Polished by Alyssa Turner Page B

her shirt she gave him was completely unintentional, but it hadn’t seemed to matter from the look on Jack’s face. Not so boyish anymore.
    Now it was Rory’s turn to blush.
    “Ror?” Spencer’s call from the bedroom snapped Rory’s head in the opposite direction.
    “Yeah, babe? You need something?” Rory slid off the stool and scurried down the hall.
    “I was just wondering where you were, sweetheart,” he said, rolling over with a groan.
    She straddled him carefully on the bed, her hair dropping onto his cheeks. “I’m right here, baby.” Her words were followed with a kiss to his lips. He returned her kiss with a familiar passion, grabbing her ass and grinding his hips between her legs.
    “Hey, hey. We have a guest, remember?” Rory blew her words into his mouth. He licked them off her tongue. Spencer could make her breathless so easily.
    “Close the door. He won’t hear a thing,” Spencer said, between nibbles on her ear.
    “He’s making us breakfast,” Rory protested. “I think it’s almost ready.”
    “But I’m not hungry for anything but you,” Spencer reasoned.
    Rory giggled while his fingers danced at her waistband. “Come on, it’s rude. He’s out there waiting for us.”
    Spencer groaned again, but she suspected it wasn’t because of his ankle.
    “Let me help you up. He’s making pancakes with special toppings no less, and frankly, I think he needs some assistance.”
    “All right,” Spencer conceded.
    In the bright light of the morning, Spencer’s hair was alight with gold. She tossed her fingers into his loose curls, happy that a haircut was far from his mind. “We’ll pick this up later, I promise.”
    “You bet we will.” Spencer squeezed her ass one more time before she withdrew.
    Rory offered a hand to help him up. He took it and managed to get his balance with the crutch retrieved from against the night table.
    Jack was setting the table by the time they reached the kitchen. He smiled at their approach. “Good to see you on your feet there, Spencer.”
    “I hear you’re making us all breakfast. Thought I’d see it for myself.”
    “What? A guy can’t cook breakfast?”
    “Dude, yesterday you were my boss. Today you’re cooking for me. Go figure.”
    Jack got serious. “I was never your boss.”
    Spencer shrugged. “Not officially, no. But you know how it is with the consultants…”
    “I’m not the boss of you or anyone else. Not even close.”
    Rory watched as the dynamic shifted between them. There was something in the air, a sullenness radiating from Jack that none of them knew what to do with. She took the juice glasses from Jack’s hand, grazing his fingers with hers. Her touch wasn’t intentional, but the extra second she allowed the connection to linger resulted in a smile returning to Jack’s face and Rory was glad for it.
    “I can squeeze some fresh OJ,” she said. “It’ll just take me a sec.”
    “Already done. Found your juice press in the drawer.” He gestured to the table. “Have a seat, you two. I’ve got everything covered.”
    Rory flashed her eyes at Spencer and they slid into place around the table.
    “This might be the best-looking stack of pancakes I’ve ever seen,” Spencer said, making a show of sharpening his knife with his fork.
    Rory elbowed him playfully. “Don’t you dare say that you prefer his pancakes to mine, Spence.” She winked at Jack. “At least wait until I’ve left the room.”
    Jack took a bite. “I’ve never tasted your pancakes, Rory,” he said with a glint of his own in his eye. “I’m sure they’re really good. But to be as good as mine, you need the secret ingredient.”
    “What secrets could you possibly be keeping in my kitchen, Mr. Rothman?”
    He seemed to like it when she called him that, because a smile burst across his face as bright as the sun. “I’ll never tell.”
    Rory wrinkled the bridge of her nose at him and pursed her lips, making a face that made him laugh.
    “Now