Page 42 of Off Limits
Chapter Twenty
Jane
Jane had avoided the brewery for almost the last week because she had been sure her brother would read her face and her dreamy eyes with just one look at her in the room with Brady. She could hardly stop touching him when they were near each other, let alone not stare at him. But if she didn’t pop into Dog Tired at all for the three weeks, Rex would start asking questions. She was usually in there at least once a week—often more.
She breezed through the front door of the brewery. Even for a weekday evening, most of the tables had patrons sipping beers. Though the brewery didn’t serve food, a couple food trucks rotated through the week in the parking lot, so the hint of barbeque wafted through the air. After a long day at the studio teaching the instructors some of the new techniques she learned at the retreat, her stomach growled. Maybe she’d grab some pulled pork on her way out.
“Hey, Jane.” Sam waved from behind the bar.
“Hi, Sam. Here to see my brother before he takes off on another round of traveling.” She leaned across the bar and slapped Sam a high-five before turning toward the office.
She could see her brother at the desk. Oh, that desk. The wicked memories of New Year’s Eve still heated her cheeks. She shook her head and took a deep breath.
“Hey, Rexy.” She strolled into the office like she owned the place. But her steps faltered when she saw Brady standing over the round table in the corner flipping through some portfolio. He had gone to his condo after leaving her place this morning so she hadn’t seen him since then.
He had on dark gray dress slacks that clung to his ass and thighs like they had been tailored for him. Maybe they had. The first two buttons of his white button-down shirt were undone, revealing his tanned skin. His sleeves were rolled up his forearms, exposing his sinewy muscles. One hand laid flat against the table, his long fingers splayed. Fingers that had been inside of her this morning.
There went her cheeks again.
He glanced up from the portfolio, his gaze turned heated at the sight of her.
“Janey.” Rex stood from the desk. “What brings you here?” He moved around the desk to hug her. This broke the stare-off between her and Brady.Thank God.
She squeezed her brother tighter than usual. “Just wanted to see you before you take off again.”
He separated from her embrace. “Aw. Are you going to miss your big brother while he’s in Texas?”
She laughed. “Of course.” She glanced over at Brady, who just watched her interaction with her brother. “Hey, Brady.” She smiled, though she wanted to do so much more.
He cleared his throat, glanced at her brother and forced a smile. “Hey.” He went back to flipping through the portfolio.
Rex didn’t say anything about the somewhat stiff reception between the two of them but he glanced at her and quirked an eyebrow.
She shrugged. She knew Brady wanted to hug her, kiss her. She understood why he was distant in the moment.
“What are you looking at?” She broke the silence, wandering over to where Brady stood.
