Girl Get Rid Of That Jerk by Melissa Johns

The air was thick with secrecy.

Allison answered the phone, her eyes flicking a warning at Joshua, silently begging him not to make a sound.

He just arched an eyebrow, lips curled in a half-smile, watching her with that infuriating, unreadable expression.

Javier's voice crackled through the phone. "Allie, weren't you supposed to land at six-thirty? Why aren't you home yet? Old Chen said you didn't take his cab-said you left with a friend. Are you coming home for dinner or not?"

Allison kept her tone steady. "Dad, a friend asked me to help out with a couple of cases, so I went to talk things over. We just wrapped up. I'm heading home for dinner now."

"Alright," her dad said. "Your aunt and I are waiting for you."

"Okay." She hung up and finally let herself breathe.

That was way too close.

She'd almost lost it—Joshua made it way too easy to forget herself.

He was still watching her, eyes dancing with amusement, a teasing smile tugging

at his lips. "So, Allie, you're all grown up and your parents still keep you on a leash? It's barely seven and they're already calling you home for dinner."

Allison ignored the dig and kept it businesslike. "I'm heading out. Have someone send these over to my office tomorrow."

answer. He just watched her quietly,

up and walked away, feeling his gaze follow

room suddenly felt a lot bigger—and a

firm, Allison stepped into her office and nearly

right in the middle of the

the case files from

other three?

gifts. The over-the-top, "I

already peeked inside one: a gorgeous white, matte

told Joshua to send over

grabbed her phone and called

away. "What's

get your gifts.

voice was cool. "I don't take back gifts. If you don't like them, just throw them

he serious? She knew that bag-there was no

he had money to burn, this

send them back to you," she

replied, voice low and lazy f you send them

the third to whoever else is on your list?

totet him see that.