know how this chat is going to go down. We need to stay professional in the office. That goes without saying.”
“Yeah.” Saint nodded toward Jamie, still with his hands over his ears. “And it’s important for two reasons. One because professionalism, and two because I don’t want anyone thinking my brother is getting special treatment in this office or giving him a hard time because of it. He got this job on his own merit, and I don’t want anyone to think he’s sleeping his way up now. It’s just one reason I still harbor some reservations about this particular brother and friend relationship. Jamie has the potential to be hurt in several ways.” He dropped his voice. “Will you help me protect him, keep him safe?”
I nodded as Saint’s tension transferred itself to me, and I set my jaw. “Absolutely.”
Saint clapped his big hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “You can come back to us now, dude.”
He opened his eyes and looked at both of us. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “We just both need to remain entirely professional at work. No blurring the lines.”
“Oh. Just that?” Jamie shrugged as he turned back to his computer screen. “Obviously.”
The rest of the day continued with us firmly in work mode—almost as if we hadn’t spent the weekend fucking in any position we could think of and some new ones I came up with on the spot. I almost couldn’t believe I had any brains left to focus on my cases. If anyone had asked, I would have said Jamie had fucked them right out.
I dragged my mind from the bed we’d shared and looked again at Irene Grainger’s living will.
For the rest of the morning, I handled myself pretty well, with nothing more than a fond smile in Jamie’s direction—one I was pretty sure hid my lecherous thoughts and darkest desires from anyone else in the firm. Still, I’d have to keep myself under control and together at work because I didn’t want to give anyone a reason to treat Jamie badly. I had to protect him.
To take care of him.
Finally, the time to take a lunch break rolled around. Or, as soon as the clock hit twelve, I jumped up from my desk and stretched, almost desperate to be out of the same room as Jamie. His cologne swirled around me and flooded me with memories of his naked body writhing beneath mine every time I drew a breath.
“I’m going to grab a coffee in the breakroom.” Anything to put some distance between us so I could rein myself back in.
“Great. I’ll just finish up here and join you.”
I hesitated.
“If that’s okay?” He seemed to pick up on my small pause, so I forced a smile.
“Absolutely. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He grinned back at me, his mouth as tight as mine felt. “Business as usual, right?”
I exhaled, some of the tension receding from my body at the realization that this was no easier for him. “Absolutely. We can do this.” We were in it together.
I made two coffees and handed Jamie his as he arrived in the breakroom. His fingers brushed mine, and I held in my gasp as a shower of sparks raced up my arm, setting nerve endings alight all the way to my dick.
Jamie wandered around the room, trailing his hand over the back of the leather couch then half filling an empty mug so he could water the limp-looking aspidistra plant in the corner.
When he was satisfied, he walked back and leaned against the counter next to me, before picking up his coffee. Instinctively, I moved closer to him. Just a slight shift in my body posture, but I left some space so anyone coming into the breakroom would see that professional distance and not look any closer.
I lowered my head as if studying my coffee. “Pack an overnight bag for the weekend,” I murmured then sneaked a look at him, gauging his response.
My heart thudded. It wasn’t a line I’d ever said before, but Jamie probably didn’t realize what a big deal it was. He smiled as he swirled his own drink around his cup. I watched the liquid almost but not quite reach the rim, the constant danger it might overspill.
“I’m a step ahead of you there.” He smiled again, small and secret.
I’d just started to smile back when the breakroom door swung open and I took a small step away from Jamie. “Yes, I agree,” I said before I looked directly at Malcolm. I offered him