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“It’s fine, Preston,” I assured him. “As long as he remains grateful for the save, then I’m good. If he starts talking to you about promotions or raises or any of that shit, we’re going to have a problem.”
Preston took a seat in front of my desk. “Yeah, I know,” he sighed. “Honestly, I think that he knows it, too. He’s talked about updating his resumé and seeing what else is out there.”
“Good,” I replied, but not unkindly. “While I have nothing against the man, I’m not fond of lazy people.”
Preston’s green eyes regarded me shrewdly. Though we were two years apart and I was an inch or so taller than him, there was no denying that we were brothers. We had both taken after Dad, and even if we didn’t look alike, we acted like brothers would.
“And you’re sure that your dislike for him has nothing to do with a certain blonde auditor?”
I leaned back in my chair. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Preston snorted in disbelief. “C’mon, Rush,” he drawled out. “I know you better than anyone else on the planet. Even Mom and Dad don’t know you as well as I do. You sounded like you wanted to rip Davis a new one when he started flirting with her.”
“He’s married,” I reminded him. “He shouldn’t be flirting with any woman that’s not his wife.”
Preston’s lips twitched. “There’s a difference between flirting and being charming. Maybe Davis thought that he was being charming.”
I leaned forward in my chair. “He shouldn’t be trying to be either,” I snapped. “He’s married.”
“So am I,” he countered.
“You weren’t flirting with anyone,” I pointed out. “Besides, I’m very aware of how much you love your wife. I can’t see you flirting with another woman, even if you tried.”
“Gee, thanks,” he chuckled.
I leaned back in my chair again, letting out a deep sigh. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since I first laid eyes on her,” I finally admitted.
Preston’s grin damn near split his face in two. “Well, well, well…” he drawled out. “How the mighty have fallen.”
Oh, how the mighty had definitely fallen.
“She’s snarky, dreams up plots of murder, believes in psychic readings, has a thing for margaritas, though she could just be an alcoholic at this point, and there’s also a very good possibility that she’s in a throuple with someone named Rowena and Mark,” I told him.
Preston eyed me carefully. “And…uh, and the plots of murder aren’t concerning for you?”
I eyed him back. “I’m more concerned with the possible throuple that she might be in. I mean, what if she really loves the guy? Or girl?”
After a heartbeat of silence, Preston let out a hearty laugh. “I take it back,” he said after getting himself under control. “You haven’t fallen, you’ve already crashed and burned.”
Not denying it, I said, “There’s just something about the woman.”
“Yeah,” he snorted. “Her face.”
I shot him a look. “I’ve had my fair share of beautiful women, Preston. It’s not her looks.”
“So, it’s her penchant for alcohol and threesomes that’s doing it for you?” he quipped.
“She hates her boss,” I mentioned casually.
“I’m not surprised,” he replied easily. “It only takes ten minutes of being in his company to see that he’s a peacock. He’s more interested in impressing people than he is with hard work.” Preston shot me a look. “In all honesty, I want to consider us even after you made me have all those unnecessary meetings with the fool.”
That got a grin out of me. “Yeah, he is a bit of a tool.”
“So, what now?” he asked. “Plan on asking her out or what?”
“I asked her if she had a boyfriend before I had to take off for Atlanta, and she told me that the answer was none of my business,” I told him, still grinning.
“I bet you’ve never had that happened to you before,” Preston chuckled. “You usually have to fight women off.”
