How many of those clowns had she already slept with? He’d seen strange little symbols by most of the names—though not by his—but he’d hardly had time to investigate.
Tomorrow, number one on his agenda was making sure his employees knew he wouldn’t tolerate any nonsense in his stores. Jokes, pranks, gossip. None of it.
Masturbating in the boss’s office, on the other hand…
He rubbed his forehead. Soon she’d discover her phone had gone missing. If he wasn’t such a dickhead, he’d go out and hand it over first.
Dickhead was running the bases and sliding toward home.
“Earth to Spencer.” Marcia snapped her fingers. “Damn, she has you rattled.”
“I don’t get rattled.” Turning back to his computer, he shut down the P&Ls he’d been neck-deep in before he’d made the mistake of taking a lunch break. When he’d returned, a ticking time bomb had been waiting for him on his desk.
How could Profit and Loss statements ever compare with the sexy brunette he’d had enough trouble keeping his mind off even before he’d known his fascination wasn’t one-sided?
They couldn’t.
Apparently he wasn’t only a dickhead because he hadn’t returned her personal property, he was also an insensitive prick because first chance he got he was going to decipher Kelly’s damn code.
Then again, maybe he’d rather not know.
Marcia cocked her head, narrowing her eyes. “I caught you checking her out yesterday. Actually I’ve caught you checking her out a bunch of times. You’re into her too, huh?”
When he didn’t answer, she blew out a breath. “No reason not to let loose a little. Easy enough to fuck and duck when the deed’s done. She can cross another name off her list—gotta say, she’s one ballsy babe—and you’ll stop looking so damn constricted.” She grinned. “Besides, you’ll be leaving soon anyway.”
“Mind keeping your voice down?”
“About the fucking or the leaving?”
“Both.”
She shrugged. “Some of those guys are sexy, gotta admit. Kelly does have taste. But Aaron Myles? No way. He was a few years behind me in high school. He’s almost as old as you.”
“Having fun?” he asked pleasantly, forcing the grimace just aching to form on his face to stay hidden. “Just because you like them young enough to need help getting on a condom doesn’t mean youth is better. Maybe Kelly appreciates experience.”
“Could be. Then again, fringe benefits always sweeten the pot.” Marcia trailed a fingertip over the thin gold chain she wore around her neck. “Sex as a business strategy certainly worked for you.”
Spencer took a breath, let it out slow and easy. She, of all people, had to understand how that barb hit home. She didn’t know everything, but she knew enough. “You’re never going to forget that, are you?”
“Forget what? That you strolled in here after I’d been an employee for several years and cruised right past me to the top? And it wasn’t because you were always on top either.”
He stared at his sister and tried to remind himself she’d been hurt by what happened, even if things hadn’t occurred quite like she’d said. “It was years ago, Marsh. Diana’s gone. I’ve proven I’m the right person to lead these stores.”
She tapped her nails on her bare thigh, holding his stare. Then she jerked a shoulder. “I was never into business the way you are. This is a job for me. A job I enjoy, but a job.”
It was as close to agreement as he’d get. And he’d take it. The last thing he wanted to do was remember a summer almost as hot as this one. Five years ago already. He didn’t have any desire to remember what had happened then any more than he wanted to think about why getting involved with Kelly now was such a bad idea.
He just wanted to work. His salvation and his destruction all in one.
“I must admit I understand where Di was coming from. Younger guys have something older men never will.”
“A fake ID?”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t go that young. Jeez. I meant stamina.”
“Trust me, some of us still have stamina past thirty. Just because David didn’t know his dick from a hole in the ground doesn’t mean every man with chest hair doesn’t.”
“We’re not talking about my ex-husband. We’re talking about you and why you’re all conflicted about boning Kelly. A bit too much déjà vu for you, huh? Except now she’s the young one with starry eyes.”