“Wait, there’s a sequel?” Adam asked, earning him a raised eyebrow from Lily.
“How about the Green Architect who was all into sustainable energy?” Braden went on, undeterred. He could be like the Spanish Inquisition.
“He couldn’t sustain enough energy to get off the couch.”
“The i-banker from New York?”
“I” was his very favorite word. In fact, He was a poster child for narcissism. This is an interesting approach to running a staff meeting, Braden. Whose dating history should we discuss next?”
“I’m just trying to figure out why an intelligent, attractive, single woman doesn’t have a date on a Saturday night.”
“Maybe I’ll get a cat to keep me company, or ten. Could we discuss something business related now?”
“This is business related. You represent this organization at these events and it sounds like you’re being harassed. I’m the Director here, and so, I’ll have to address that somehow, probably by making sure that you’re escorted.”
Hearing that, everyone shot a surreptitious glance at Mark at the same time. I shut up and looked down at the file in front of me, feeling my face heat up. That was what I had wanted him to say, but I could have done without the public reminder of what a loser I was when it came to romance. Why was nothing ever easy?
Afterward, they really did discuss business. Specifically, they discussed their caseloads. Whenever they got into the details my mind wandered. It usually wandered to Mark. I figured I cold use a mental break, so I let myself daydream about the two of us being alone in the office one night and having sex on my desk. And his desk. And my desk again. It was a long meeting.
Chapter Two
Mark
Friday 5:00 PM
Braden and Adam were in my office discussing a case after the staff meeting when he brought it up. I had been waiting because I knew it was coming.
“You’re quiet, Mark. Got something on your mind?” Braden asked and looked over at me. I was tapping a pen against my desk like a machine gun, but I hadn’t offered much to the conversation.
“He’s probably thinking about his weekend,” Adam cut in with a knowing smirk. I loved Adam like a brother, but I swear, there were times I wanted to beat the shit out of him.
“Going out tonight?” Braden asked me. His tone was casual, but that didn’t mean anything. I could see the set of his jaw, and I had a feeling that I knew what was on his mind.
“Yeah, probably.” I looked out the window at the building across the street. “I’ll hit Happy Hour at the pub with you first, though.” There was a moment of silence and I glanced back at Braden. He just nodded.
“I was wondering if I could ask you a favor.” I waited for it; three, two, one… “Would you mind going with Beth to that fundraiser tomorrow?”
“You want me to go with her?” I tugged at my collar. Suddenly, my tie felt too tight, and had somebody turned up the heat in here? Adam looked amused. What a shocker. He knew that I had been going nuts trying to curb my desire for Braden’s younger sister.
“Yeah, I mean, I would go, but Gabrielle and I have plans, and so do you and Lily I assume?” he asked Adam.
“Uh, yeah.” Adam laughed. “I would guess that Cam and Jess do too.”
“I’m not letting Bruce go as Joan Crawford, but he and Jason probably have plans anyway,” Braden added. “You’re the last single guy Mark.”
“I thought maybe you wouldn’t feel comfortable with me going with her.” I had no idea how to handle this. Braden was really protective of Beth, and even though I’m sure that he could see how much I wanted her, we had never openly discussed it. It was becoming one big-ass elephant in the room.
“You wouldn’t have a casual hook-up with my sister?” I could see his muscles tensing. Oh fuck, we were going to discuss it. Here came the circus.
“No, I was just wondering if anyone would say anything. Your dad is a senator, and everybody keeps talking about him running for president.” He seemed to relax, but he still looked as uncomfortable as I felt.
“There are usually journalists and photographers at these things.”
“Like paparazzi, here in Philly?” Adam asked sounding surprised.
“It’s not like New York or LA, but there’s usually a couple of nosy tabloid reporters and maybe a paparazzo or two with nothing better to do than try to catch a senator’s kid fucking up.”
“Fucking up how?” I asked, carefully.
“Acting drunk, starting fights, engaging in too much PDA.”
“Beth’s a brawler, but he could keep her under control,” Adam joked.
“I’m sure it would be fine,” Braden said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself of that. “I mean this is a business event, with my sister, not a hit and run with some chick you met in a club.” He laughed but it didn’t sound like a happy laugh.
“So, don’t put your hands anywhere that might not look good on Twitter,” Adam offered helpfully. I gave him a smile but it wasn’t a happy smile.
“It’s just that, I would be blind not to see that…” Braden began, conversing with the file in front of him.
“Braden, I’m sure that you realize that I find Beth very…” I interrupted, speaking very earnestly to my bookshelf.
“She’s an adult,” he broke in, addressing my coatrack. “She’s twenty-six. But dude, if you plan to… do anything, please just remember that you work together, and if she were, you know, upset…”
“Braden, I swear, I wouldn’t. I mean it’s not like that.”
“It’s not?” he asked looking back at me. “So, what is it like? You did say you were going out tonight, right?”
“I was, I am, but… Oh shit.” I rubbed my temples.
“He’s been going out for weeks and going home alone,” Adam broke in. “You and I both know where that leads.”
“Really? You have?” Braden asked, sitting forward and looking a bit stunned. “So, it’s more than just wanting to bang her?”
“I think I want to ask her out, but I’ve been worried about pissing you off, and I’m not even sure she’s interested in dating a guy who she’s always seen as a player.”
“Interested?” Adam asked incredulously. “If she gets any more interested, she might kill you.” I had to laugh at that. It was kind of adorable, if a bit painful, that she got so distracted around me. She had injured me more than once.