BROKEN Read Online Free Page B

Del dismiss himself.
    Jessie’s eyes moved from one to the other in disbelief, the open hostility between the men growing by the second .   “What in the world has gotten into you two?”
    Mitch dropped her hand and wrapped a possessive arm around Jessie’s waist, an unreasonable jealously rising inside of him as he glared openly at Del.   What gave this man the right to place himself in the role of Jessie’s protector?   And just who the hell did he think he was to enter the house without knocking?   For all Del knew, Jessie could have been walking around in that silky nightgown she’d had on the night before.   Or maybe that was why he hadn’t bothered to knock.   Mitch kept his voice low and even, although he doubted even this big oaf could mistake the dangerous undertone.  
    “I don’t like the idea of you just waltzing into the house anytime you want to.”
    “Turnabout is fair play,” Del said between clenched teeth, “because I don’t much care for the idea that you just waltz in here anytime you want to either.”
    Jessie couldn’t believe this was happening.   Way too much testosterone was in play here and somehow she had to diffuse the situation before they started taking swings at each other.   There had always been a little male bristling between the two .  Kincaid apparently felt Del was a threat, but he’d never been so aggressive about it before.   For obvious reasons, Del didn’t like Kincaid , but this was the first time he’d dared to voice his opinions about it to Kincaid’ s face.
    Jessie wrapped both her arms around Kincaid ’s waist and smiled up at him.   “I think you need to eat something.   The bear in you is coming out.”   She turned her gaze to Del.   “I appreciate your concern, but maybe next time you could knock?”
    “It never bothered you before,” Del replied in a manner that suggested it happened much more frequently that it really did.
    “Well , it bothers her now,” Kincaid growled.
    Jessie moved out of his arms, her eyes flashing.   “Okay, that’s it!”   She pointed towards the table.   “ Kincaid , sit.   And Del, please go .  I’ll talk to you later.”  
    She smiled smugly when they both did as she asked, each of them scowling , but apparently realizing she was not in the mood to have her patience tested any further.   After Del had gone, she poured a cup of coffee and set it down in front of Kincaid then pulled the food from the oven and dished it up.   She waited until he’d eaten a good portion of his meal and his temper had cooled before attempting to speak with him.
    “Would you like to explain what that was all about?”
    “I don’t like him,” Kincaid said, shoveling a bite of eggs in his mouth.
    “You never have, but you’ve never been rude to him before.   He’s my foreman, and he does a good job.   I’d hate to lose him just because you decided he’s some sort of threat.”
    He sat back in his chair, his eyes sweeping over her.   “He didn’t seem at all surprised or embarrassed to find you in nothing but a shirt.”
    Jessie laughed.   “That’s it?   That’s what got your dander up?”
    “I don’t like it, Jess,” he frowned.   “It made me wonder how many times he’s walked in to find you dressed like that.”
    She shook her head, laughing even harder.   “Oh, Kincaid, you are definitely fishing in the wrong pond.   First of all, he rarely comes in without knocking, and if he does it’s because he’s with the rest of the boys who hav e come for a meal.   Secondly, he was too busy glaring at you to even notice what I was or wasn’t wearing.   And no, I don’t usually go around dressed like this , but I’d just had a glorious night of fantastic sex and wanted to wear my lover’s shirt.”
    Kincaid ’s dour expression slipped into a grin.   “Fantastic sex, huh?”
    Jessie rose from the chair and went to him, settling herself on his lap.   “It was mind melting, heart stopping, out