The hint of a smile creases his face. “It’s all right, sir. She warned me. And she did offer me the chance to not do it. I volunteered.”
“She did?”
“Yes, sir.”
That’s interesting intel I’ll stashaway to look at later. “I…don’t sleep well sometimes.” Which issucha massive understatement it borders on full-blown lying territory, but he doesn’t need to know that. “I’m not good on airplanes now, for obvious reasons. And you already know I’m not a morning person. I’m sure there will probably be times over the next several months where I’m short-tempered, and grouchy, and maybe even an asshole.I’m giving you permission now to push back, the way she did earlier. Call me out. Don’t let me walk all over you. In fact, Iwantyou to call me out. I mean, please do it in private, but as soon as a door is between us and everyone else, call me an asshole and let me have it. Just like Case does.”
He smirks. “Should I get that in writing, sir?”
I finally laugh, a genuine one that feels…good.With all the sewage in my brain, it’s easy to forget how well he and I got along before I ascended to this office. The working lunches the three of us had, the cases we handled together.
That his dry humor has made me laugh more times than I can count over the years I’ve known him.
Ellen always called him an old soul. She once told me she hoped maybe Casey would start something with the guydespite their age difference.
“How old are you, again?” I ask.
“Twenty-nine, sir.”
He’s seventeen years younger than me, young enough to be my kid. “Jeez, you’re just a baby. You’re only eight years older than Logan.”
That smirk again. “So Casey keeps reminding me.”
“Ah-ha! You used her first name at the office!” I tease, earning me a full-on smile.
He holds a finger up to his lips. “Pleasedon’t tell her, sir. She might beat me for that.”
I know he’s kidding because of the smirk that accompanies his comment, but something inside me pleasantly slithers, nearly taking my breath away as I remember Ellen saying something almost identical once, years ago, and the context in which I took it.
I must have had a look on my face, because his smile disappears, replaced by concern. “Sir?”
“I’m okay.” I draw in a shaky breath. “So, I have a rule I’d like to implement.”
His scowl deepens. “Okay?”
“Even here at work, call me George. Please? I know we’re friends, but I’d like to get to be close friends. Part of the family. Like Casey. Hell, you’ve got the keys and alarm code for my house. You might as well break in and make me coffee, too.” I force that smile, but he buys it.
Orhe’s nice enough to pretend he does.
He nods. “Yes, sir.”
I give him Dom eyebrow, because it’s not like I get to use it on anyone else now.
Damned if he doesn’t actually blush, and I feel that pleasant slither inside me again.
“Yes, George,” he says.
“Thank you.” I take another breath. Sometimes, it’s hard for me to remember to breathe. “I mean it—I can’t do this without you and Case. Thethree of us are a team. There’s no way I’m ever getting rid of either of you. I appreciate your patience with me.”
“I’m pretty good at being patient.”
We’re interrupted by a quick double-rap on the office door I know from the sound is Casey.
“Come.”
She opens the door, concern on her face as she slips into the office and closes it again behind her. “We all right, gentlemen?”
I wave her over.“I was just apologizing for earlier.”
