Lauren gave a yelp as Ben unexpectedly grabbed her arm and hauled her across his lap until her denim covered ass was sticking straight up into the air. She wriggled fiercely, trying to free herself, but the arm he used to hold her in place was like an iron bar.
“I’d dare,” he told her darkly. “And you’re not the only one with some dirty street fighting tricks. Guess I forgot to mention that I took my martial arts training back up a few years ago, so every trick you know I’m betting I do, too. Now, are you going to be a good girl and listen to what I have to say for once, or do you want a sore ass in addition to that bruise on your forehead?”
“Fine,” she griped. “I’ll listen. And if you even think of spanking me, I swear I’ll bite you.”
She determinedly ignored the heat of his body beneath her, how her boobs were being squashed against his hard, muscular thighs. Her face was just about even with his crotch, and she couldn’t resist the naughty urge to glance slightly to her right. Lauren bit down on her lip to stop herself from smiling with some sort of twisted satisfaction, because it was rather obvious from the burgeoning swell behind his zipper that he was quickly becoming as aroused as she was at the close proximity of their bodies.
Ben gave a reluctant chuckle. “Some things never change, do they? But you will listen, Lauren, and for once you’re going to take what I have to say seriously. You need to learn that you can’t always crack a joke or be a wiseass to avoid dealing with issues.”
She stopped herself just in time from sticking her tongue out at him as he let her up, as well as resist the urge to rub the sore spot on her arm where he’d grabbed hold. “The last thing I’m in the mood for right now is cracking a joke,” she told him sullenly. “Instead, what I’m really in the mood for is to kick your ass.”
“Of course you are.” Ben sighed in exasperation. “You know, saying things like that are going to get you and that smart mouth of yours in real trouble one of these days. I’m shocked it hasn’t happened already. You’ve been lucky, Lauren, damned lucky. But that luck’s bound to run out one of these days, and you’re going to find yourself in a situation you can’t fight or joke or flirt your way out of.”
“Hey!” she protested. “That is not what I do! And I - ”
Ben placed two fingers over her lips. “Hush. I’m not finished. Let’s see if by some miracle you can keep quiet for the next ninety seconds or so, hmm? My money’s on no, but prove me wrong.”
Lauren gave him the evil eye but didn’t speak, merely arching an arrogant little brow and tapping one booted foot impatiently.
Ben’s expression changed abruptly from irritation to distress. “Do you have any idea how big a risk you took in that bar?” he asked her in all seriousness. “My God, Lauren, you could have been seriously hurt! Or raped. Or gotten yourself locked up in a Croatian jail. You shouldn’t have jumped into that fight. You should have called the bouncer over right away. And you sure as hell shouldn’t have whipped out a knife that’s probably illegal to possess in most countries and threaten a bunch of goons. Why in the world did you even walk inside a place like that?”
She shrugged, refusing to let herself hope that what she heard in Ben’s scolding voice might be genuine concern for her. “I told you, it was Chris’s idea. I didn’t want to be a spoilsport, or a wuss, so I just went along with the guys.”
“Bullshit. You know those guys listen to whatever you say. If you’d told them you didn’t want to go in they would have followed you without question. Sometimes it’s like watching Mary with her little lambs in tow. But you’ve always got to be the tough chick, don’t you? And sometimes I think you’re so focused on proving how tough you are that you don’t use common sense as a result.”
“Hmmph.” She shook her head in denial. “I didn’t realize you had minored in Psychology when you were at Northwestern. But you have no idea what you’re talking about here, Ben.”
“Don’t I? Karl told me a few months ago that he and the others consider you the team leader. And, yes, I realize George is technically supposed to fill that role but I think we can all agree that’s never likely to happen. You hold a lot of influence over those guys, Lauren, and I expect you to use it wisely in the future. No more fights, no more questionable bars, no more stupid, unnecessary risks. If something like this happens again, I won’t hesitate to reassign you to a different crew – one with a much tougher producer. Or even ground you if need be.”
Lauren gave a derisive hoot of laughter. “Ground me? What are you now – my father? He tried doing that a few times when I was a teenager, but I’d always find a way to sneak out and back in without him finding out.”
“Not that kind of grounding. I meant no flying. No travel.”
“Well, screw that,” she spat out. “You can’t do that to me. You wouldn’t do that to me.”
“Sure I would,” he replied easily. “If I hear of one more incident that involves you, a knife, and a fight – or anything else foolhardy that you might attempt – I’ll pull you off assignments for three months and put you on research duty. Or worse, helping Nadine. And you don’t want to push my buttons, Lauren, because I will do it. I’m responsible for you when you’re on assignment, after all, and I’m sure as hell not going to take any more risks with your safety.”
“Aw, I’m touched, Ben, really,” she said in a falsely sweet voice, patting him on the cheek. “And here I was convinced you didn’t care.”
Ben grabbed her wrist, easing it away from his face, and his dark blue eyes were stormy with emotion. “If you’d ever allow me to explain about Big Sur, then you’d know exactly how much I – ow! Fuck!”
With her right hand effectively trapped, Lauren had stomped down with her booted foot on his loafer clad foot, scowling at him fiercely. “I’ve already told you I have no interest in hearing your pathetic excuses. And you’re with Elle now, so whatever you might have to say is pointless anyway.”
“Lauren.” He shook his head, a sorrowful expression on his face. “Yes, I’m with Elle, but I’d still like the chance to clear the air between us.”
She lifted her chin stubbornly. “Well, I’m not prepared to listen, okay? So unless you want me to stomp on your other foot, I suggest you let go of me.”
Ben was quick to release her wrist and take a wary step to the side. “Fine. Especially since it feels like you just broke a toe.”
She looked with derision at his expensive Italian loafers. “If you hadn’t swapped out your own boots for these fancy ass shoes, you wouldn’t have even felt that little tap I gave you.”
“First of all,” he corrected, “that was hardly a little tap. You could have put out a fire with the way you came down on my foot. As for my old biker boots – well, I don’t have much use for them nowadays since there’s no bike to ride.”
Lauren couldn’t hide her surprise – or dismay “You got rid of your bike? Why? Don’t tell me,” she added mockingly. “It doesn’t fit with your new image? Just like the earring and the tattoo don’t. Or did your girlfriend convince you to give it up?”
“Elle had nothing to do with it,” he denied. “The bike just had too many miles on it and needed some serious work done. And once I moved to New York I didn’t really drive it all that much since I mostly use the subway or walk everywhere.”
“Do you miss it?”
Ben smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I do. I miss getting it out on the open road with the wind in my face, and no particular destination in mind.”
“Sounds a lot like the drive I took last time I was home. And pretty much the first thing I do when I get back from a trip is take the Duck out for a spin.”
“The Duck?” Ben’s voice turned wistful. “You actually got that Ducati you used to talk about?”