“And she’s, like, your partner in Homeland these days, right?”
“Yes, she’s my partner at the place where we’re working,” Braden said. “So, if you have something on your mind, why don’t you say it, Mick? If not, you only have about seventeen questions left in this game of twenty.”
Mick crossed the living room until he was standing a foot away from Braden. Then he leaned in even closer. “Are you two sleeping together?”
“You don’t have to whisper, Mick. Dreya has exceptional hearing. Plus, she’s smart enough to know what we’re talking about out here.”
Mick threw a glance at the bedroom door. “Well…are you?”
“Would it bother you if we were?” Braden asked.
Mick frowned. “It doesn’t bother me, but you don’t think Homeland is going to have a problem with it?”
Braden had been thinking about that all morning. He was sure an organization like the DCO likely had a fraternization policy in place. Every large, bureaucratic organization did. But he also knew the DCO seemed to do anything it wanted to do, whenever it wanted. Danica and Clayne were married, and they still worked together.
He shrugged. “It’s complicated, but Homeland doesn’t have much of a say in it. The people who would don’t seemed overly concerned with things like administrative rules and crap like that. They just care about getting the job done.”
Mick snorted. “Refreshing, I guess. You sure you’re working for the United States?”
“Yeah. They’re different. I’ll give you that, but they’re a U.S. agency.”
“So, I guess that if I asked Dreya out on a date, she’d probably say no?” Mick asked.
Braden chuckled. “Probably.”
Not that it would stop Mick. The man was a little delusional like that. He’d probably think Dreya would consider him a step up from Braden.
Mick walked over to the kitchen counter and tossed the mail he’d brought with him onto the stack. “There’re a few bills in the pile you need to take care of.” At the door, he turned and looked over his shoulder at Braden. “And by the way, stop by and see your parents. Your mom has been worried sick.”
His friend was already half out the door when Braden stopped him. “Hey, Mick.”
The man turned and looked at him again. “Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
Mick grinned. “No problem. Just call if it turns out you need a hand.”
“I appreciate it, but it’s not really the kind of job I can ask for your help with.”
Mick’s smile broadened. “I wasn’t talking about the job. I meant with Dreya. Let me know if she turns out to be too much for you, and I’ll take her off your hands.”
Braden was still laughing when Dreya came out of his bedroom. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she went up on tiptoe and kissed him. He dipped his tongue into her mouth, his hands naturally finding their way to her ass. Man, he loved her in that shirt. If he had his way, she’d never wear anything but this when she was at his place.
“I didn’t cause any trouble, did I?” she asked. “Letting Mick see me, I mean.”
Braden shook his head. “Nah. If there’s anyone I want to know about us, it’s Mick. He’s cool with it. Disappointed he can’t have you himself, but cool with it.”
She laughed and kissed him again, and he felt his cock fighting to find a way past the bath towel keeping him away from Dreya.
He groaned and took a step back. “We’d better get ready, or we won’t make it to the DCO on time.”
She sighed but turned and walked into the bedroom, the sway of her hips reminding him of what he was missing out on. “If you’re good, I’ll make it up to you later.”
He chuckled as her beautiful ass disappeared from sight. With a promise like that, he could be very good.
Chapter 14
“You’re quiet,” Dreya remarked as they drove toward his parents’ place in New Carrollton. “I thought you’d be stoked to have the rest of the day off.”
