Pinups and Possibilities by Melinda Di Lorenzo

Jayme,” I replied, and grabbed her arm.
    “What if I’m not?”
    I paused. There was something sincere about her question. I let go of her arm and gripped her chin with my fingers instead. I had to stop my thumb from impulsively tracing the line of her jaw once more.
    What if it isn’t her?
    Doubt and hope mingled in my mind. My instincts were rarely wrong. Of course, I’d never slept with a mark before, either. Proof that nothing was certain.
    “Cohen wants Jayme Duncan presented to him on platter, preferably with a shiny bow. I’ve spent a lot of time tracking that name,” I said slowly. “So, if that isn’t you…if it’s that guy who has you so worried at home, or if it’s your BFF on the pole, you’d better speak up now.”
    “Polly!”
    At the sound of the frustrated, masculine voice, I dropped the girl’s chin and prepared to hand out a punch. I’d been dying to hit someone all night. Warm fingers on my elbow made me stop, mid-swing. I looked down to see that Jayme—or not-Jayme, if she was telling the truth—had placed her hand on my arm.
    “It’s okay, Ellis,” she said to the angry, potbellied man who barrelled through the door.
    “Doesn’t look okay,” the dude—Ellis—grumbled.
    The girl slid her hand down my forearm and laughed lightly. “Doesn’t it? This big lug is my boyfriend. He just found out where my pay cheques have been coming from.”
    Big lug? Boyfriend?
    I was too confused and too amused to argue.
    Ellis ran a hand over his nearly bald head and eyed me uncertainly.
    “ This man is?” he asked.
    “Is that a problem?” I demanded.
    The other man ignored me and focused on Jayme. “Ah. Well. Thought you said he knew you worked here.”
    “I lied.”
    “She’s good at that,” I added.
    In spite of my biting remark, the girl moved a little closer to me, and slid an arm around my waist. I didn’t know what her angle was, and at that moment, I didn’t care. Her hip was resting against mine, and when she gave me a little squeeze, the rest of her body seemed to melt into me. She was so close I could smell the sweet scent of her floral shampoo.
    “Sweetie, this is my boss, Ellis Green.”
    “Pleased to meet you.” My greeting walked a line between sarcasm and pleasantness.
    “I somehow doubt that,” the other man muttered, then directed his attention toward the girl once more. “I was going to ask why you didn’t finish the dance, Polly, but I guess the answer is obvious.”
    “ Polly needs to come with me now,” I stated agreeably and leaned down to kiss her neck and nibble her earlobe affectionately, before whispering, “I hope you’re enjoying this as much as I am.”
    “Not in front of the boss, sweetie,” she said, and tried to pull away.
    “Don’t worry, my love. He’s not your boss anymore.”
    She stiffened, but there was no way in hell I was letting her go again until I had her standing in front of Cohen Blue.

Chapter Six
Polly
    I followed the man with the piercing green eyes out to the parking lot. My hand was wrapped tightly around my suitcase handle, and my eyes were trained straight ahead.
    I worked on not panicking, but the second he’d uttered Jayme’s name in conjunction with Cohen’s, a tight ball of fear formed in my stomach. As much as I was scared of facing Cohen myself, the thought of what he’d do to Jayme was much scarier.
    I’ve got to protect him at all costs.
    When the man stopped in front of his Mustang, I almost crashed into him. I managed not to, but I did stumble and drop my bag.
    He turned around then, and pulled me against him, turned again, and pushed me up against the car. The evening air was barely cool, but the side panel of the Mustang was icy. I shivered, and I wriggled against the man involuntarily, trying to absorb some of his heat.
    “You like that?” he asked softly.
    “No,” I lied.
    He ran his hands down my arms, paused at my hands, and then drew them over his shoulders.
    “What are you doing?” I