No Strings__ - By Janelle Denison Page 0,8

beyond the bond of being brothers, they were also best friends. And now, with their parents retired and living in Florida, he appreciated his relationship with Sam even more.

The truth was, after today’s shake-up at the office, Aiden just wanted to relax and unwind, without the added pressure of smiling and laughing with colleagues when he wasn’t in the mood. He’d even promised Chloe a drink to celebrate her new account with Organic Kitty, but he’d have to make it up to her another time. She was another distraction he didn’t want to deal with tonight, not when he was still trying to process the fact that they’d gone from being coworkers to rivals vying for the same account.

“Whatever is bugging you, get it off your chest already,” Sam said, pulling him out of his thoughts. “That brooding look is going to scare off the women. Oh, wait, your uptight business suit already did that.” He smirked.

Aiden laughed, giving his brother the reaction he’d been angling for. True, he stood out in a place where the dress code was jeans and T-shirt casual, which was all Sam ever wore. “Then it’s a good thing I’m not here to pick up women.”

“Yeah, well, you’re cramping my style,” Sam grumbled, and gazed longingly at two pretty females sitting a few tables away who were giving Sam an equally interested look. Leaning forward in his seat, Aiden braced his arms on the table, figuring it might help to talk to Sam about what had happened today at the office, as he’d suggested. “Actually, I have some news I need to get off my chest. Do you remember me telling you about the big account I was hoping to get?”

Sam thought for a moment, then asked, “The one for that singles, matchmaking resort?”

Aiden nodded. “Yeah, that’s the one.”

“Are we here to celebrate?” Sam asked hopefully, already tipping his beer for a premature toast.

“No, not yet.” Aiden released a heavy sigh. “I found out today that not only is another ad firm vying for the job, but Perry decided to assign Chloe and I to the account. Not to work together, but to come up with separate campaigns for the resort. He wants a male and female perspective. Whoever’s campaign the client chooses will be awarded the account.”

Sam’s eyes widened in surprise. “So you have to compete directly against Chloe for the account?”

“Yep.” His troubled tone echoed the way he felt about the entire situation.

Over the past two years of working at Perry & Associates, Aiden had spoken about Chloe numerous times to Sam, saying how much he respected her as a colleague. His brother had also met and talked to—or rather flirted with—Chloe the one and only time Sam had stopped by the Executive Bar to have a drink with Aiden, so Sam was familiar enough with their working relationship to know just how bothered Aiden was that the two of them were now adversaries. However, Aiden had promised Chloe that he wouldn’t let this campaign ruin their friendship, and he was determined to make sure he held true to their pact.

“I’m sorry, bro.” Sam gave a sympathetic shake of his head. “That plain sucks.”

“Tell me about it.” Aiden finished off his beer, and if he didn’t have to get in a car and drive, he would have ordered a double scotch. He certainly needed one.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, the Friday night crowd in McGann’s growing louder as the bar filled up with patrons. Women walked by in skimpy outfits, giving both him and his brother a lingering glance that made it clear they were more than interested in a good time, but Aiden wasn’t. When he glanced across the table at Sam, there was no mistaking the sly grin on his lips and the mischievous look in his eyes.

Aiden narrowed his gaze, wondering what his brother found so amusing. “What?”

“You’re not going to let a girl win, are you?” Sam asked, an all too familiar taunting note to his voice. It was the same one he’d used to goad Aiden into doing things he shouldn’t, all throughout their childhood.

“Hell, no.” Aiden considered himself a gentleman, but this was a competition between two coworkers, and all bets were off. Girl or no, his kick-ass campaign was going to earn him the St. Raphael account.

“Good.” Despite Sam’s succinct tone, his lips were still twitching with mirth. “I don’t want you to go all soft because your competition is smoking hot and