Page 28 of Crazy for You

Dammit indeed. He wasn’t going to kiss her, and she was so frustrated she wanted to scream. Instead, she lifted her hand from his biceps and jabbed a finger against his chest. “You don’t get a say in who I do or don’t date.”

His big, warm hand closed over hers, flattening it against the firm expanse of his chest. “I damn well do. Your brother would turn over in his grave if I let you date a guy like Todd Pierce.”

There he went, playing the Derek card again. “If he were here, he wouldn’t be able to stop me any more than you can.”

“You can’t possibly?—”

Emma heard voices a moment before Mark and Ethan turned the corner. They stopped dead in their tracks and stared, and Emma wished the floor would swallow her whole.

Ryan looked from the guys to Emma as the hallway sizzled with a heavy silence. He was acutely aware that Emma’s hand was on his chest, still engulfed in his. And they were standing way too close. For one long, awkward moment, they just stared at each other. Then she scooted backward, mumbled a hasty good-bye, and headed for the door.

“Whoa,” Ethan said once she’d gone. “You and Emma? Where the fuck did that come from?”

Ryan shook his head. “Not what you’re thinking.”

“I know what I saw.” A wide grin spread across his buddy’s face. “You two were looking at each other like you were about two beats from jumping in the sack together, and while I totally did not see this coming, I kind of dig the idea of you guys together.”

Mark nodded in agreement, looking suspiciously as if he was fighting a smile of his own.

“We’re not together,” Ryan said, pushing past them to go get a drink from the water cooler in the lobby. “In fact, we were arguing about her choice of men on Tinder.”

“You hear this?” Ethan said to Mark.

Mark shook his head with a smile. “I hear it. Don’t believe a word of it.”

“I’ve got to go secure the equipment for the night, but this definitely calls for beers at Rowdy’s later,” Ethan said.

“Agreed.” Mark headed for the door.

Ryan, finding himself completely tongue-tied where Emma was concerned, followed them out, headed for the ropes course to see if Trent was still there getting rid of that downed branch. He found the kid seated on the rope bridge, feet dangling, cell phone in hand. He wore ear buds, his head bobbing to whatever music he had going. The hand saw lay discarded on the bridge beside him.

Ryan’s temper reared up like an angry beast. He wasn’t a stickler about work. He and the guys messed around plenty, but they also worked their asses off out here. Maybe hiring his brother had been a mistake because now he was going to have to give the kid a lecture, and he’d rather Trent learn this lesson from an employer who wasn’t also the brother trying to find a way back into his life for good.

He stopped below the rope bridge and looked up, waiting for Trent to notice him.

“Oh, hey,” Trent said finally, shoving the phone and ear buds into the pocket of his hoodie. “I just finished with that branch. Took me all afternoon.”

“Shouldn’t have taken more than an hour or so,” Ryan said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Oh, uh…” Trent shrugged awkwardly.

“You know we don’t have any rules about cell phones out here, but every single time I’ve come out to check on you today, man, you’ve been goofing off. You smoked weed while you’re on my dime. If you were anyone but my brother, I’d have fired you on the spot.” He kicked at a rock on the path and sent it soaring toward the woods.

Trent straightened, temper sparking in his dark eyes. “Well, don’t let that hold you back.”

“Come down from there so we can talk.” Ryan grabbed the downed branch Trent had disentangled, carrying it to the edge of the clearing to toss it into the woods. He needed to watch himself right now because a healthy portion of his current mood had to do with what had just gone down between him and Emma, not Trent.

By the time he’d gotten rid of the branch, Trent had climbed down from the rope bridge, saw in hand. “I don’t need your charity. If you want to fire me, go ahead and do it.”

“I don’t.” Ryan scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I don’t want to fire you at all, but you’ve got to start pulling your weight around here. And if I ever catch you lighting up out here again, you’re done. Are we clear?”

“I could get a job somewhere else,” Trent said, his chin up.

“You could, but I think you’ll find that working out here beats the pants off busing tables or ringing up groceries at the supermart.” Ryan paused. “I want you to work here, Trent, but you’ve got to do the job I’m paying you for.”

His brother deflated some then, tugging his beanie lower over his ears. “Fine.” He headed off in the direction of the house.

Ryan watched him go, pulsing with frustration and restless energy. He debated going for a climb, but he’d have to go back to the house and get his gear, and by then the guys would be ready to hit Rowdy’s. He’d just have to endure their ribbing about Emma and hope a few beers would be enough to make it bearable.

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