girl with dark hair and green eyes," Matt said as Kent reached over and popped him with a towel.
"Leave your brother alone. He's not here to defend himself from your empty accusations. Besides, Bethany is going to be his sister. He has limits to his actions — mostly."
Bethany found herself shocked at the notion that Damon hadn't been smitten with the various blondes that seemed to populate most of the office. Ben had filled her in on the fact that Linda, Damon's beautiful secretary, was Kent's hire and not Damon's. Not that it mattered at all. He was off limits, he was taken and he was family.
Matt picked up a few nachos, balancing them on his hand as he nodded toward the back patio.
"Let's go watch the sunset. I love how well you can see it from the terrace here. My place is in the city, so there isn't much to see above the smog." He smiled and moved toward the back door.
Bethany grabbed a small plate and loaded it up with enough nachos for both of them before joining him. Her mom called after her to be careful, but she ignored it. Be careful of what? The mosquitoes?
Matt walked out and held the door for her, moving to the side and reaching to steal a nacho from her plate. They walked to the end of the terrace, two large lounge chairs sitting there, as if waiting on them.
"It's beautiful out here." The energy in Matt's voice dimmed, his spirit seeming much calmer than only moments ago.
She sat down and looked over at him; his expression was filled with peace.
"You okay?"
"Yeah." He smiled at her, reaching for the plate. "I just act like a spaz in front of my father. I hate the idea of wearing a suit and working in a high-rise building, no offense. I act like a goober, and he doesn't consider me when something comes open. He focuses on Damon and I have my freedom."
It made so much sense. She smiled at how well he'd played his cards.
Taking a small bite of the nacho in her fingers she looked out at the long stretch of property before them, the crimson sun tugging the colors of evening toward the edge of the world with its descent.
"I love accounting and don't mind the big buildings, I guess."
"I love drawing and painting. I'm the artsy one in the family. My mother was a painter, so at least I get it honestly." He shrugged and sat back, handing the plate back to her with only two nachos left.
She laughed and he turned his head toward her. "What?"
"You ate most of our snack. Pig."
He laughed loudly, the sound causing her to laugh too. Matt was exactly the kind of guy she could see herself being a sister to. Damon, on the other hand, was the farthest stretch of her sensual fantasies and going to be trouble, but Matt … he was a big kid. Good thing she still felt like one herself most days of the week.
"I was hungry." He reached over and pushed at her shoulder playfully. "Tell me for realz. Did you like Damon? Was he nice or rude as all get out?"
"He was professional, sort of. I mean he wasn't rude, but very much focused on business."
"What do you mean ‘ sort of professional ’ ? Did he hit on you?"
Her throat tightened, the idea of talking about the conversation with his real brother and Matt perhaps telling Damon that she'd mentioned it was more than she could bear.
Honestly, the conversation had turned her on, and more than once that afternoon she'd imagined him forbidding her to wear panties under her black pencil skirt. Her body burned at the idea of someone with the balls to demand something of the sort. A touch of jealousy hit her as she thought of the girl on the phone, sitting with Damon at a restaurant.
"Hello … earth to Beth."
"Sorry. He just had a conversation with his girlfriend that was … well, it was sexy."
"He doesn't have a girlfriend."
"I'm pretty sure he does." Bethany picked up a chip and offered him the plate, Matt grabbing the last one and eating it quickly, as if she might change her mind.
"Whatever you say, but I know my brother, and he's commitment
"Leave your brother alone. He's not here to defend himself from your empty accusations. Besides, Bethany is going to be his sister. He has limits to his actions — mostly."
Bethany found herself shocked at the notion that Damon hadn't been smitten with the various blondes that seemed to populate most of the office. Ben had filled her in on the fact that Linda, Damon's beautiful secretary, was Kent's hire and not Damon's. Not that it mattered at all. He was off limits, he was taken and he was family.
Matt picked up a few nachos, balancing them on his hand as he nodded toward the back patio.
"Let's go watch the sunset. I love how well you can see it from the terrace here. My place is in the city, so there isn't much to see above the smog." He smiled and moved toward the back door.
Bethany grabbed a small plate and loaded it up with enough nachos for both of them before joining him. Her mom called after her to be careful, but she ignored it. Be careful of what? The mosquitoes?
Matt walked out and held the door for her, moving to the side and reaching to steal a nacho from her plate. They walked to the end of the terrace, two large lounge chairs sitting there, as if waiting on them.
"It's beautiful out here." The energy in Matt's voice dimmed, his spirit seeming much calmer than only moments ago.
She sat down and looked over at him; his expression was filled with peace.
"You okay?"
"Yeah." He smiled at her, reaching for the plate. "I just act like a spaz in front of my father. I hate the idea of wearing a suit and working in a high-rise building, no offense. I act like a goober, and he doesn't consider me when something comes open. He focuses on Damon and I have my freedom."
It made so much sense. She smiled at how well he'd played his cards.
Taking a small bite of the nacho in her fingers she looked out at the long stretch of property before them, the crimson sun tugging the colors of evening toward the edge of the world with its descent.
"I love accounting and don't mind the big buildings, I guess."
"I love drawing and painting. I'm the artsy one in the family. My mother was a painter, so at least I get it honestly." He shrugged and sat back, handing the plate back to her with only two nachos left.
She laughed and he turned his head toward her. "What?"
"You ate most of our snack. Pig."
He laughed loudly, the sound causing her to laugh too. Matt was exactly the kind of guy she could see herself being a sister to. Damon, on the other hand, was the farthest stretch of her sensual fantasies and going to be trouble, but Matt … he was a big kid. Good thing she still felt like one herself most days of the week.
"I was hungry." He reached over and pushed at her shoulder playfully. "Tell me for realz. Did you like Damon? Was he nice or rude as all get out?"
"He was professional, sort of. I mean he wasn't rude, but very much focused on business."
"What do you mean ‘ sort of professional ’ ? Did he hit on you?"
Her throat tightened, the idea of talking about the conversation with his real brother and Matt perhaps telling Damon that she'd mentioned it was more than she could bear.
Honestly, the conversation had turned her on, and more than once that afternoon she'd imagined him forbidding her to wear panties under her black pencil skirt. Her body burned at the idea of someone with the balls to demand something of the sort. A touch of jealousy hit her as she thought of the girl on the phone, sitting with Damon at a restaurant.
"Hello … earth to Beth."
"Sorry. He just had a conversation with his girlfriend that was … well, it was sexy."
"He doesn't have a girlfriend."
"I'm pretty sure he does." Bethany picked up a chip and offered him the plate, Matt grabbing the last one and eating it quickly, as if she might change her mind.
"Whatever you say, but I know my brother, and he's commitment
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