Page 33 of Broken Daddy

Chris feigns offense, his eyes wide. “I need a reason to visit? What happened to family always being welcome?”

“You’re welcome to call me and let me know you’re coming,” I growl in response.

Gen’s still smiling, her full lips quirked up at the corners. It takes the edge off my annoyance…for a moment.

“I brought Eva a kid’s science set I saw in a store, thought she might like it. And I wanted to discuss a few things with you.” Despite the smile glued to his face, I can tell the last part is serious. His eyes flick to Gen.

Whatever it is, he doesn’t want to talk about it in front of her, which probably means I should take him seriously and ask her to give us a moment.

Instead, I lean back, tapping a pencil on the desk. Gen’s eyes dart to me and dance down my torso. A coil of desire flexes in my groin and I take a deep breath to tame it. Last thing I need Chris to see is how turned on I get around this woman, like a helpless sap.

“Why don’t you stay for dinner?”

Chris and I practically snap our necks looking at her.

“What?” I blurt as Chris says, “Really? That would be great.”

Insecurity flickers across Gen’s face and she bites her lip. The move is so commonplace now that I almost,almost,stand and reach out to pop that lip from between her teeth.

Maybe take possession of it myself.

“It should be ready in about an hour. And that would give you two time to talk.”

“Will you be joining us?”

Chris is trying to cut the tension in the room, but my annoyance surfaces again at his flirty words. Gen blushes and crosses her arms under her breasts, which only accentuates their delectable curves.

“Oh, I have some personal work to get done, but—”

“Don’t feel obligated,” I rush out, keeping my tone flat and uninterested. I don’t want to offend Gen, but I also don’t want Chris to see how ticked off he’s making me.

Unfortunately, my brother knows me too well.

Pushing himself off the desk, he looks at me closely for a moment, and then turns his attention back to Gen. His eyes glint with mischievousness, and that smirk is back.

“It would probably be bad manners if you left your guest with a grump, wouldn’t it?”

Gen mirrors his grin and then catches herself, raising a hand to hide it. She turns a laugh into a cough and then gives in.

“Okay. If Nathan—Mr. Sharpe—doesn’t have a problem with it, I can make time to sit down with everyone.”

My temples start to throb with an incoming headache. Caught between a rock and a hard place, I say in a strangled voice, “Of course. You’re welcome to join us, Gen, if that’s what you’d like to do.”

My brain is being pulled in a hundred different directions.

On the surface, sheer rage boils at my brother for not only flirting with Gen but making me look like a complete ass.

Then I can’t help wondering, isthatwhat she thinks of me? That I’m a grump? That I walk around in a sour mood all day, crushing the fun out of everything?

Last, the animalistic part of me wants to hear her sayMr. Sharpeagain. And again. And again.

In a totally inappropriate, unprofessional way.

In fact, I can think of a few different positions I’d like her to be in when she says it.

Chris snaps his fingers in front of my face and I jerk back to reality, blinking as Gen leaves the room. Her hips sway just enough to draw my attention.

“Alright there, Nate?”

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