8. Carrie Is Mistaken
Carrie Is Mistaken
Luke
"She’s wild. And she took a bite of my burger," Gabe says as he takes a bite, dropping an onion on his pants.
"She’s insane. Threatened to staple my dick to my leg."
Gabe chokes on the chunk of burger he’s chewing. "She what?!" he croaks.
I nod, digging into my fish and chips—or as some people call it, fish and French fries—that are still hot, to my surprise.
Gabe leans back in his chair and opens the door. "Dani girl, can you come here for a minute?" he calls.
Dani’s annoyed groan enters my office before she does. "Yes?" she stands in the doorway; hip cocked out.
Dangerous. She is fucking dangerous.
"Did you tell Luke you were going to staple his dick to his leg?" Gabe questions.
She smiles as she steps into the room and her whole face transforms into something even more exquisite.
"I did," she purrs.
Gabe looks over at me, then back at Dani. He opens his mouth, snaps it shut, then opens it again. "Really?"
Dani bites on her plump bottom lip. Lips that make you want to see if they’re as soft as they look.
"Even told him I was going to strangle him with his fancy tie if he kept treating me like shit." Dani answers.
She finds my gaze and holds it, all while smiling. I strengthen myself against her siren call. I will not fall victim to it. It happened with Sarah, and I will not allow it to happen again.
"Damn girl, remind me not to piss you off," Gabe says, taking her hand and kissing it.
"You’re the charmer of the family, aren’t you?" Dani says and pulls her hand back as Gabe grins at her. My gut twists with jealousy at the way Gabe touches Dani. I press my teeth together to stop from saying something stupid.
"I learned from the best," he says, thumbing in my direction.
Dani snorts and starts laughing. "Archer has as much charm as a wet rag," she barks out. "Now, if you boys will excuse me, I have a lunch date with a cute brunette."
Dani turns with one last glance my way and walks out. Gabe shuts the door and turns to me; brows raised. I shove another fork full of fish in my mouth.
"What?" I ask.
"She is not a fan of you at all," Gabe says, finishing his burger and starting in on his poutine.
"She is not." I reply.
A wicked grin crosses Gabe’s lips as he cracks open a craft beer. "You’ve got a hard on for her." Gabe says in a matter-of-fact tone, taking a healthy swallow of his beer.
I roll my neck, cracking it to avoid Gabe’s question but there’s no denying it. I put my fork down and wipe my mouth with one of the many Subway napkins Dani had shoved into the bag.
"There is something about her I can’t put my finger on. She has burrowed under my skin and made camp there. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since the interview yesterday," I say.
"Nothing to be ashamed about. Dani is a stunning creature, all those curves. Those legs were built to be wrapped around a man’s waist. Or his head." Gabe whistles as he finishes off his beer and grabs another.
"And that cute little tummy she tries to hide," Gabe growls. "Fucking sexy as fuck."
I raise a brow at my brother.
"What?" Gabe asks.
"You’re not going to ask her out?" I question.
"Oh, I’m going to ask. But I won’t push if she says no," he answers.
I look at my brother suspiciously. Gabe doesn’t give up after the first no. He’ll never force himself on a woman, but he’ll keep asking until he gets a yes. Which usually happens on the second try. Gabe can be very persuasive and charming.
"What do you know?" I ask, leaning forward.
He holds his hands up in front of his chest. "Nothing. Other than Carrie saying she’s pretty damn sure that Dani has the hots for you."
I start laughing. "Carrie is mistaken."
Gabe points his beer at me. "There’s a tension between you two that even I can feel," he says. "Go for it."
I wave him off. "I’m her boss and it is inappropriate. Plus, I'm not going to let what Sarah did to me happen again."
"I don’t think Dani is capable of doing something that fucking shitty."
"I didn’t think Sarah was capable of it either and neither did you. Drop it." I growl.
"Fine. I’ll drop it." Gabe snarls. He finishes off his food and stands, stretching and changing the subject. "Drinks Saturday? We can invite the girls." Gabe nods in the direction of Carrie’s desk.
"Sure. But leave the girls out of it."
Gabe pouts around a smile. "Oh fine. I’ll meet you at the usual spot," he swings open the door and swaggers his way over to Dani. "Dani, my love. It was a pleasure," Gabe says, taking her hand again.
"I’m sure you say that to all the ladies," Dani replies.
He kisses her hand again. "But I mean it with you."
Nine-thirty on a Tuesday night, and I’m still working. Along with Dani, who is not very happy about it and has been telling me as much for the last four and a half hours.
I’m working on the Dobson case, it’s petty and bitter. Joni wants the divorce, Doug doesn’t. Doug's lawyer has been fighting me the whole way, saying that Joni was sleeping with his brother throughout their whole marriage, blah blah blah. His brother says it’s hard for that to happen when he lives three Provinces away. Come to find out it’s Doug who has been cheating but he refuses to let Joni go.
I rub my face and loosen my tie. People like this is what’s keeping me from wanting to get into another relationship. If you’re not happy in your relationship, end it. Don’t cheat.
Hell, even my parents had a shit relationship after Mom got sick. Dad jumped into bed with any woman that would let him. I remember when Mom found out. She was still in shock after being diagnosed with cancer when the woman Dad had slept with called to inform her. The spark she had dwindled. Her smile stopped reaching her eyes. But she stayed with him. When I had asked her why, she said it was for us. That she didn’t want us to grow up in a broken home. Dad broke our home the moment he cheated.
The faint sound of music bleeds through the closed door of my office. I stand from my desk and walk out, finding Dani with her heels off, singing and dancing. She’s mesmerizing. The way her hips sway perfectly to the beat of the song.
She spins around and screams, hand flying to her chest. "For fuck sakes, Archer. You’ve really got to stop doing that!" she pants. "I’ve got a mom bladder; I could’ve pissed myself." Dani says swatting her hand in my direction. If I were closer, I would have gotten hit.
"Is there a reason you’re acting like this is a bar on King Street?" I bark.
"I’ve got to do something to entertain myself while making fucking copies for his royal dickweed," she says jabbing a finger into my chest. "That’s you. You’re the dickweed."
I take a step forward, but she doesn’t budge. "Is that right?"
Dani pulls out her chair and stands on it, making us almost eye to eye. "Yes. This is something I could be doing tomorrow, but nooo , you needed me to do it right this second." She pokes me in the chest again, her tone harder than before. "And on top of this shit show, I’ve got Mason calling saying he’s starving ," Dani gives a humorless laugh. "The fridge and cupboards are full but there’s ' nothing to eat .'"
She goes to poke me a third time, but I grab her wrist, pulling her closer. Dani looks at my hand wrapped around her wrist then up at me. "Um, personal space Archer."
I lower my head, so we’re eye to eye. "Do. Not. Poke. Me."
The corner of her lip lifts in a smirk. "Or what?" she pokes me with her other hand.
I pull her flush to my chest, gripping her hip to steady her and look into her remarkable eyes. Her heart pounds against my chest as her body melts into mine. I affect her as much as she affects me. Her lush lip’s part, camouflaging a welt above her upper lip that I never noticed before and it takes everything I have not to lean in and taste them.
"Archer," Dani’s voice is breathy as a flush works its way up her throat.
Her warm, minty breath dances across my lips. I squeeze her hip, making her gasp and wiggle closer.
Fuck. Me.
I free her wrist slowly, allowing my fingers to graze over her skin, slipping over a raised scar along her wrist and drop my hand from her hip, backing up a step. "Go home Daniella," I growl.
I walk into my office, shutting the door behind me. "Fucking control yourself Luke." I whisper in the now quiet space.
As soon as the main door shuts, I head out of my office, shutting lights off as I go, just to find Dani waiting for the elevator.
She sighs upon seeing me. "You could take the stairs you know."
"Why can’t you?" I bark.
Giving me a quarter turn, she taps her foot on the floor, drawing my attention down those gorgeous legs of hers towards her feet. "You didn’t wear Kate Spade pumps all day," Dani states.
The doors open with a ding and we enter the elevator. Dani pressed her back against the wall of the elevator, clutching her purse against her chest and squeezing her eyes closed.
"Daniella? Are you all right?" I question, concerned.
She nods quickly. "Uh-huh," Dani squeaks as sweat breaks out across her forehead.
I move closer, my side pressing against hers and she relaxes a bit. "You sure you're okay? You're sweating and shaking."
"I'm f-fine."
My hand finds hers and I give her a gentle squeeze, that she returns.
The minute the doors open, she drops my hand and runs from the car, towards an old Honda Accord, climbing in. After a few curses that would make a trucker blush, the car starts, and she speeds off.
I wait until she’s gone before getting in my C10 Chevy truck and head home. I open the door and walk in, grabbing a beer from the fridge as I pass, and head into my home office. I sit down and get to work.
I finish everything up around two. Checking over my schedule, I notice that Dani forgot to add a couple of meetings and important court dates. I grab my phone and dial.
"Archer, you want to explain to me why you’re calling in the middle of the night?" she yawns. "What if I was getting plowed?"
The sting of jealously goes through me at the thought of another man getting between those thighs and a growl escapes.
Focus Luke.
"You missed some meetings and dates on my schedule. I need those added. Now." I order.
Light snoring comes through the phone.
"Daniella," I call.
"Jesus. What?" she whines.
"Luke is fine. No need to be formal," I say.
Dani snorts out a laugh and my chest tightens in a way it hasn’t done in years.
"I need those meetings and dates added," I repeat.
"I’m putting you on speaker so I can do this." Dani yawns again and mutters something that sounds an awful lot like fucking asshole.
I watch on my end as she adds everything I asked her to.
"Anything else you need me to d—"
A loud bang comes from Dani’s end of the phone, cutting her off mid-sentence.
"What in the hell? Hold on Archer, I’m slipping you in my panties."
My stubble scratches my palms as I rub my face. She sleeps in her panties. I really wish she didn’t tell me that. The sound of fabric rubbing against the phone brings my attention back.
"Mason! Why the fuck are you climbing through the window?" Dani yells at her son.
"I forgot my key."
"Did you also forget how to tell time. I told you home by ten-thirty, it’s two in the morning. Where the fuck were you?"
"I lost track of time. I was hangin’ with Axe and Mack—"
"What have I told you about hanging with that Mack kid?" Dani demands.
"I know."
"Well obviously you don’t if I have to tell you again. His parents are too busy taking expensive vacations without him to care about what he’s doing. Axe I can understand, there is something wrong with that boy," Dani grumbles. "But you, I raised you better than that. Give me your phone, you’ve lost it for the week, and you’ll be going to work with Auntie Erin tomorrow."
"You can’t do that." He argues.
"I can do whatever I want, I’m your mother."
"I have plans tomorrow," he groans so loud I can feel the vibration through the phone.
"Not anymore."
"Ma!"
"Don’t you Ma me or I will bring you to work with me. Archer won’t mind. Ain’t that right Archer."
"That’s not appropriate, Daniella."
"I don’t wan—wait. Are you on the phone with your boss?" Mason asks.
"Yes, I am. Because, like you, he also can’t tell time. Bed."
A door slams and there’s movement of fabric.
"The only good thing about you calling me this late is the fact that I caught my son sneaking into the house. Do you need anything else?" Dani yawns for a third time.
"No."
"Wonderful. If you think of anything else, do it yourself. I need sleep to be able to deal with you." She hangs up on me.