Lost Without You by Heather Thurmeier Read Free Book Online Page B

back to one of the assistants. He pushed his hands into his pockets as if they were hanging out, waiting for a movie to start instead of standing in the middle of the woods waiting for teams to return.
    Maybe he hadn’t overheard Rick’s comments. Or maybe he had and he didn’t care if she flirted with a contestant. Hell, he would probably encourage it. He’d probably say it was good for ratings for Zoe to hook up with Rick, what with the drama and spectacle it would certainly cause.
    â€œWhile we have a second, I should point out that I do think it would be best not to fraternize with the contestants so much,” he said, turning to face her straight on and finally meeting her gaze. “You do remember how that all worked out for Cassidy on
The One,
don’t you?”
    Was that a threat?
    â€œOf course I do. I was there for your big scandalous reveal at the finale.”
    â€œThen you should already know that a crewmember getting involved with a cast member usually isn’t the best idea.”
    â€œWell that’s good, because I have no intentions of shacking up with Rick. It’s a little harmless flirting.”
    Chip crossed his arms. If she wasn’t mistaken, he almost looked a little jealous. Maybe there was more behind his warning than he let on.
    â€œSo talking about your panties is nothing to you then? Just casual, everyday flirting to you? Good to know.”
    â€œI wasn’t talking about my panties, he was.”
    â€œWell that makes all the difference, now doesn’t it?”
    Zoe felt her pulse race as she took a step closer to Chip. “Listen, I don’t know what’s gotten
your
panties all in a bunch, but mine are fine — ” Her voice strained as the heat passing between them spiked at the mention of her panties.
    Her chest heaved as she struggled to talk around her hitched breathing.
    Focus!
    She swallowed, her throat feeling dry. “And I don’t plan on dropping them for
anyone
any time soon. Got it?” she finished, her voice stronger than it had been but still rather pathetic and unconvincing.
    He smiled, letting his gaze flicker down to the area in danger of “droppage” for a moment before meeting her eyes again. “Now that sounds like a challenge if I ever heard one,” he said quietly.
    She suddenly felt the panties in question moisten under his gaze.
    What was that thing she’d just said about not dropping them for anyone? How was she supposed to follow her rules when he looked at her like that — when her body reacted to him this way?
    Before she could wonder too long, he stepped away from her and started walking toward the other crewmembers milling about waiting for the action to start again. He stopped a few feet away, giving her a sideways glance over his shoulder.
    â€œOh, and nothing’s in a bunch for me, sweetheart. I prefer commando.”
    Oh, so good then. No bunching panties for anyone.
    Well, she couldn’t, in good conscience, let him have the last word, now could she?
    â€œAnd so we’re clear about the whole Rick business,” she started, feeling more confident now that Chip stood two feet away instead of two inches. “I’ll talk to whomever I want, whenever I want and no one, not even you, is going to stop me. You of all people should understand me well enough to know I don’t respond to bullying very well.”
    He stopped and looked back at her, the teasing out of his expression. “I wasn’t trying to bully you. I guess I was trying to look out for you, but that was silly of me. I know you can take care of yourself.”
    Damn right she could, and it was nice someone finally recognized that.
    She didn’t say anything else as he walked away. What could she say? She didn’t know what to think about Chip. Was he being nice and looking out for her? Or was he being jealous and trying to tell her how to live her life?
    Zoe grabbed a bottle of