“Hey Ian.” Geo took the hardy slap on the back from Mac’s uncle with fortitude. “You know Maggie, right?”
“Of course. How are things, Maggie?” Ian smiled at her, and Maggie saw Mac in that broad grin.
Wow. They sure made the Jamesons F-I-N-E fine. Black Irish and built like a tank. If Mac would like this in another twenty years, she wondered what kept her from signing up. “Things are good,” she hastened to say, aware she’d been staring. She fought a blush when Ian gave her a more subtle onceover than Geo’s scrutiny. “How are you, Mr. Jameson?”
“Ian, girl. Call me Ian.” He sighed. “Things are well enough, I suppose.” He threw an arm around Geo. “With Christmas only a few days away, I confess I’m much behind on my shopping.”
“Not me. I finished last week.” Geo shook his head. “You can’t wait last minute or all the good stuff is gone. Besides that, Mom lets me take a day off to do my shopping. If I wait, I lose the free time with Christmas vacation.” Geo smiled. “And I’m not stupid.”
“No, you’re a smart one. Unlike my stubborn nephew. Boy still hasn’t gotten his shit—er, stuff—together. I know he hasn’t gotten me that ratchet set I’ve been wanting, and I all but put the coupon for it in front of his face.”
Maggie grinned. “He’s a little clueless, isn’t he?”
“You can say that again.” Geo scoffed. “Guy turned down Megan and Wendy again today. I mean, how often does he think he’s gonna get a shot at, uh…” He flushed and looked away from Maggie. “I mean, he doesn’t seem to be dating lately. Shane thinks it’s a woman. I think he’s mid life crisis.”
“You think?” Ian asked, but his gaze on Maggie warned her to tread warily.
Uh oh. “You could be right. He’s forty, isn’t he?”
Geo shrugged. “Thirty, forty, he’s old.”
Ian glared at him. “The boy is thirty-six. Forty isn’t old. Neither is sixty, for that matter.”
“Sorry, old man. Truth hurts. Suck it up.”
Ian snorted. “You’re just like your father and brother. Suck it up, my ass. You need to get through school and sign up, Lieutenant Collins.”
Geo surprised Maggie when he nodded. “I’m going ROTC through school. Already talked to Dad and Mom about it. And I’m going to be a general. That way I’ll outrank Shane and Dad.” Geo gave Ian a calculated grin. “And you and Mac too. You guys will have to salute me.”
“With pride, boy.” Ian ruffled his hair, then put Geo in a headlock.
Maggie watched the play with fascination, not having realized how affectionate Ian would be, considering Mac seemed standoffish unless wanting sex. Then again, that same man had cuddled with her on the couch after offering her a hug. He made her brain hurt trying to figure him out.
“What’s that look, Maggie?” Ian asked.
“You seem very different than Mac. He’s domineering and standoffish.” At work. “But you’re…not.”
“That’s because you’re looking at superior genetics.” Ian flexed the arm around Geo’s neck, and Geo choked. “Oh, sorry. There you go.” He let Geo go.
Geo glared at him, fingered his throat, then sighed. “I have to run. Got a date with Andrea.” He looked at the clock overhead. “And it’s already seven. Later, Ian. See you at Shelby’s party, Maggie. Merry Christmas!” He took off like a shot.
“I’d love to have half his energy,” Ian said with a groan. He turned a speculative glance back on her. “So what are you up to this holiday season? Got plans? Family, boyfriend? The boy said you’d be at Shelby’s party?”
A bit intrusive, but he was her boss. “I usually spend the holidays with Shelby and her family, which this year includes Shane.”
“That sounds nice. Shane’s a good man, and from what I’ve heard about Shelby, she seems like a good fit. Mac likes her well enough, and she’s done wonders for his knee.” Ian looked through the glass at Mac again.
Mac noticed them looking, frowned, and turned back to his friends.
“Boy is a pain in my ass,” Ian muttered.
Mine too.
“But he’s family. I love him. We’re actually going to Shelby’s party as well.”
Damn. So much for avoiding Mac at Christmas. Now she’d have to get him a present. She felt better about the fact, because she’d been trying to rationalize why getting him something wouldn’t break any of her no-dating rules. “So I’ll be seeing you both at Shane’s house in a few days. Now if we could just get the sleet and rain to turn to snow, we might get a white Christmas.”
“Gotta love the Seattle weather, eh?” They laughed together before Ian noted the clock. “Guess I’d better get going as well. I’d like to say I have a hot date like Geo, but the truth is I have a business appointment.”
“This late at night? Bummer.”
“Yeah. But some things can’t keep. It was nice talking to you, Maggie.”
“You too, Ian.” She smiled at him, liking the softness in his gaze when he glanced back at Mac. The clear love she heard in his voice for his nephew spoke well of him. As did the remembrance that he’d given up his career to raise Mac. “Mac is lucky to have you.”
Ian beamed. “Feel free to remind him of that whenever you like.” He left, passing Mac in the doorway.
They exchanged something she couldn’t quite make out, then Ian moved away while Mac approached her. “You.”
“You.” She dragged on sweats over her gym clothes.
“I need a ride home.”
She waited with a raised brow. “I need a raise.”
“Funny.”
“What’s the magic word?”
He blew out a breath, and she fought the urge not to laugh. “Would you please give me a ride home?”
“Hmm. What’s in it for me?” A glance over his shoulder showed Megan pouting as she stared at Mac. Was it wrong that Maggie took joy in the woman’s obvious jealousy?
“How about a bonus?”
“What kind of bonus?”
“Drive me home and I’ll think of something.”
“Please. Drive me home, please.”
Mac snarled, “You’re on my last friggin’ nerve, Doran. So help me, I’m gonna take this out on your ass later.”
She shivered and cooed, “Oh, I can’t wait.” Not smart to bait the tiger, but the flare of interest he couldn’t hide made it worth it.
“I am really going to enjoy taming you.” He leaned closer to whisper, “Little Sub.”
She forced herself not to lean into his heat and took a hasty step back, aware of the glass wall so close. “Yes, well.” She coughed and cleared her throat. “That’s not appropriate here.”
“Why?” He smirked. “Going to claim sexual harassment?”
“No. But I’d think you’d be embarrassed to walk around with a hard-on.” She smirked back at him and added in a whisper, “Because when I remind you that I know what you taste like and what you feel like in my snug ass and tight, wet pussy, you’ll be thinking about what we did and how hard it made you.” The sudden bulge at his shorts showed her she’d improved her dirty talk.
He sat on the bench and lowered his head in his hands, leaning over his lap and effectively hiding his arousal. “Enough, you little witch.” He chuckled, surprising her. “Would you wait for me in my office for a minute? I’ll walk you out… as soon as I’m able.”
She snickered and left. On the way to his office, she passed several of his fan girls.
“Oh my God. What did Mac say to you?” Megan asked. “Did he mention me?”
Maggie wanted to hate the woman, but the pathetic need in her eyes stopped her. Maggie had been there, so wrapped up in a man she couldn’t see straight. And then, inevitably, she’d suffer disappointment. “He was talking about the holiday schedule. Sorry, no mention of anyone but his uncle and staff.”