I wanted him to have meant it, but after having time to process it, who knew what he would think.
“It’s a lot to take in. I’m his boss. What I want is unconventional. His family might hate me. And then there’s the money and the fact that my father is more insane than you.” Hell, I wasn’t sure I would have dated me if the situation had been reversed.
“You cannotgo into this that negative. You’re going to scare him off. If he hasn’t thought of all that before now, he’s stupid.” The drama queen was in full insanity mode. “So we’re going to assume none of that is new to him and he went out with you anyway.”
I chuckled. “You’re right.”
“Damn straight I’m right. Why do you question me?” Austin made a frustrated sound and I could picture him shaking his head. “Now talk to the man and stop questioning me.”
Grinning, I picked up my briefcase. “Go boss someone else around. Don’t you have a small city to buy?”
Austin let out another squeal, thankfully quieter that time. “My real estate manager thinks it’s a great idea. Of course, that was wrapped up in a lot of complaining about time and investments, but it’s going to be fabulous.”
I wasn’t even going to ask what he was going to do with a town, but if it kept him occupied, I’d let him think it was reasonable. “Have fun buying the world.”
“Go talk to your alpha. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
I barked out a laugh as he started to giggle. “I’m not planning on doing anything that drastic.”
Austin was still giggling as he hung up the phone. He was nosy and bossy and insane, but he’d cleared away the worries that had started to build, because he had a point. Shane wouldn’t have asked me out without thinking it through first.
I just had to remember that.
14
Shane
We wereboth trying entirely too hard to act casually. It’d started as soon as Tanner had walked into the office. Before the words, “Good morning, Mr. Wright” were out of my mouth, he’d stiffened up and his smile started to look forced.
My goal had been to reassure him that nothing had changed at work, but evidently, that had been the wrong way to handle it. It didn’t take me long to realize I’d only compounded the issue when I hadn’t addressed it right away, but I’d been on hold with the accounting department.
Business had to come first when we were at work, right?
Hitting the intercom, I spoke to Tanner’s other assistant, Amanda. She was more like a receptionist, but having someone whose job it was to answer the thousand phone calls that came in each day freed me up to handle the bulk of the other work.
I appreciated it, and the people who filled that position usually seemed to leave after a few years to move up in other parts of the company, so it worked out well for everyone. Me? I wasn’t going anywhere. “Amanda? If you could hold the phone calls for a few minutes, there are some contracts that I have to go over with Mr. Wright.”
She quickly agreed and I disconnected the call. As far as lies went it seemed harmless enough, so I didn’t feel guilty when I picked up several miscellaneous files as I headed into Tanner’s office just to make the trip look more necessary. “Mr. Wright?”
Once I was through the door, I closed it carefully and smiled, trying to ease some of the odd tension that had built over the last hour. “I think we need to clear the air.”
Tanner’s carefully neutral expression was plastered in place as he glanced up, but I didn’t buy it for a minute. I snorted and grinned. “Don’t give me that look. I wasn’t sure if you would be comfortable with people knowing about us, and I promised nothing would change at work.”
Walking over, I didn’t let hisall businessexterior change how I felt. It was a poorly constructed mask because he’d been feeling uneasy in some way when he’d walked in. Tanner’s expression softened as I came around his desk confidently and without hesitation.
He hadn’t changed that much in a few hours, and it was impossible to forget the sweet man who’d cuddled up to me earlier, complaining about having to visit his father.
I just had to remember that image and not let his worries influence mine.
“I’m fine. I don’t know what you—”
I cut him off as I crouched down beside his chair. “Oh, that’s a punishable offense right there.”
Tanner stilled as I turned his chair, but gave away his emotion as he licked his lips. The naughty omega liked the idea of being punished. Smart, sexy, and dirty as hell. The perfect omega. Resting my hands on his legs, I kneaded his thighs and tried to show him all the emotions that were running through me.
I couldn't define them all, but I’d never felt this happy in a relationship, so that had to mean something. “You don’t get to lie or deflect about how you’re feeling. I didn’t mean to put any distance between us. I just wanted to make sure you realized I wasn’t going to change how we work together. Evidently that wasn’t the way to handle it and I’m sorry.”
Tanner’s shoulders relaxed and I could feel the stress easing out of him as I stroked his legs. When he finally started to blush, I knew he was ready to open up. “I’m sorry. It just startled me for a minute. You’re right. At work we need to be professional and that’s what I thought I was ready for, but something about seeing you there like it was any other morning startled me.”
