Casual Affair

“How’s it going over there with the Yanks?” Peter asked, amusement in his voice. “They get you drinking coffee yet?”

Zane rolled his eyes. Like the vast majority of Brits in the world, he was a perpetual tea drinker and always would be. “Get serious. About time your lazy arse called me back. I’ve only rung you ten times since this morning.”

Despite the fact that Peter’s grandfather had started the company, Zane now owned half the shares and was basically Peter’s business partner. Having grown up together, their relationship had always been like that of a big brother/little brother situation, so neither’d had an issue with Peter taking the reins and the title of “boss.” Zane didn’t want that much responsibility, anyway—he had enough as it was.

Their familiarity with each other was why he could speak so candidly with the man who signed his paychecks and not get sacked for it.

“Oh, piss off,” Peter retorted. “You do realize that I’m five hours ahead of you and am at different work hours in the day than you, yeah?”

Zane laughed and ribbed him a bit more before they got down to business. He updated Peter on everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, which was more than usual. He then gave him a quick briefing on the meeting that was about to take place with Paxton Designs, ensuring him they were both still on the same page with the budget and timeline.

Just the acknowledgment that he was about to be in the same room with the delectable Ms. Paxton made all of his blood shoot straight down to his dick. Which was unfortunate, considering he was on the phone with his best mate.

Awkward.

He fought to control his wayward body, but was thwarted in his efforts when Peter said out of nowhere, “Now, please tell me work isn’t the only thing you’re doing over there, mate.”

And there it was.

“I’m not having this conversation again,” Zane grumbled, ignoring his lingering thoughts of Beatrice.

The man always felt the need to comment on his love life—or lack thereof. Even Zane’s father didn’t offer his opinion on this topic as freely as Peter did. Zane was happy that his friend had found a wonderful woman in his wife, Sara, but Zane was not looking for a wife. At least not at the moment.

“I love you, mate, but do you realize how long it’s been since you’ve had a girlfriend?” Peter persisted. “Your equipment is likely to fall off if you don’t utilize it more often. I’m only speaking as a concerned friend, here.”

Little did he know that Zane had recently found someone he wanted to “utilize” his equipment with. Most romantic notion ever.

But he was not about to tell Peter. He’d never get him off the bloody phone.

“I do just fine on my own without your advice, thanks very much,” Zane told him.

His friend sighed in frustration. “All I’m saying is that you need to sample more of America than just their beers. Even if it’s just a bit of snogging. Have some fun, for once.”

Okay, yes. Maybe Zane had been working a little too hard lately. Maybe he had neglected having a social life. He had big plans for Envision, though, and that didn’t jive with settling down with a woman and having a couple of little ones. He’d get to that. Eventually. There was always time. In a few years. After this gig in the States was over and he was back home.

But he could probably loosen up a little. Peter was right about that. Maybe his strong reaction to Beatrice was his subconscious telling him that he needed to live a bit.

Or maybe that was his dick reminding him it had been far too long since it was inside a gorgeous woman. Or any woman.

He cleared his throat, feeling sweat gathering on his forehead as he imagined himself inside this particular woman. Not the right time, mate.

“I’ll work on that,” he managed. “Tell Sara I said hello, and give that little bundle a kiss for me.”

“I will. She laughed at me for the first time last night.” A smile lifted the corners of Peter’s mouth as he spoke of his three-month-old daughter, Annabelle.

“She’s got you wrapped around her finger. What are you going to do when she grows up and all the blokes come knocking on your door?”