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“Ouch. You’re crass when you’re cranky,” he said through a wicked grin, crossing an ankle over his knee.
Leland and I met at a bar shortly after Selene’s death and Jasper’s subsequent vanishing act. He’d served me drinks, listened to my ramblings, and called me on my bullshit all night. He’d had no prior experience as an executive assistant, but he was honest, and he didn’t care about who I was, he just cared. I’d brought him with me when I took over for my father at Nexcom.
My moods didn’t intimidate him, and he often pretended he didn’t know I was having one, anyway.
I thumbed to the page he’d creased. An article on philanthropist and activist Sofia Rivera leading a protest on the steps of the Supreme Court. I’d asked Leland to look into her.
“She’s big on social justice issues,” said Leland. “A Columbia Law grad. Jasper’s alma mater. Must be where they met.”
“No,” I said absently as I skimmed through the write-up. “They likely met before then. Jasper’s ambitions were never lofty. The fact that he’d waited so long after completing undergrad to attend law school tells me something—or someone—came along and inspired him to do it. I’m guessing Sofia’s that someone.” If Jasper felt being an attorney would have a greater impact on the good they were doing, he wouldn’t hesitate to see it done. I handed the periodical back to Leland.
“How’d the dinner meeting go last night?” he asked.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you about that. It was supposed to be today. It’s not like you to make that kind of mistake.”
“Because I didn’t,” he scoffed. “Someone from Parker & Mitchell called and asked to shift things around. I assumed it was a clerk or Daniel’s assistant. You had an opening in your calendar, so I made the swap.”
“Hmm.” I planted my elbows on the arms of my chair and steepled my hands in front of me. “Strange.”
“Want me to get a name?”
“No, it’s fine. I’m sure it was a simple case of crossed wires.”
“Does Jasper think you made it up?”
“Possibly, but it worked out. It was an eye-opening night,” I said.
“Uh-oh, I know that look.”
“What look?” I asked.
“I thought you agreed not to come between them.”
“And I won’t. But I won’t sit back, though, and watch his life choices be insulted, or accept Daniel’s belittlement of him. Jasper deserves better.”
“He deserves you?” he asked meaningfully.
I dropped my head back on my chair. I wasn’t above much when it came to Jasper. I also didn’t want to show up after all those years and be a wrecking ball to what he’d built for himself. If we were only meant to be friends, then so be it. I’d meant it when I said I needed him in my life. I’d continue to swallow my feelings for him, smile and bear the pain of seeing him with someone else, if that was all I could have. Perhaps he and Daniel were happy. Perhaps I was searching for cracks in their foundation to ease some of my guilt behind wanting him anyway. Because guilt would be a hard emotion to come by when knowing I wouldn’t be destroying something good to have what I wanted.
“If Daniel’s as bad for him as you say, then the choice should be easy. So what if you two used to be stepbrothers? Bigger scandals have been overcome. I once got busted shagging my professor and his wife.”
If only it were that simple, I mused to myself.
“If that’s what’s keeping you two apart, you’re both idiots.”
“Remind me why I thought it was a good idea to hire a friend as my assistant?”
“Because I keep you humble and I keep your secrets.” He winked. Leland was innately flirtatious, had a sailor’s mouth, and wouldn’t know the meaning of monogamy if the word fell out of the dictionary and straddled his lap. If I was looking for someone to talk me out of playing a role in the downfall of a marriage, he was the wrong guy for the job.
“Thanks,” I said sincerely. “Or maybe I shouldn’t be thanking you. Thanks to your awkward exit the other morning, Jasper thinks I’m fucking you.”
“Oy, yeah, sorry about that. You two reeked of sexual tension. It was either get out of there, or make an indecent proposal. Need me to do damage control? Shove my tongue down Sofia’s throat? That’ll clear things right up.”
“Absolutely not, you heathen.” I laughed. Jealousy was a dangerous emotion, and one I was more than capable of succumbing to. It had taken everything to maintain a neutral expression as Daniel ran his hands over Jasper at the dinner table last night. I’d wanted to clear the dishes away with a sweep of my arm. I had wanted to fuck Jasper right there and make Daniel watch. Wanted to show him how Jasper loved to be touched. How he loved to be taken not asked. School him on what it meant to bring his husband pleasure. And I had wanted him to choke on it.
“Alright, you’re starting to look murdery, which means you’ve got visions of sex and violence in your head. That’s my cue to leave.” He left the stack of folders for me to review their contents but snatched up the magazine on his way out. “And stop looking at your phone. It won’t make him call you any faster,” he said as he went. I huffed a laugh and turned the device face down on the wooden desktop.
“Do me a favor,” I called out. “Jasper said he teaches twice a week, can you—”
