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“Morning.” Jayson sipped his coffee.
“Cooper.” Royce’s expression was harder to read than his wife’s.
“Coffee?” Jayson offered.
“No, thanks,” Taylor said. “We brought a few souvenirs and I wanted to drop them off before Gia took off for work. We have something for you, too, but it didn’t occur to me to bring it.”
“For good reason,” Royce murmured. “We didn’t expect to find you here.” He didn’t often play the big, bad brother card with Jayson—or at least he hadn’t in a while. If he thought he was intimidating... Hell, Jayson was older than Royce.
“Why don’t we have our coffee outside,” Royce added.
“I’ll have mine right here, thanks, but you can go outside if you like.” Jayson grinned.
Royce glowered for a beat before Taylor interrupted the short standoff.
“We should go. Don’t you have to be in the office soon?” Taylor asked her husband.
“Nope.”
“What’s the matter, Royce? Afraid to admit your feelings in front of your sister? She’s an adult, you know.” Jayson informed him.
“Afraid has nothing to do with it.” Royce faced his sister. “Are you being careful with him? In every way imaginable?”
“Royce!” Taylor shot him a peeved look.
“Gia knows what she wants,” Jayson said. “She also knows what she doesn’t want. She’d never allow me, or anyone, to trample her wishes. You know that better than anyone. She’s damned well capable of making decisions for herself regardless of what you or I want her to do.”
Royce’s nostrils flared.
Gia took a step closer to Jayson and he instantly realized what he’d done. He’d spoken for her instead of giving her the space to speak for herself. Dammit, would he ever learn?
“Thank you, Jayson.”
Wait. Did she just thank him?
“I’m not interested in your advice when it comes to Jayson,” she told her brother.” She winked at Taylor. “Yours I’d consider.”
“Aw, thanks, G.” Taylor smiled. Royce did not. She gave her husband’s arm a light slap. “Oh, stop being so overbearing. Jayson’s right. Gia can take care of herself.” Taylor set the gift bag on the counter before curling her arms around one of Royce’s. “We’ll be leaving now. See you at the office.”
Once they’d gone, Jayson turned to his ex-wife. “Did I have a stroke or did both you and Taylor admit that I was right?”
“Don’t ruin this moment by being arrogant.” But Gia was smiling when she said it. She pulled the coffee cup from his hand and set it on the counter. “Now, where were we? We have a few minutes to continue what we started before going in to work.”
He didn’t hesitate, setting her on the countertop next to his coffee and kissing her.
They didn’t end up having sex, but second base wasn’t bad.
