bar as I was sure heat crept across my cheeks, desire to get to know this man riding me hard. “Anytime.” I focused on Harriet, who stood wide-eyed and amused as she glanced at us. Clearing my throat, I indicated my sister needed to get her butt over to me with a head lift. I pulled Harriet close. She immediately wrapped her arms around me. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
“Okay,” she answered. “Something I should know about?” she asked when she pulled away. She wouldn’t have been the only one in the bar who noticed I’d been tied up in Seb the whole evening.
I narrowed my eyes at her, trying to tell myself it was no big deal, offering Seb a job. I was having a hard time convincing myself of that, so there was no way I’d be sharing any of it with Harriet. She knew me far too well. “Nope. Just get home safe and tell Drake to not keep you locked away so much.”
Harriet laughed. “Righto, I’ll get right on that.” Before she turned, Drake appeared at her side. I took his hand in mine and stood.
After a short pat on the back, we separated. “Thanks for sorting everything for tonight,” he said.
“Anytime. You know I’ll do whatever makes her happy.”
He nodded. “Appreciate it. I was thinking more of me dragging along my brother and brother-in-law and their friends.” He grinned as he spoke, his tone lifting into a small question of sorts. Someone else who’d noticed my whole focus had been on Seb.
I peered around him, seeing Seb now stood with two couples. Damn, I’d been introduced to them but had pretty much forgotten they were here. “No worries.” I chose not to bite on how I’d hogged one of the friends the whole night. “Chat soon, yeah?”
“Yeah.” He took Harriet’s hand, and they headed towards the waiting group. I followed their movement, my eyes landing on Seb. Our eyes connected, and that sweet grin appeared on his face again. He lifted his hand and gave me a small wave. I offered a chin lift but couldn’t have kept the smirk off my face if I tried. Just as they left, the door swinging shut behind them, I jumped as a heavy hand landed on my back.
“You okay there?” My friend Cole moved past me and sat on the stool Seb had occupied all night. “Been a bit distracted?” He quirked a brow and looked far too satisfied, wearing a shit-eating grin.
I picked up the fresh beer that had appeared on the bar top at some point and took a deep pull.
“Like that, huh?”
I sighed, not wanting to answer him or get into anything Seb related. “Like what?” I did know, however, that Cole was a shit stirrer who’d go on all night if I didn’t answer him. He was the only one brave and stupid enough to push me. He claimed best friend privileges, while I’d always argued he was just a cocky bear who had no boundaries.
“The cute little button you’ve been panting over all night, he got your panties in a twist?”
“Screw off,” I growled.
He laughed loudly. “Shit, he really has. Why’d you let him leave?” He bounced his eyebrows up and down, looking like a cockhead.
“Hardly gonna force him to stay.” I sighed. “Plus, I may have offered him a job.” Cole’s laughter became louder. “He starts in the office on Monday,” I clarified. Cole was howling by the time I finished. “What? It’s not that funny.”
With his arms folded over his chest, Cole shook his head. “Elijah, my man, let’s face it. You’re screwed. After a couple of hours, you don’t even touch the man, yet you offered him a job where you’ll be seeing him what, a couple or so days a week? That’s so much more than you wanting to have your wicked way.” The arsehole was right. Bloody hell. “I can’t help but see a similarity to Drake and Harriet.” He grinned, looking proud of himself, as though he’d just solved some deep mystery of the world.
I stared hard at him, realising exactly what he meant. I’d hooked Harriet up with a job working for Drake’s security firm, as the office manager of all things. Months later, they’d become a couple and had since married. I had to wonder if that was what my subconscious had been telling me when I’d offered Seb the position, but there was a huge part of me that had no desire to