Free Jerk: A Bad Boy Romance by Tawny Taylor Page A

truck’s parked around the corner.
    “Thanks,” I mumbled, watching Amber grab his hand and fall into step beside him. Wasn’t this lovely? I adored being the third wheel, especially when I was getting my face rubbed in the fact that the guy in question was the one I’d recently fucked.
    Our sweet little threesome rounded the corner and I grimaced. Clay’s truck wasn’t huge. It didn’t have an extended cab. And the front bench seat didn’t exactly hold three adults comfortably. Not to mention, I did not want to sit next to Amber, with her bitch-face still in full bloom. No. I’d rather sit in the bed. Even though it reminded me of last night.
    Had it really been just one night?
    Clay tried to act all gallant and opened the passenger side door. “Morgan?”
    I glanced at Amber. No. Just... no. I was not sitting between Clay and Amber. “I’ll take the back,” I stepped aside to let his date take the seat of honor.
    Clay blocked the door. “No, you will not ride in the bed.”
    “But...” I hooked my thumb toward the visibly furious Amber. “Someone else called dibs on that spot.”
    “No, she didn’t,” he insisted, not even glancing at his date.
    “Yes, I did,” Amber snapped. ”I’m not fucking riding in the bed. It’ll mess up my hair. And there isn’t enough room for three of us in there.” She pointed at the cab.
    “Which is why you aren’t going.” Moving quickly, and catching me by surprise, he grabbed my shoulder and gave it a little shove, toward the truck. “Let’s go.”
    “But...” I said over my shoulder. I reached up and stepped on the running board. And within seconds strong hands were at my waist, lifting me. I plopped onto the seat, tingles sweeping up and down my body.
    Amber looked like her head was about to explode. “What the hell, Clay? Are you ditching me?”
    “Yes.” Voice calm and cool, Clay circled the front of the truck.
    “But! Why?” she screeched, tailing him, teetering on her stupid heels.
    “Because,”Clay said, his trademark panty-melting smile spreading across his face, ”I’ve been trying to find a polite way to say goodnight to you all evening. And now I’ve found my chance.”
    Amber shrieked a string of curse words that would make a hardened criminal blush while he got into his truck and started it.
    I watched the spectacle, finding myself feeling a little sorry for her. After all, she was being left in the lurch. That sucked. Been there. Done that. And, although she’d treated me like scum, my beef wasn’t with her. It was with Clay, who couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. Or didn’t want to. Either way, he was a bastard.
    “Don’t worry about Amber,” the bastard said as he steered the truck onto the road. “She lives behind the pub. She doesn’t need a ride home.”
    That revelation eased my guilt somewhat. Now I could get back to being angry with Clay. Last night had there been any talk of exclusivity or commitment? No. And didn’t I basically tell him to fuck off earlier? Yes. But did I expect to see him hooking up with someone else already? “I’m sorry if I ruined your plans for the night,” I snapped.
    “You didn’t ruin anything.”
    The truck rolled to a stop at a stop sign and Clay looked at me. Our gazes caught. The air in the truck sparked with electricity.
    No. No, no, no. I was not going to let myself get caught up in the moment again. Not after what happened last night. I yanked my gaze away and stared out the window at nothing. Out there, the world was dark and quiet, the velvet sky dotted with stars. 
    Neither of us said a word the entire way back to the ranch. It was awkward. Seriously. But I still appreciated the ride. As his truck’s wheels crunched up the gravel driveway, he said, “I have a friend who can fix your truck tomorrow.”
    I could not wait another second to get out. I grabbed the handle, and still avoiding looking at him, I said, “Thanks. Just let me know what the cost is—“
    “There