Dad In Demand. Metsy HingleЧитать онлайн книгу.

       Two

      “Hey, Bro,” Michael said, replacing the telephone receiver on its cradle as Sean marched into his office. “I was just getting ready to buzz you with the good news. We got the Stevens’ contract.”

      Sean slammed the door shut and stormed over to Michael’s desk. Planting his palms on the polished mahogany surface, he leaned over and glared at his brother. “I ought to take your head off.”

      Michael arched his brow, sat back in his chair and gave him that cool, calm, lawyer look that drove Sean nuts. “You’re welcome to try, little brother. But before I wipe up the floor with you, you want to tell me what you’re so all fired up about?”

      The anger that had been churning inside him since Katie had dropped her little bombshell about her and Michael the previous night kicked up another notch. “Where in the hell do you get off hitting on Katie?”

      “Katie?”

      “Yeah. Katie Malloy,” Sean told him through gritted teeth. “You know, the skinny redhead with the smart mouth that we’ve known since we were kids?”

      “Ah…that Katie.”

      At the smile spreading across his brother’s mouth, Sean had to check the urge to grab him by his designer shirtfront and wrap the fancy tie around his throat.

      “I’m not sure if I’d call a handful of dates ‘hitting’ on her, but Katie and I have gone out together a few times. What about it?”

      “You think just because you buy her a couple of meals that gives you the right to jump her bones?”

      The smile on Michael’s lips died faster than a snap. “Who said I jumped her bones?” Michael demanded, fists ready. “All I did was kiss her a few times.”

      Discovering that there had been more than one kiss did nothing to cool Sean’s already-hot temper. “So you admit it. You’ve been putting the moves on her.”

      “I’m not admitting anything.” Eyes narrowed, Michael eased back into his seat. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I hardly think that sharing a few kisses-in which, I might add, Katie was a willing participant—constitutes my ‘putting the moves’ on her. At least not in my book, it doesn’t.”

      Sean hadn’t wanted to believe it, that Katie really was involved with his brother. After she’d all but thrown him out last night, he’d spent most of it lying awake, chewing on what she’d told him. He’d decided to have it out with her first thing this morning. Only it had been after four when he’d finally dozed off, and by the time he’d awakened with a splitting headache, Katie had already left for work. To make matters worse, he’d had a full hour to let the steam build while he’d waited for Michael to arrive at the office. His brother’s confirmation that he and Katie did indeed have a more personal relationship left a bitter taste in his mouth. “What’s the matter? Aren’t there enough other women in this city for you to hit on without going after Katie?”

      Michael clenched his jaw. “Listen, pal. Who I go out with is none of your business. You don’t see me giving you grief about the women who parade in and out of your apartment, do you?”

      “None of those women is Katie.”

      Fingers steepled, Michael gave him a considering look. “Is that the problem? Katie turn you down?”

      Sean made a suggestion as to what his brother could do with himself.

      “Hit a nerve, did I?” Michael taunted.

      Sean swore and cast aspersions on the nature of his brother’s parentage.

      “Before you go through your limited vocabulary, you might want to remember that the two of us are brothers—which means we share the same parents.”

      “Don’t remind me.”

      “So, you going to tell me why my going out with Katie has steam coming out of your ears? Or you want me to guess?”

      “You know what you can do with your guesses,” Sean told him.

      “Could it be that after all these years, you’ve developed a case of the hots for Katie yourself?”

      “Katie and I are friends,” Sean snapped, clenching his hands into fists at his side. But the memory of the kiss they’d shared yesterday loomed before him. It was a fluke, Sean told himself, brought on by a bout of celibacy and the fact that Heather had been playing games with him, putting him off. He and Katie were just friends. “I’m angry because Katie’s.she’s practically family, and you putting the moves on her isn’t right.”

      “Now that is dumb. Katie may seem like family because we’ve all known her a long time, but there’s no blood tie to prevent either of us from becoming involved if we want to.”

      Involved. The word gnawed at him. “Just cut all the BS and tell me, are you serious about her?”

      “Why? You worried about competition?”

      Sean snorted. “You really are full of it, Bro. Believe me, if I were interested in Katie, you wouldn’t be any competition. I already told you, she and I are friends. That’s all.”

      “Uh-huh.”

      Michael’s smug expression only infuriated him more. “I don’t want to see her get hurt. All right?”

      “And what makes you think I’m going to hurt her?”

      “Because.because she’s not your type.”

      “I don’t have a type,” Michael informed him. “And if I did, why not Katie? She’s an interesting woman, fun to be with, and she makes me laugh.”

      Katie was all those things, but hearing Michael say it sent uneasiness clawing down his spine. “So, you saying you are serious about her?”

      The lengthy silence caused a tight, funny feeling in Sean’s chest. “I thought about it,” Michael admitted. “And I suspect Katie did, too. But whatever it is that makes two people want to share their lives together, wasn’t there for us. Katie and I pretty much agreed we’d just stay friends.”

      Relief flooded through Sean. His heart made its way back down his throat. But when he glanced at Michael, saw his grin, temper pricked at him. “Why you son of a—” He bit off the rest. “Why didn’t you just say so to begin with?”

      “Because it was a lot more fun watching you tie yourself up in knots over the idea of me being with Katie.”

      “Go to hell,” Sean told him. “I’ve got work to do.” Whirling around, he stomped out of Michael’s office