Page 40 of Claiming Her Cougar
I haven’t punched my cousin with any kind of force since we were teenagers, and then it was mostly a joke.I’m not in a joking mood now.
“Okay.”He sighs.“I’ll stop teasing you.She’s not going.Daphne invited her.She said she wants to stay home and hibernate.Daph says she looks miserable and tired, but she won’t talk about it.Flat out refuses to discuss it.”
Now it’s my turn to sigh.I don’t know if her mood is because of our conversation a couple nights ago or something else, but I don’t want her tired and upset.If it’s over our conversation, that doesn’t make sense.It was her decision that our relationship wasn’t going to develop into anything.
“Nah, I don’t want to go.You two will be all huggy kissy and take forever to pick out a tree.”I am not in the mood for that.“You can borrow my truck if you want, so you can haul it home.”
Logan claps me on the shoulder.“Thanks.That was going to be my next question.”
“No problem.Did you just want to take it tonight?I’m not doing anything with it tomorrow.I can use the Bronco for wherever I go.”
“I think the moms are going with us.If so, your mom can drive it to our house Saturday morning when we meet up.”
“Okay.Whatever works.I don’t care.”
Logan swallows a sip of water.“Are you going to the company Christmas party?”
It’s been a couple of years since I’ve gone.I should make an appearance.The food is good.I don’t see too many people in the company since I travel so much, and when I’m home, I work from here and not from the office.
“Yeah.I should show my face.It’s been a few years.”
“Uh-huh.Daphne and Mallory are going shopping on Sunday for stuff to wear.”
I put my laptop on the coffee table and go to the fridge to grab a beer.My mind isn’t on my notes.I raise the bottle to Logan to see if he wants one.He shakes his head.
Opening the bottle, I take a swig of my beer as I pace my living room.
“I just don’t get it.She likes me too, but she says no to dating me or having a relationship.”
I will probably regret telling Logan anything because he’ll run his mouth to Daphne, who may then talk to Mallory.That’ll be awkward.But fuck it, it’s already awkward.We’re going to be together at work stuff, and with Logan and Daphne, and we’ll have to ignore that at least one of us is attracted to the other.
“We’re talking about Mallory, right?”
I glare.
Logan holds up his hands defensively.“Hey, just making sure we’re on the same page.Okay, so you asked Mallory out, and she turned you down?”
“I didn’t ask her out.”I sigh.Again.“I didn’t get the chance to.She told me why we’re a no-go before I had the opportunity.”
“Ouch,” Logan says sympathetically.“So, why not?You had that night in Vegas, and she still,” he emphasizesstillbecause he’s an asshole sometimes, “seems to like you, and it looks like you’re compatible.”
“That’s just it.I think she does like me.”I roll my eyes.“You know, we sound like teenage girls using the word like in this context.”
“OMG, I know!”Logan squeals like my sister used to when she was with her cheerleader friends, and I chuckle.How can I not laugh at a six-foot-four muscled dude sounding like some little girl from that dancing show Kennie would make me watch?
“Anyway, she won’t date me or anything because we work together, and I’m an executive.She says it would be awkward because I’ll be her boss someday.”
“No, you won’t.Didn’t you tell her about Andy?”
“I told her about Andy,” I inform him.“I even offered to resign.But that’s not the big reason we can’t be together.”
“What’s bigger than working together?She likes guys, right?”
“Yeah.She had sex with me,” I remind him.
“Oh, yeah, right.And she still likes guys after that?”
I raise a fist and Logan holds up his hands in a protective manner.
