“Sure.” Hew shrugged. “She’s smart and funny and seems to be good at her job.”
“She’sgreatat her job,” he insisted, unsure why he felt the need to defend her.
Now, both of Hew’s eyebrows tried to disappear under the shock of auburn hair falling over his forehead. “This is serious, isn’t it? I mean, I knew when you were stalking her that she?—”
“I wasn’t stalking her,” Britt insisted, mostly out of habit.
Hew was having none of it. “Yes.You were. And it’s because she’s different from the other women I’ve seen you with.”
Hoping to distract his teammate, Britt kissed his finger and pointed it at the sky. “This one goes out to all the ladies I’ve known before. Don’t listen to him. You were all magnificent in your own ways.”
Ignoring his attempt at levity, Hew continued, “You’redifferent when you’re around her.”
Thathad Britt blinking. “How so?”
“You’re less restless. More relaxed. It’s like she calms down all that edgy energy inside you.”
Britt scoffed. “Please. You’re making castles in the sky.”
“I’m not,” Hew insisted.
“Then you’re one chromosome away from having the brains of a kumquat. Julia is great. But she’s nothing special.” He bit off the last word because uttering it was offensive. Juliawasspecial. Themostspecial. But he couldn’t have Hew?—
His thoughts stopped when Hew started waving his hands in front of his face and coughing.
“What’s that?” he demanded. “What are you doing?”
“Sorry,” Hew said. “It’s just getting hard to breathe with all the bullshit flying around.”
Britt ground his teeth so hard he heard enamel crack. “Okay, fine. Sheisspecial. She’s the most amazing woman I know. And that’s saying something, considering I know women like Becky, Eliza, and Grace. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m me and have nothing to offer her.”
Hew frowned. “What do you mean? You’re smart. Some people think you’re funny—although I’m not sure I agree with that one. And you’re as loyal as a damned dog.”
“But my heart is a closed fist,” Britt countered.
“What the fuck doesthatmean?”
“It means I’m not open to love. When I love someone, it costs me my peace. And that’s too damned expensive.”
Hew blinked. Then he blinked again. When he opened his mouth, Britt jumped in to stop him from saying whatever he was about to say. “What happened between me and Julia last night isn’t a topic I want to discuss. And I'm even less interested in talking about what’s not going to happen between me and Julia going forward.”
“Right.” Hew nodded, seeming to analyze Britt’s expression, which he hoped clearly indicated the subject was closed for business. “Far be it from me to stick my nose in anyone’s rose. And just so we’re clear, the extent to which I don’t give a shit about your sex life cannot be measured.”
“Good.” Britt nodded. “Great.”
“Good.” Hew sarcastically mirrored the harsh dip of Britt’s chin. “Great.”
Britt was about to say something appropriately scathing, but one of the elevatorsdinged. When the silver doors slid open, they revealed Agent Dillan Douglas.
Britt’s annoyance and frustration were instantly transferred from Hew to Julia’s partner. The sonofabitch had a face that’d been forged from steel. It was all hard angles and smooth expanses. Plus, the self-satisfied look Douglas always wore seemed to scream that he was the winner of the big dick lottery as well as the inheritor of a sizeable trust fund.
How long before Julia succumbed to those good looks and all that swagger? How long before Agent Dillan Douglas convinced her they’d be good partnersoutsidethe office?
The thought was enough to have Britt’s jaw sawing back and forth.
Douglas spotted Hew and immediately headed in his direction. By the time he reached Hew’s bench, Hew had gained his feet, and Britt had taken up a position next to him.
“Where’s my brother?” Britt demanded.
