“My apologies,sir,” Logan sneers. “Jeremy was supposed to be on, but he traded shifts with Deacon, and now Deacon’s kid is sick and he had to leave early. So, you’re stuck with me.”
Blowing out a frustrated sigh, I drop my voice. “Logan, it doesn’t have to be like this.”
He gets in my face. “You wouldn’t givemethe time of day, butyou’refuckingyourbrother,Stone. What’s it supposed to be like?”
“For the last time, Hanlon is mystepbrother.Andhe’s a grown-ass man, capable of consenting, okay? I’m fuckingsorrythat I’m not attracted to you like that, but that doesn’t mean our professional relationship has to suffer because of personal preferences.”
Before this argument can deteriorate any further, my cell phone rings.
It’s a FaceTime call from Dad and Lana.
“Han, it’s Dad and Lana,” I call, walking through the door to my office.
Behind me, Logan says, “You’re probably fucking them too. One giant, fucked up, family orgy.”
“Logan, I don’t want to hear another fucking word out of your mouth today,” I snap, handing Hanlon my phone so he can answer while I finish dealing with the asshole currently seething in my direction. As much as I want to punch Logan’s lights out, I’m his boss, and hecouldreport me, so I need to focus on smoothing things over instead. Walking over to him, I plant my hands on his desk and lean forward. “Look, I value your skills and what you bring to this team. Neither of us wants to come to work every day with this tension between us. Idon’t expect people to understand what’s happening between Hanlon and me, okay? That’s why I’m hoping my private life will stay private.”
“I’m not going to tell anyone, Stone. Hell, I’m trying hard enough not to think about it as it is, but I mean…have youreallythought this through?” His voice softens, giving me hope that he’s coming around.
“It’s new, so we’re taking it one day at a time.”Except for the part where we’ve already confessed our love for each other, and I plan to have his dick inside me tonight,but Logan definitely doesn’t need to know any of that.
Loganwalks around his desk to face me, stepping in so close he forces me to sit on his desk just to create some space…until he pushes my knees wide and erases that space with a single step.
“Just give me a chance, Stone. He’s practically still akid. Don’t you want aman?”
“Logan, get the fuck away from me.” I try to push him backward, but he’s ready for me and catches my wrists, holding them against his stomach.
“I could make your dick weep for me,” he says, pressing his lips against mine before I can stop him.
Suddenly, my office door opens, and over Logan’s shoulder, I see Hanlon smiling at the phone screen.
“Stone, Mom and Dad want…what thefuck?Mom, I’ve gotta go.” Hanlon is on Logan in three strides, ripping him away from me. “What fucking part of that blowjob you walked in on last night did you not understand? Stone belongs tome.”
“Hanlon,” I warn, knowing Logan could detonate at any second. His temper is shorter than the charges I throw out of the helicopter.
“Relax, baby boy,” Logan taunts, patting Hanlon’s cheek. “I’m just showing him what amantastes like.”
“You’re sick,” Hanlon says, shoving his finger in Logan’s chest.
Logan lets out a laugh of pure hatred. “You’re fucking yourbrother, andI’mthe sick one? Fuck this. I’m out. I’ll be up on the ridge,boss.”
He snatches the keys off the hook and heads out the door.
The adrenaline dump in Hanlon’s system has him vibrating with anger. His fingers are curled into tight fists, and I know if he doesn’t calm down, it’ll take twenty minutes to get him relaxed enough to stop shaking, and I’ll have to uncurl his fingers one at a time.
“Han, it’s okay,” I say, pulling him into a hug. “He’s pissed. He’ll either get over it or he won’t, but I don’t think he’ll say anything. It’s fine.Weare fine.”
I hope like hell it’s true, but I could feel the desperation in Logan’s kiss, and desperate men do stupid shit.
Once I get Hanlon calmed down, we call our parents back together.
“Everything okay?” Lana asks, voice full of concern as her face appears on the screen. “You know I’m not a fan of that word, Han,” she chastises as though Hanlon were actually still a child.
I guess to her, he always will be.
“Um, yeah. It’s fine. Just needed to take care of something,” Hanlon says. His smile is tight, but if Lana notices, she doesn’t mention it.
“Merry Christmas, boys,” my dad says, sticking his face next to Lana’s, so he’s in the frame.
