Her gaze then traveled down the length of his body and deliberately froze on the area just below the belt. “Especially a woman who wouldn’t mind giving new meaning to the term ‘tightening up nuts’ if she got angry enough.”

He glared down at her. “Just answer my question, Jocelyn.”

She glared back, not liking his attitude or his question. “I don’t have to tell you everything that goes on with Mason Construction.”

His step was quick and in two seconds, screwdriver or no screwdriver, he was standing directly in front of her. “Now that’s where you’re wrong. And since I prefer that the men didn’t see us at odds with each other, I suggest we take this discussion elsewhere.”

“Not interested,” she said, already turning back around.

“Get interested. Let’s go.”

Before she could utter the next word, he grabbed her forearm and began tugging her along with him. She was grateful the men were too busy installing Marcella’s granite countertops to give her or Bas the time of day. But still…

“Turn me loose,” she warned him through clenched teeth. “Or you’ll find out just how it feels to really get screwed.”

That statement did the trick and he immediately dropped his hand from her arm. She was too ashamed to admit that her arm felt warm and tingly in the spot his fingers had been.

“We can use my car to go somewhere quiet.”

His words reclaimed her attention and she stopped dead in her tracks. “Excuse me, but I’m not going anywhere with you. I have work to do.”

His dark gaze clashed with hers. “Your work can wait. You owe me an explanation and I intend to get one. Have you forgotten that I’m also an owner in this company?” he asked tightly.

“A mere technicality. I’m buying you out just like I’m buying Leah out.”

His lips twitched and it was hard to tell if it was due to anger or amusement. She got her answer when he said, “I never agreed to sell my part of this company to you. In fact I’m giving serious thought to keeping it. I just might go so far as to talk to your sister about purchasing her share and be willing to match generously any offer you make. Then, just think, Jocelyn, if that happens, we’ll become equal partners.”

Jocelyn tipped her head. She could feel the steam coming out of her ears. Her hand, still holding the screwdriver, itched. She’d never been a violent person but Bas was putting some mighty mean thoughts into her head right now. If he planned to become an equal partner with her, then he had another thought coming.

“Now that I have your attention,” he said, looking down at her, “I think we need to go some place and talk.”

Irritated, annoyed and angered beyond belief, Jocelyn expelled a deep breath. “Fine,” she snapped. “We’ll go somewhere to talk. But we’ll take my truck.”

Without giving him a chance to say anything, she turned and walked to where her truck was parked. And just as sure as she heard his footsteps right behind her, she knew that she had underestimated Sebastian Steele. It would never happen again.

“Just where the hell are you taking me?”

When Jocelyn brought the car to a traffic light, she tilted her head to one side and stared at Bas. Glared at him was more like it. “Not where I really want to take you, trust me.”

Bas frowned. He’d never like smart-mouthed women.

“You wanted to talk so I’m taking you someplace where we can talk.” She gave him a smile. It was polite and phony all rolled into one.

Bas’s eyes narrowed. Not only did he not like smart-mouthed women, he liked even less women who thought they had the upper hand. “We don’t have to go anywhere in particular,” he decided to say, especially when he saw that damn screwdriver beside her on the seat. “We can talk just fine right now.”

“Not while I’m driving, we can’t,” she said, rounding a corner on two wheels. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she stepped on the gas to pass a speeding truck.

Bas had the good sense to reach out and spread his hands palms down against the dash. “Slow down. Are you trying to get us killed?”

She let out a short laugh that let him know she was still pretty pissed. “Now why would I want to do that?”




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