“Well, we all know theoneexpectation she has of you,” Frankie cut in with a certain tone, “and given the nature of that expectation, I think you should expand your horizons to include at leastoneof your friends in those plans.” She pointed her thumb at herself while wiggling her eyebrows up and down.
Brennan’s face broke into a movie star grin that tinged with sudden embarrassment. “Oh,Frankie.” He rubbed his forehead. “I think you surpass even my own standards for scandal.”
“Oh comeon.” Frankie gestured with her glass at the woman. “You can tell just by looking at her that she swings both directions. And I am never gonna get a chance to get with something like that on my own. You need to help out your sis here. Spread the wealth of that sexy face of yours.”
“Am I hearing this right?” Carson tilted his head toward the inner circle of the group. “Riley, are you and Frankie venturing intoménageterritory?”
“No,” Brennan said emphatically.
“Come on, Riley,” Frankie pleaded. “You wouldn’t even have to touch me. I’d just be like your wing-woman, and I’d be able to supplement where you’re lacking.”
Brennan scoffed. “I donotlack in any area ofthat.”
“Holyshit.” Luke slapped his thigh and laughed loudly. “Maybe I do need to come work for Jimmy. I didn’t realize it was just one big orgy.” He emptied his drink into his throat. “Liza and Connor. Frankie and Riley and Riley’s latest random hook-up.”
“Liza and Connor aren’t a thing,” Brennan said pointedly and with a protective tone. “Frankie and I are also not going to be that type of thing. Beyond the fact that I don’t let my personal life and professional life mingle, I don’t doménage.I only do one-on-one. I give a single woman my undivided attention, which is why I’m not lacking.”
“Pfft.” Frankie rolled her eyes. “Youthinkyou’re not lacking. I could help you up your manwhore game if you’d just open your mind a bit.”
Brennan gaped like he was grossly offended. “I amnota manwhore.”
“No, he’s agentleman rake,” Carson inserted, one eyebrow lifted as he swirled the ice in his glass. Carson turned to Liza. “Riley’s family and my family gowaaayback, so I get to hear from my mother everythinghismother has to say about his sex life.” Carson tilted his glass toward Brennan as if saluting him. “She calls him a gentleman rake.”
A shameless grin tugged the corners of Brennan’s mouth. “She does call me that, and I claim the title with pride.”
Liza smiled at him, but sighed listlessly, because a man like Brennan insisting on a life of singlehood honestly was a damn shame. “As long as you’re happy, B.”
“Of course I am, darlin’. Why wouldn’t I be?”
He finished the last sip of his drink and cut through the center of the group to set the empty glass on the bar between Liza and Frankie. He offered Liza a cavalier smile, though she couldn’t help noticing a hint of something in his eyes that was suddenly a little…dim.
Brennan pushed away from the bar and stepped around Liza to approach Connor with his hand extended. Connor angled himself away from Liza’s back, and the two men shook while Brennan inclined his face toward Connor and said something too discreet for Liza to hear.
“I know that, Riley,” Connor said a bit more audibly. “I still appreciate it.”
Brennan offered a quick nod while he clapped Connor’s shoulder and released his hand. He then stepped in front of Liza and offered a smile that almost looked wistful. “Have fun tonight, L. You two have earned it.”
She returned his smile. “Thanks, B.” She squinted at his curious expression. “You all right? You look a little funny.”
His mouth did a coy quirk at one side. “Iamfunny. After all, I’ve made you laugh on more than one occasion.” He stepped close to her and embraced her with both hands firm on her back. “I’ve been saying it’s all gonna work out,” he said quietly next to her ear. “And it still will keep working out, even if there’s a few more bumps along the way. Nobody can avoid the bumps in life, so you just keep your chin up, all right, darlin’?”
“My chin is up,” she said, though her chin was actually now resting on his shoulder while she hugged her arms around his waist. “Thanks for helping me keep it there.”
“That’s what I’m here for.” He turned his face to press a kiss to her cheek and then slipped away from her.
“Riley,” Frankie piped up again, snagging the lapel of his jacket and giving it a tug, “don’t leave without giving this arrangement some serious thought.”
“Now, Frankie,” Brennan said, quickly glancing behind him at the leggy woman across the room, who was still chatting with the cocktail waitress, and then turned his full attention back to Frankie. He took a step closer to her with the distinctive intention of a man going in for the kill. “I really don’t think you even understand what you’re asking for.”
“Yeah right.” She laughed. “You need to widen your horizons.”
Brennan placed his hands on the bar on either side of Frankie’s waist and inclined his face so close to hers that it seemed he was going to kiss her. She, in turn, immediately pulled her face backward as an alarmed look overtook her expression.
“My horizons are very wide, Frankie,” he murmured, eyes hooded and lipsreallyclose to hers. “In fact, I think they’re far wider than yours.”
Liza glanced back at Connor, eyes huge, and he smirked as he shook his head.
Frankie’s face contorted into a cringe as she turned her head slightly in the opposite direction. Brennan took a step closer, not allowing any part of him to make contact with her but lowering his face to speak in her ear. Her eyes suddenly bugged, and she strained her neck farther away from him.
