“Jesus, what the f**k are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack?”

He just smirked as he picked my mouse up off the floor and tossed it back at me. “Not my fault you were somewhere else and didn’t see me walk in here.”

I started clicking on the old game and rolled my eyes. “Can I help you?”

“I’m just making sure you got all your shit done.”

“And what shit would that be exactly? Playing games on the computer, or the hour I actually spend on my job?”

His face fell into an expressionless mask seconds before he kicked my rolling desk chair away from the desk until it hit the wall.

“What is it with you and Dylan kicking me away from my desk?”

“We wouldn’t do it if you weren’t such a bitch. Did you get all the reports done today and get everything ready for the weekend?”

“Fuck you too, big brother. And, yes, I got everything done forever ago. Reports and pictures are uploaded to the site. Stuff’s ready for the guys working this weekend.”

“Funny how you seem to do everything, but I only ever see you playing games.”

“I’ve been doing this job for Dad and Craig since I was thirteen because I was mad I was the only one who didn’t ever get to go in the office. I could do this shit in my sleep. Now if you’re done being an ass**le, I obviously have a game that I need to get back to.”

My dad owned a private security company, and later on, Craig bought in to own it with him. The rest of my brothers all worked for them somehow, and did security work for them when they were old enough, and I basically sat here. Uploading reports and pictures for our clients to read used to take me all day . . . and when I say “used to” I mean ten years ago; now it takes about an hour. Making sure the security officers had whatever they needed for working that night or weekend took me fifteen minutes, tops. Which led to me being bored most of the day. I couldn’t complain though. I worked for my dad, for crying out loud. I had a cushy job, especially since I was his only daughter.

Dakota grabbed the mouse from my hand and flipped me off as he walked back down the hall that led to the rest of the office. Asshole.

Just when I stood to go fight him for it, my phone vibrated in my pocket, and I sat right back down in a rush with a smile on my face when I saw the name.

Connor G: Good morning sweetheart

Don’t you mean afternoon? ;) How’d you sleep?

Connor G: Like I hadn’t slept for 72 hours. When will you be home?

I glanced at the clock, and frowned when I saw it wasn’t even four. I was so anxious to see him. And I was still smiling like a freaking giddy-ass girl.

About an hour and a half.

Connor G: Do you think you can leave early? I need to see you.

Heat quickly flooded my veins, and my stomach curled in the most delicious way possible.

I’ll see what I can do.

Not waiting to see his response, I shoved my phone back in my pocket as I stood to go talk to my dad; and thank God I did. I hadn’t even taken two steps when Dylan and Dakota both walked into my office.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Can’t I smile? I smile all the time.”

“Considering you looked bored as shit about five minutes ago when I was in here, and now you look like you’re ready to go to a Justin Bieber concert, it doesn’t really make sense,” Dakota answered for Dylan. “Here’s this back.” He threw the mouse at me, and I barely caught it before it hit my face.

“Bieber? Seriously? Do you not know me at all?”

“Whatever. You look like a freak, why are you so happy all of a sudden?”

Dylan’s expression suddenly fell. “Oh, hell no. Who is he?”

Well shit. “For f**king real! There’s no one! Will you all get off this whole thinking I have a boyfriend? Jesus, it’s really getting old. I just made some plans with Amber, and I was on my way back to ask Dad if I could leave early.”

“You can’t,” they said at the same time.

“It’s barely over an hour, and it’s a Friday!”

“No,” Dylan said at the same time Dakota looked over at him and said with a competitive grin. “Amber can wait.”

“You can leave,” Craig said as he walked down the hall, and smacked both twins’ heads. “We’re all leaving early, that’s what they were supposed to come out and tell you.”

“You’re both so annoying, and whatever that look was for, Dakota, forget it. Stay away from my friends.”

He raised his hands in surrender, and Dylan smirked. “Who said we were the ones who had to stay away? She’s the one coming on to us.”

I leveled a glare at Dylan and pointed at him. “You stay away too!”

“Stay away from whom?” Sam asked as he walked down the hall with Dad.

“My friend, Amber.” I turned and grabbed my purse out of my lowest desk drawer, and stood to face them. “Good-bye. I hate all of you. Except you, Dad, I love you!” Kissing his cheek, I didn’t wait for my brothers to say anything as I practically sprinted out of the office and to my car.

Not bothering with my apartment, I let myself into Connor’s and walked around confused when I didn’t find him. Pulling out my phone, I called him as I locked his door and then unlocked my own.

“Yes?”

“Um, I’m home. But you’re not . . . ?”

He laughed low, causing a shiver to run up my spine. “I’m where I need to be.”