No, Trey’s biggest reason for not acting on his attraction was the simple fact that he was doomed to fail at his relationships, and after Cyrus had up and left for a job in California, Trey realized it was easier to give up altogether than to hope that one day he would find a man who’d give as good as he got. So, for now, he was abstaining. Indefinitely.
Heading for the stairs, he went up, proud of himself for maintaining his focus and not lingering on Magnus for too long. He even managed to avoid looking out the sliding doors that overlooked the yard to see if the man was in view. Just because the guy was good-looking, or because he could swear there was a mischievous gleam in Magnus’s eyes when he looked at him, did not mean Trey needed to entertain—
“Why’re you here?” Brantley asked, pulling Trey from his thoughts.
Realizing he was standing in the doorway of Brantley’s office, he raised his eyebrows. “What?”
“You. Here. Why?”
Trey smiled, understanding why Reese had suggested Trey talk to his brother. “What’s got your panties in a twist? Somethin’ go wrong on your stakeout?”
“It’s almost Christmas. Shouldn’t you be at the mall gettin’ those last-minute gifts?”
“Shouldn’tyou?” Trey countered.
“I plan to. Later.”
“Me, too.”
“Fuck you,” Brantley bit out with a smile.
“Fuck you, too.”
Then they were both quiet, staring at one another.
He knew Brantley had changed the subject for a reason, and while he didn’t have a problem giving any of his brothers or sisters shit, Trey knew when to hold off. Right now felt like one of those times.
Trey jerked his chin in the direction of the barn. “Figured I’d follow up on a couple of things,” he told his brother, leaning against the doorjamb. “You know, before everyone’s out of the office for the long weekend.”
Brantley was still leaning back in his chair. Every so often his gaze would shift to the window. Trey figured he was attempting to see Reese, but there was no way. Not from where he was sitting.
“You’re comin’ to Mom and Dad’s for Christmas breakfast, right?” he asked when Brantley didn’t say anything. “And gettin’ with Reese’s family for dinner?”
“That’s the plan,” Brantley muttered, and Trey could tell his mind was elsewhere.
He stood tall. “Well, then. I guess I’ll leave you to it.”
“Yep.”
He paused for a moment, watched his brother.
“You sure everything’s cool?”
“All good.”
Clearly something was bothering him, but Trey couldn’t bring himself to dig. At the moment, he didn’t have the energy to shoulder the weight of anyone else’s problems. Not with his own bearing down on him.
Trey made it back down the stairs and glanced at the front door, tempted to go out that way, hop in his truck, and head back to his house. He didn’t really have anything pressing that needed his attention. Plus the thought of seeing Magnus didn’t sit well with him, but he had no fucking clue why he’d even care. The guy might be a flirt, but he was harmless.
Okay, so he did know why he cared. Because he had sworn off men, dammit. Enacted a vow of celibacy. Abstaining. A born-again virgin. Just call him a monk.
No. Men.
And he was fucking lonely because of it. Dammit.
Trey snorted, then forced his feet toward the back door. No way was he going to run like a scared fucking rabbit. Damn sure not because of some … some … kid.
And that was exactly what Magnus was. At least compared to Trey. Thirty-six minus twenty-four equaled … hell, Trey was likely getting his first kiss by the time Magnus popped out of his mama. No fucking way would he even entertain the idea.
