The expression on Aiden’s face suggested he might pop Shane in the mouth for even joking about such a thing. Shane expected as much. “Coffee?” Shane held up the pot after pouring himself a cup.
“That, I’ll take.” Aiden sat on a kitchen chair. “I was visiting Mom and thought I’d swing by.”
“How’s she doing?” Shane delivered his coffee. They both drank it black, no frills.
Aiden’s mouth formed a grim line. “The same.”
Shane nodded. “I guess that’s good. At least she’s not worse.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Anything else going on?” Shane asked, knowing Aiden came here to get his mind off his mother’s illness, not dwell on it.
“I’m seeing your new PA’s friend Sadie tonight.”
Shane paused, the mug halfway to his lips. “Really? Again?”
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
“Well, it’s just she’s—”
“Hot.”
“Well, okay. I was going to say she wasn’t like the other girls I’ve seen you date.” Aiden’s ex-wife, and his ex-girlfriends before her, were as hippie-chick as they came. “Sadie’s a little…city for you, isn’t she?”
“If you ask me, she might be just what I need,” Aiden said a tad defensively. He sipped his coffee and shifted in his seat. “I hate your furniture. It’s like you decorated for an institution, not a house.”
“Sorry, they were all out of vinyl barrel furniture and crocheted afghans.”
Aiden made a rude gesture and Shane laughed.
“How’s the new girl working out? What’s her name, Butterfly?”
“Very funny. Crickitt is a fantastic assistant. I should have fired Myrna years ago.”
“You couldn’t. Mom would have killed you.”
“True.” His last assistant was his aunt’s best friend. She was better suited to being a personal shopper than a personal assistant. When she announced that she was leaving because of an out-of-state move, Shane was secretly relieved. He’d put up with her less-than-stellar performance and frequent flubs for the sake of keeping the family peace.
“So, did you do her yet?” Aiden asked.
Shane coughed and settled his cup on the glass table with a chink. Aiden slapped him on the back. “Jeez, man,” Shane croaked, coughing again and clearing his throat.
“What? I thought you liked her.”
“I do. She’s a valuable employee.”
Aiden shot him a look.
It was the truth, albeit a lame, understated truth. Shane did like her. He liked the way she dove in and tried to solve problems on her own before asking for help. And he liked how she blew into the office like a stiff wind was at her back. Hell, he even liked those formless button-down shirts she wore. Still— “I can’t have sex with my assistant.”
No matter how tempting it was.
“Suit yourself.” Aiden finished his coffee and stood. “I’m going to ride down to the Brink, want to go with me?”
Shane hadn’t been to the Brink since he was a teenager. A glorified creek, the wide body of water was home to a man-made sandy beach and stands selling foodstuffs and art. It was also where Aiden’s ex-wife worked. “You wouldn’t be going down there to see Harmony, would you?”
“Of course not.” Aiden pulled a face.
“Careful,” Shane said. “You know how…persuasive she can be.” Aiden’s ex had a way of wrapping Aiden around her henna-tattooed finger whenever she wanted something from him. Which was always. Afraid he sounded preachy, Shane glossed it over with, “I have a few proposals to write or I’d take you up on it.”
“Yeah, sure you would.” Aiden shook his head, seeing right through him. “It’s okay to take a break sometimes, you know.”
“You know me,” Shane said dismissively. But did he? Shane wore his stiff-upper-CEO lip even around Aiden. Shane hadn’t noticed it before, but he was starting to see another aspect of his personality that only seemed to surface around Crickitt. Whenever he was with her, his business facade slipped right off its hinges.
Aiden held up his hands. “Okay, I won’t push.”
Good. Because Shane wasn’t anywhere near ready to make the admission he’d just made to himself. “I wouldn’t listen anyway,” he said.
Now that was the truth.
Chapter 7
By Thursday evening, Crickitt decided she really, really liked her job. Shane gave her enough space to allow her to find her way, never losing patience when she interrupted him to ask questions or clarify how he wanted something done. Which would be exactly the kind of career she could settle into if it wasn’t for her daily minifantasies starring Shane August, CEO of sex gods.