break my own damn rules for you. You need to listen to what I’m about to tell you.”
“What?”
“She has it bad for you.”
He looked surprised. Yes, she’d dropped some innuendos, but Gabe didn't think it was anything but to rile him up. Livy was a tease, and that’s what he assumed was going on.
“She’s serious?”
“Livy isn't a dick tease, Gabe. She’s a nun, and she’s waiting on you.”
He didn't know what to say.
“If you tell her I told you, I’ll kick your suit wearing ass. You’re my boss, but we’re family.”
He had a million questions to ask. “Are you yanking my chain?”
“No. Rule number two in the girlfriend code allows me to keep secrets from my best friend. Me telling you is a huge one. I just want to know one thing.”
“What?”
“If you weren’t her boss, what would you do?”
“I’d ask her out, I’d take her to bed, and I’d have one hell of a time doing it.”
She grinned. “So do it.”
“I just told you…”
“There’s such a thing as doing it discretely. Hell! J Edgar Hoover was gay and had sex with his second in command. He was discrete. No one ever found out, so be discrete. Who will know?”
Gabe closed his eyes.
“I will.”
“Do you think there aren’t people here under this roof who aren’t knocking major boots with their partners? Come on, Gabriel. I can name four sets of people right off the top of my head who are involved with their partners.”
“Who?”
She laughed. “Yeah, that’s never happening. If you can’t see what’s clearly before you, I’m not giving you my rose colored glasses to find the fornicators.”
He crossed his arms.
“Rules are meant to be broken.”
He laughed. “Uh, no they aren’t. You’re just sick about rules, and you hate them. I happen to like order.”
“Order schmorder. My point is that she’s into you, and your dick is in a knot over her.”
“Again, I’m your boss.”
“Again, you’re like my freaking brother. I do believe once you kiss someone and play sexy girlfriend at a reunion, you can’t pull the boss card. Your hand was on my ass, Gabe!”
He laughed. “I didn't enjoy it.”
Elizabeth lifted a brow. “Gee. Thanks.”
“You know what I meant.”
“Elizabeth.” He sighed. “I can’t think about this right now. We have a huge case. I’ll mull it over at a later date.”
That was him basically telling her the conversation was officially over. He wasn’t going to have the discussion.
They were done.
Elizabeth stood. “Boss man, that’s up to you. All I'm saying is if you lobbed a pass at her, it wouldn’t be batted away. Livy thinks you’re pretty sexy. I personally think she’s blind…”
He glared at her.
“Hey!”
“That was for the ass comment. Besides, do you really want me thinking about you like that, Gabe?” she asked, laughing at his retort.
“No, I don’t! I’m not entirely comfortable with her thinking about me like that.”
It was a total lie.
Gabe heated up at the mere thought that Olivia Spencer was getting all hot and bothered about him. It was only fair since he was too.
“Did you tell her I run at the park?” he asked.
She grinned. “Nope. She hunted you down all on her own by eavesdropping on your conversation with Lenny. She made the first move, so the rest is up to you.”
Elizabeth headed toward the door.
When her hand hit the doorknob, she paused. “Gabe?”
He didn't look away from her. “What, Lyzee?”
“Are you really working this with us?” she asked. “I mean, are you really going to be in the trenches with us on this one?” She needed to know where they stood.
There was a lot on the line—like Livy’s life.
“Are you worried?”
She turned to stare into his eyes. “Yeah, I’m scared. I don’t want to see Livy hurt.”
He stood and crossed to her. Gabe knew she wasn’t often serious when it came to life or her job. When it was about someone she cared about, Elizabeth LaRue didn't hold
“What?”
“She has it bad for you.”
He looked surprised. Yes, she’d dropped some innuendos, but Gabe didn't think it was anything but to rile him up. Livy was a tease, and that’s what he assumed was going on.
“She’s serious?”
“Livy isn't a dick tease, Gabe. She’s a nun, and she’s waiting on you.”
He didn't know what to say.
“If you tell her I told you, I’ll kick your suit wearing ass. You’re my boss, but we’re family.”
He had a million questions to ask. “Are you yanking my chain?”
“No. Rule number two in the girlfriend code allows me to keep secrets from my best friend. Me telling you is a huge one. I just want to know one thing.”
“What?”
“If you weren’t her boss, what would you do?”
“I’d ask her out, I’d take her to bed, and I’d have one hell of a time doing it.”
She grinned. “So do it.”
“I just told you…”
“There’s such a thing as doing it discretely. Hell! J Edgar Hoover was gay and had sex with his second in command. He was discrete. No one ever found out, so be discrete. Who will know?”
Gabe closed his eyes.
“I will.”
“Do you think there aren’t people here under this roof who aren’t knocking major boots with their partners? Come on, Gabriel. I can name four sets of people right off the top of my head who are involved with their partners.”
“Who?”
She laughed. “Yeah, that’s never happening. If you can’t see what’s clearly before you, I’m not giving you my rose colored glasses to find the fornicators.”
He crossed his arms.
“Rules are meant to be broken.”
He laughed. “Uh, no they aren’t. You’re just sick about rules, and you hate them. I happen to like order.”
“Order schmorder. My point is that she’s into you, and your dick is in a knot over her.”
“Again, I’m your boss.”
“Again, you’re like my freaking brother. I do believe once you kiss someone and play sexy girlfriend at a reunion, you can’t pull the boss card. Your hand was on my ass, Gabe!”
He laughed. “I didn't enjoy it.”
Elizabeth lifted a brow. “Gee. Thanks.”
“You know what I meant.”
“Elizabeth.” He sighed. “I can’t think about this right now. We have a huge case. I’ll mull it over at a later date.”
That was him basically telling her the conversation was officially over. He wasn’t going to have the discussion.
They were done.
Elizabeth stood. “Boss man, that’s up to you. All I'm saying is if you lobbed a pass at her, it wouldn’t be batted away. Livy thinks you’re pretty sexy. I personally think she’s blind…”
He glared at her.
“Hey!”
“That was for the ass comment. Besides, do you really want me thinking about you like that, Gabe?” she asked, laughing at his retort.
“No, I don’t! I’m not entirely comfortable with her thinking about me like that.”
It was a total lie.
Gabe heated up at the mere thought that Olivia Spencer was getting all hot and bothered about him. It was only fair since he was too.
“Did you tell her I run at the park?” he asked.
She grinned. “Nope. She hunted you down all on her own by eavesdropping on your conversation with Lenny. She made the first move, so the rest is up to you.”
Elizabeth headed toward the door.
When her hand hit the doorknob, she paused. “Gabe?”
He didn't look away from her. “What, Lyzee?”
“Are you really working this with us?” she asked. “I mean, are you really going to be in the trenches with us on this one?” She needed to know where they stood.
There was a lot on the line—like Livy’s life.
“Are you worried?”
She turned to stare into his eyes. “Yeah, I’m scared. I don’t want to see Livy hurt.”
He stood and crossed to her. Gabe knew she wasn’t often serious when it came to life or her job. When it was about someone she cared about, Elizabeth LaRue didn't hold
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