Lock You Down (Rivers Brothers 2)

"I never said that."

"I am just... very aware of how privileged I have been. And how many kids aren't so lucky. I wanted to give back."

"What about Marley?" I asked. "Will you hire her on?"

"Marley is going to take over the world in some way," Reagan said, smiling fondly, almost motherly. "She's going to have every scholarship available to her with her grades. I think she is going to go into politics and yell at people like she yells at Calvin all the time."

"I think we should offer her a summer and after school job," Krissy piped in.

"You just want to see if you are right about those two, and know the only way it could possibly happen is if they are working in close proximity."

"They're children," Harvey's voice joined us once again, this time standing up from behind his cubicle. "Stop betting on their relationships. It's weird."

"Marley wasn't exactly kidding about our resident curmudgeons," Krissy said, ignoring him. "Nixon, this is Harvey. Harvey, Nixon."

Harvey was tall and thin, just the right side of gangly, but only just. Tattoos snaked over the tops of his hands, up his neck, seemingly over his chest, peeking out of the white tee he was wearing, the neck a little loose and sad-looking. Over the tee he wore an open-front flannel in blue and gray. His hair was light brown, a little long, and his brown eyes were half-hidden behind black-framed glasses.

"He's our social media manager," Reagan explained.

"Wait... he's the social media manager?" I asked, looking over at Krissy, who seemed much more suited for the task. "Not you?"

"Honey, I am the money," she said, giving me a slow, prideful smile. "I handle the accounts."

Interesting.

"Harvey actually kind of went viral when he started working here for answering nasty comments on our Facebook and Twitter with equally rude retorts," Reagan told me. "He became an overnight sensation."

"Kids like that shit," I agreed. "Why isn't he your spokesman?" I asked. Instead of the old dude in a suit with a fucking pinky ring which seemed wholly out of touch with most people's reality.

"Harvey?" Krissy asked, face scrunching up like I'd suggested they go find Bigfoot and put him in the position.

"Yeah. If you're looking to appeal to twenty-something and early thirty-somethings, they like that shit. Anything different."

"And I guess he is good looking enough," Krissy mused, pursing her lips.

"Gee, thanks, Krissy," Harvey said with a head shake. "I'd be flattered if I didn't know you thought that old dude was hot," he added, turning away to go fix the drink Marley apparently badly made for him as well.

"He means James Spader," Krissy explained. "You know... Red from The Blacklist. It is the character, not the actor. He's just... dreamy," she said, sighing as she pressed a hand to her heart. "Anyway. That is a really interesting idea. You know... the kind you two should be discussing over dinner," she said pointedly. "Why are you still standing here holding that dress? Go slip it on. Nixon here can join you. We'll cover our ears. Won't we, Harvey?"

"Whatever you said, probably not," Harvey said, walking back to his desk, dropping into his seat, and all but disappearing.

It was an interesting mash-up of personalities in this office, that was for sure.

"I'll be two minutes. Okay, five. I need to touch up my makeup too," she added, giving me that tight smile once again before turning and going into her office.

"She likes you," Krissy told me when we were alone.

"She barely knows me."

"I get that," Krissy agreed, uncharacteristically serious. "But she likes you. It's not my place to say anything about how things have been for Reagan for a while, but the fact that she has any interest in you at all is saying something. And I wanted you to know that. And also to know that if you take advantage of that, I will tie you to my bumper and drive through a cactus patch. I don't even know if cactuses grow in patches, but I will find one. And I will drive you through it."

"Got it," I agreed, giving her a smile, appreciating the loyalty there. It was something I was lucky enough to have in my life, so I was glad for Reagan that she did as well.

"As for any other sort of taking advantage, well, you two have fun. Do you need some condoms? Lube?" she asked, pulling open her top desk drawer as she did so, reaching in to produce said items.

"I think I've got it covered, Krissy."

"You can never be too prepared... Oh!" she said, grabbing something. "I have a finger vibe! Still in the packaging."

"You keep sex toys in your desk at work?"

"I honestly don't remember getting this. Oh, you know, it might have been from that sex toy party thing I went to. Reagan picked me up and brought me here so I could get sick here instead of in her car."