Office Affairs (+18) | Completed

CHAPTER 22

Jane POV

And the tone was relaxed. Right away I could tell that I was seeing a slightly different side to Peter here. Rather than bristling masculine sexuality and hardline work ethic, this Peter was more loose and casual. He was even wearing jeans and a sweater. I didn't think I'd ever seen him in jeans.

"Do you want a drink?" Peter asked.

I blinked and snapped my eyes back up to his. I'd been gazing a little too long at the slim fitting jeans on his hips. The impish grin he sported told me he had noticed.

"Uh, yeah," I said. "A drink would be good."

I followed him over to the kitchen, sliding my hand along the granite top of his island.

"Nice place you got here," I commented.

He shrugged. "I like it, at least," he replied. "Dane's always telling me that I need to get something bigger."

My eyes bulged, looking around. "Bigger than this?" I asked incredulously. "I didn't realize they made apartments bigger than this."

He chuckled, dropping some ice cubes into a tumbler. "If it were up to Dane, we'd live together in a pleasure fortress on the outskirts of town, with a private helicopter available at all times in case we needed to get somewhere in a hurry."

I looked over at Dane, who had clearly heard what Peter said, but was too engrossed in his game to reply. Georgiana was at his side, eyes wide and a gleeful grin across the lower half of her face. I'd never seen her so happy.

I couldn't help it. The small town girl in me surfaced. I walked around the island, and leaned into Peter as he measured some gin into my glass. "What's with those two?" I asked. "Are they a couple or something?"

Peter snorted. "No, they're both fools."

I looked up at him questioningly.

He lowered his voice. "She's been in love with him since the day she met him. He's always had a soft spot for her, but has been too busy being an idiot for the past three years to do anything about it."

I nodded understandingly. "That's a shame," I said. "They both look so happy."

Peter turned to grab something from the fridge, and came back with a jug of cranberry juice. "And then Dane will go on a bender with a girl from Sports Illustrated and wonder why he's not having fun anymore, and Georgiana will spend the next two weeks sulking around the office." He set his mouth in a grim line. "I swear, sometimes it's like looking after children."

Even as he said it, I could see it wasn't a task that he loathed. He cared for both of them, which came through in the way he spoke. It startled me, at first. I had known that he cared for his brother, but I hadn't realized the lengths to which he would go for him. I had also known that he was close with Georgiana, but now it seemed like he was almost like a protective older brother figure.

I had to move away, back to the other side of the island, before I said or did something stupid. I'd just found out that Peter Bricks had a soft side.

"What's the plan for the evening?" I asked. "Since work is no longer on the agenda."

I grinned cheekily at him as he slid my drink across the island. It even had a little black cocktail straw.

"What do you think we should do, Jane?"

It was impossible to miss the sexual undertone in his voice, but it was also mixed with something else—something more playful.

I thought for a moment, stroking my chin and staring off into space. "I think you need to relax," I said finally.

"I'd wager it's not often that you get to spend time with your brother and Georgiana while everyone is having fun."

"And you," he said, staring into my eyes.

I tilted my head. "And me?"

"It's not often I get to spend time with my brother, Georgiana, and you."

I wouldn't have even put myself on the same level as them, but I shrugged anyway. "Yeah, whatever." I looked around. "Do you have any board games or anything?"

Peter furrowed his brow. "Board games?" he said. "Jane, I'm an adult and the CEO of a multinational company."

"Monopoly's out, then," I said. "Can't be giving you any unfair advantages." Then I grumbled into my glass, "Plus, I always lose."

Peter laughed, giving me a less choreographed version of the million dollar smile he flashed at reporters.

"What would you suggest, then?" I challenged. I took a long sip of my drink, which he watched with interest.

"Something a little more..involved."