"This reminds me of being in the third grade and having Emily Robbins tell me that she liked me but she didnt like me like me, because she liked, liked, liked Bobby Ray Coleman. "
Nathan aimed a pencil at Micahs head and let fly. Micah ducked and the pencil bounced off the water cooler by the door.
"Okay, so you like her. The whole package. I get the feeling youre about to get all deep on me, man. We should probably be having this conversation over drinks, and one of us should be drunk. Preferably me. "
"I wonder if anyone would miss you if you just disappeared one day," Nathan said.
Something peculiar flashed in Micahs eyes before they became bland again. "Nah, just Pop, and he could replace me quick enough. "
"Dont tempt me then. "
"All right, all right," Micah said, waving his hand impatiently. "So you like her. You dont want sex with her except if she doesnt know about it. Weird, man. I gotta say, youre one kinky bastard. "
"Micah," Nathan growled.
He chuckled. "Okay, continue on. "
"She expects me to want sex. I dont think she trusts men very much. I think she likes us as a species just fine, but I get the idea theyve done a number on her, or maybe she just hasnt been very impressed by what shes experienced so far. "
"So you want to prove her wrong. By having anonymous sex with her?"
Nathan glared at Micah who was contorting his face to keep from laughing.
"If I had my way, shed be at my place, in my bed and we damn well wouldnt have any company. But since I dont have a choice in the matter unless I want her off fucking God knows who at a place where she could easily get hurt by some guy who wouldnt give a fuck about her or her pleasure, I have to go with what Ive been given. "
He turned away in irritation. He felt like a slimeball deceiving Julie like this, and okay, maybe he did think the threesome thing was pretty damn hot, but he still objected to having more than one dick in the room when he was having sex.
"Look, man, I know it isnt ideal, but you have a couple of choices. You come clean about your participation and go from there, you pretend you dont know a thing and ask her out for the same night and see what happens or you keep quiet and give her the best sex of her life. "
"With you present," Nathan said darkly.
"If it bugs you that much, I can always slip out. If youre good enough, she wont even notice Im gone," he said with a grin.
Nathan sighed. "That wouldnt be fair to her. Hell, none of it is, but Im just enough of a selfish, conniving bastard that I cant stand the idea of another man touching her. "
"So I take it youre going with option C. "
"Fuck me," Nathan bit out. "Shes making me crazy, Micah. Its not just lust. She does it for me. Im telling you this is my dream woman, and she acts like . . . well, she called me sweet for Gods sake. "
"Ouch. Next thing you know, youll be dickless and wearing pink. "
"Thanks for that," Nathan muttered.
"Sorry Im late," Pop said as he ambled through the door. Connor was on his heels.
"Wheres Faith?" Nathan asked. He was still concerned after yesterdays showdown between her and Gray.
"Not like her to miss work," Micah said with a frown.
Pop smiled, and it was one of those shit-eating grins. "Were going to have to manage without Faith—and Gray, for that matter—for a few days. "
Nathan exchanged looks with Micah and then they both turned to Connor. Connor shrugged and jerked a thumb in Pops direction.
"Ask him. He has all the deets. Im just the older brother. No one tells me anything. "
"Faith and Gray flew to Las Vegas last night to get married. I imagine by now theyve tied the knot and are tucked away in the honeymoon suite somewhere," Pop announced.
Micah chuckled. "Grays a smart bastard. Hustled her off to Vegas before she could change her mind again. "
Nathan frowned. "Is that what she wanted? He didnt coerce her, did he?"
Pop smiled. "Its nice of you to worry about her, son. Connor wasnt too happy with the way things went down either, but I talked to both her and Gray last night. Faith sounded over the moon. Whatever their issues, they seem to have worked them out. "
"When I saw her yesterday, she seemed awfully upset," Nathan said doubtfully.
"She loves him," Micah said reassuringly. "Im guessing there was a misunderstanding over the time he was spending out at the house. And we all know Gray is shit-faced when it comes to her. "
Nathan had to concede that point. Hed seen Gray after hed left the hospital after being shot because Faith was missing. Hed refused treatment, rest or anything else until shed been found. It wasnt a sight hed ever forget.
"Okay, so lets quit the gossip and get to work," Pop said. "Not that you make it worth a shit, but get us some more coffee going, Micah. "