Love Restored (Gallagher Brothers #1)(11)

After he’d taken a sip of his own iced coffee—perfection—he narrowed his eyes at his brother. “What do you need? I thought we weren’t going to the jobsite today because we like these things called ‘days off.’ A radical concept, I know.”

Owen pushed past Graham, walked toward the dining room table, and gave his brother a look. “Oh, really? You’re taking it easy over blueprints and order forms? Who the hell are you and what have you done with my brother?”

Graham grunted. “I do paperwork, *.”

“Yeah, but you don’t usually double check the paperwork I already did. What the hell, Graham? What’s up with you?”

He sighed and walked back to his chair, pushing a few things out of the way so he could set his cup down without the condensation from the outside of the plastic getting on anything. “Nothing’s wrong with me.”

Owen just stared.

“Seriously.”

“Oh, really? Nothing at all is wrong with you? Then why did I have to hear from Murphy that you were an * to Blake again?”

Graham cursed under his breath. “Murph gossips more than an old lady.”

“Murph is a little sore after getting his dick pierced, which you well know since you went through that already. And the fact that I’m talking about my brothers’ dicks tells me you think you’re pretty good at changing the subject.”

“You got yours pierced, too,” Graham grumbled.

“Actually, I got it pierced twice, but whatever.” Owen lifted a lip in a snarl before scratching around the piercing in his brow. His family really liked metal in their bodies, and since they weren’t at the jobsite where things could get hooked and where they weren’t meeting someone in a suit, Owen wore his hoop rather than a clear spacer. “Why were you an *?”

“I don’t know, okay? And I’m usually an *, so that isn’t anything too new.”

Owen sighed. “You just said you didn’t know, so therefore, you acting this way isn’t as normal as you’re trying to make me believe. You need to stop it, bro. I don’t know what’s wrong with you or why you feel the need to act the way you do around Blake, but it’s not only wrong, it’s also unprofessional as hell.”

“She’s not coming back to the site anyway.”

Owen threw up his hands. “She might, and that’s not the issue. She’s the executor of the estate and works with our brother’s woman. So get off your high horse and get your head out of your ass.”

Graham snorted. “That’s gotta hurt to be on a horse and have a head in your ass.”

Owen closed his eyes, but his lips twitched as a smile threatened. “You’re an idiot.”

“We all are. That’s what makes us family.” Graham sighed. “I’ll try, okay. I don’t know why I act the way I do around her. She needles me, though she barely says a word to me.”

Owen lifted his pierced brow. “Could be you think she’s hot and you’re all school-aged and stupid about it.”

He flipped his brother off. “Can we not talk about this anymore? Why are you here other than to piss me the hell off?”

Owen stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. “You’re the one acting all surly by my mere presence and the mention of a certain Ms. Brennen.” A wicked gleam entered Owen’s eyes, and Graham narrowed his. “If you’re so sure you’re not going all crush on her, maybe I’ll see if she wants to get a drink with me once the job is over.”

The thought of Blake and Owen out together, and worse, at his brother’s place afterward, forced a low growl from him.

Owen smiled and took a sip from his drink. “That’s what I thought, big bro. You have it bad for our little piercer. Seems to me you should be nicer to her. You catch more flies with honey, you know.”

He flipped his brother off again and looked down at his paperwork. He didn’t want to think about Blake like that. He didn’t even like her. Didn’t even know her. The first time he’d seen her in the suit with the raised chin, she’d reminded him of his ex. And while he didn’t hate Candice, he hadn’t liked her once the divorce was final. Just as well since she hadn’t liked him one bit either. When life went to hell, some pulled on their significant other more, while others, like him, pushed them away until they didn’t like the person in front of them…nor the one in the mirror.

The fact that Blake had reminded him of his ex had put a bitter taste on his tongue and made him feel like a jerk because she hadn’t done anything to warrant that.

He might have been able to push that away, though, until he’d seen her in what had to be her element. He’d reacted the only way he knew how—like an *—and now he had to deal with the consequences. With Blake working at Montgomery Ink, it seemed he couldn’t ignore the fact that she’d be a part of his family’s circle. He wanted to know why she’d let the house become what it was. Wanted to know why she’d hidden her ink and who she was under that suit. And why she’d become a piercer when it was clear her family had money.

There were two Blakes in his eyes, and he wanted to see which one was the real one.

And the fact that he did, told him he needed to stop thinking about her period. She wasn’t for him, not even for a night of sweaty, energy-crazed fun.