. You’re just saving us from an embarrassing situation. I appreciate it.”
Dean’s tone was far from endearing. The lies passed Dean’s lips as easily as he cheated on Ridley. Jack shook his head. He pitied the man. He never knew what he had. Ridley had loved Dean. It was apparent. Dean repaid her by screwing any floozy that crossed his path. Dean had never deserved her.
“Cool,” Jack lied. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you later, my friend.”
“See you.” Dean ended the call.
The word “prick” came to Jack’s mind. He shook off the feeling as he spotted Ridley and Dozer strolling toward the steps that led to the offices.
The man never deserved her.
And Jack began to wonder if he could.
With another shake of his head, he pasted a smile on his face as he turned to the woman who he swore he was falling in love with.
She smiled broadly when their gazes met as she ascended the stairs.
No. He wasn’t falling in love with her.
There was no falling.
He’d already landed in love.
And he had no clue what to do about it.
Chapter Two
Something new and fresh rushed through Ridley as she and Dozer climbed the steps. A sudden awareness she hadn’t felt for a long time came to the forefront. Jack was all man. Tall, handsome, purely masculine. She’d felt the same awareness years ago with Dean, but he’d begun to drift away and she did think he’d cheated. It came to fruition the day she came home from work and found him and his current wife having sex in the Jacuzzi.
Dean called her a cold fish. Told her she’d failed as a wife by not giving in to his every sexual whim. That had been her job, after all. Pleasing him. The hell with how she felt. She’d been a fool for hanging around when she knew something was wrong. But she’d stayed because she’d foolishly loved him. And had her heart ripped out and trampled on.
The last thing she wanted was an attraction to any man, let alone her ex’s friend and former business partner. Jack heated her blood like no other, including her ex-husband, ever had. When she’d given him a quick kiss, the urge to wind her arms around his neck, pull him closer, and kiss him passionately raged through her.
Who was she fooling? She’d always been attracted to him, always wanted him sexually. She’d seen him a time or two without a shirt while he worked on his own hot rods at his home.
The vision of him, shirtless, with the sun gleaming off his sweaty chest, with its smattering of hair that ran down his tight abs into the waistband of his shorts, invaded her mind, pushing its way into being, bringing a rush of heat to her core. The sensation wasn’t unpleasant at all. She’d rather liked it, even though it was inappropriate. He was her boss now. It would be unethical to begin a physical relationship with him.
Dozer beat her to the top step and he sat, waiting for her to reach the final step. Jack rounded the corner and met them. “So this is Dozer.” He tilted his head to the side. “He’s maybe two years old?”
“Yep,” she answered as she ran her fingers over his thick hair. “I could have adopted a puppy, but he was housebroken and had looked at me with those big ole puppy eyes and I was a goner.”
“He’s a handsome dog. Ed, one of the metal workers, has a black lab. I’m sure he and Dozer will become fast friends.” His gaze met hers and something passed between them. Mutual admiration. Mutual attraction. She wasn’t sure. His milk chocolate-brown eyes held for a moment, then two before he turned toward a room. He motioned toward the door. “This is your office. You have access to all files and computers in the shop, even the work floor’s.”
The room, though not overly large, held a nice-sized desk with a telephone, printer, computer, and monitor on it. The ivory walls looked aged. Maybe she’d add a coat of paint to it over a weekend. The black and white tiled floor gave the room an even more aged appearance.
It would suit her perfectly.
“Stow your bag in your desk and follow me. I’ll introduce you to your coworkers.” He strode around her desk, picked up the phone, and hit a button. An overhead speaker beeped twice. “Everyone report to the show room. Again, everyone to the show room.” He returned the phone to its cradle. “Follow me.”
A minute later, she, Jack, and Dozer stood in the front room. A gorgeous 1955 Ford F100 pickup truck anchored the room with its gleaming chrome and turquoise paint. Off to its right was a customized 1970 root beer-colored Dodge Charger, and to its left was a souped-up 2016 black-on-black-on-black Toyota Tundra. The truck gave her Ford Raptor pickup a run for its money.
Voices approached and she found herself the center of attention. She recognized a few workers and mumbled a hello to them. The others stared. She stood with her hands crossed over her stomach.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” Jack began.
A few people murmured “where?” Despite her unease, she smiled, charmed by how easily the men got along.
“Ha ha,” Jack said sarcastically with a shake of his head. “Anyway, this is Ridley Asher. She is our new admin assistant. Please try to be on your best behavior around her.” Someone wolf whistled. “That means you, too, Pops.”
“You’re no fun, Boss.” A man with a weathered, deeply lined face laughed.
“The comedian there is George Brinkley. He keeps this place looking orderly and presentable. He knows where everything is. More accurately than our inventory system, I bet.”
The older man walked to her, took her hand, and kissed the back. “Pleasure to meet you. Please call me Pops.”
The man was utterly charming. “Thank you … Pops.”
Jack went about introducing her to her coworkers and Dozer to his new canine friends.
After escorting Ridley and Dozer to their office, he bid them goodbye for the afternoon, allowing her to acquaint herself with Sterling Motors. All and all, it would be a smooth transition into the job. Sterling’s used a similar computer system as her law firm had. Both businesses used the same inventory database. She would have to learn the acquisition of such things as sheet metal, various car and truck parts, and the tools used on the floor. But she had no doubt that she’d master it in no time.
One of the few good things she’d gotten out of her marriage to Dean was the love of cars and restoring or customizing them. If one of her coworkers nee
ded a certain item, she’d at least know what they were referring to.
By the close of business, she’d already ordered stock for the floor and the offices.
She left with a spring in her step because of both the job and the boss.
Jack was a pleasure to work for. He’d let her dive in and take the reins.
The fact that he was easy on the eyes made it even better.
And for the first time in over a year, she’d felt attracted to a man.
Now she only needed to know what to do about it.
****
One the way home, Ridley called her sister, Denah, and invited her over for pizza and beer. She needed advice and her sister, who’d been married for twenty years, would be more of an expert than Ridley.
Denah had beat them to Ridley’s townhouse and let herself in. Ridley grabbed the pizza from the backseat of the truck and made her way into her house.
“Ah, there you are. I’m starving,” Denah said in greeting as she snatched the pizza box from her sister and placed it on the counter next to two plates.
Ridley snorted. “Nice to see you, too, dear sister.” She opened the fridge and grabbed a beer for herself and Denah. After twisting the caps off, she took a long, refreshing gulp of the golden liquid. The flavor flooded her tongue and she took another long sip, just to make sure the first sip was as good as it tasted.
Denah handed her a plate with a slice of pizza, studying Ridley as she did. “You finished half your beer in two sips. Did something happen today?” She took a bite of her slice. “Yum. I love Rocco’s.”
Ridley swallowed the bite she’d just taken. “Jack Sterling happened.”
“The really hot ex-partner of your ex-husband?”
Ridley nodded as she pulled a pepperoni from her pizza. “One and the same.” The pepperoni was chased by a sip of lager.
