Free Upper Hand (Cedar Tree Book 5) by Freya Barker Page A

guard for a minute, while I’m not a gambling man, I’d stake my bank account on the fact that is jealousy I’m hearing.
    “Nothing like the beauty of a spring afternoon,” I tease her, but she just slips in her seat when I approach the car. Once I’m settled in and buckled up, I turn in my seat to look at her.
    “Except perhaps the fully seasoned abundance of a gorgeous twilight.” Fuck if I know where that drivel comes from, but regardless, it flies out of my mouth.
    Beth’s gaze flicks to me before she drops her head to the steering wheel and starts laughing. Okay? Not sure that’s the reaction I was hoping for but still, it’s better than making her cry. Takes her a minute to compose herself before turning her eyes back on me
    “That is the corniest shit I’ve ever heard, and Clint? If you’re looking to charm a woman? Don’t call her ‘fully seasoned’ or compare her to twilight. Neither are particularly flattering.” Thank God she’s still smiling a little. I need to seriously work on thinking before I speak.
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    -
    I can’t believe I blurted that out like a jealous school girl. I’m fucking forty-six years old and made myself look like a damn fool when I caught him looking at Kendra, who’s at least ten years younger. Of course Clint being Clint, he immediately takes the burn off by coming up with possibly the most cringe-worthy line in history. The man is a lost cause when he tries to ‘handle’ a woman. Someone really should muzzle him before I shove my foot in his mouth one of these days.
    “Did you want to stop somewhere?” I ask, aiming for a much needed diversion from the embarrassing incident.
    When I don’t get an answer, I turn to look at him and find his eyes on me, a smile tugging at his lips. Damn him for being so handsome. “What?” I prompt and the smile is now out in full force.
    “I don’t need to go anywhere, but did you get all you need?” he asks breaking the tension that is simmering between us. For a minute there I was ready to climb over the centre console and kiss that mouth that’s been tempting me for so long. A small blush creeps up my cheeks as I think of the extra large pack of batteries I picked up.
    “Yeah. I’m done. Except a quick stop at my house to grab a few things,” I respond a bit breathlessly, thoughts on how I plan to use those batteries to ease my recently revived libido swirling through my mind. The knowledge of him sleeping just down the hall every night has wreaked havoc with my determined mindset that sex is something reserved for a younger crowd. It’s been a long time since I’ve had any kind of physical release that involved a whole other person. The last couple of years I hadn’t even craved the vibrator gathering dust in my bedside drawer. Damn Clint. Being in his proximity constantly has my creaky body respond in unexpected ways. If I don’t relieve some of the built-up tension, I really am bound to jump him at some point. Better to take matters in my own hands, so to speak.
    “I’d love to know what’s on your mind—what’s got your face all scrunched up like that.” Clint’s deep rumbling voice startles me, and when I stop at the traffic light, I sneak a glance. His eyes are tracing my face with an intensity that I can feel stroking over my skin like fingertips. Just like that he is playing my body again, without ever touching me.
    With every ounce of my resolve, I pull my eyes from the intense contact to focus back on the road and opt to say nothing.
    My phone starts ringing in my purse, which is tucked in beside Clint’s large feet.
    “Would you mind grabbing my phone? It might be Dylan finally calling back.”
    I’ve been trying to get a hold of him ever since he dropped Max off, without success. I’m hoping it’s him. I’ve been worried about him, especially since getting a message the number was no longer available when calling his house yesterday. Thankful to find his cell phone hadn’t seen the same fate