Sweet Seduction (Sweet #3)(20)

Connor looked thoughtfully at Gray, some of his animosity fading. "She talked about you being late. Could it be she misunderstood? I mean, this surprise you're planning . . . Faiths a levelheaded girl, but once a woman gets an idea planted in her head, a man is well and truly screwed at that point."

"Are you saying she might think I'm cheating on her?" Gray asked in a strangled voice. "All because I'm late?"

"Ai yi yi, you two are giving me a headache," Micah complained. "There are plenty of other reasons a woman might get upset over a man being late home from work all the time."

"Oh yeah? Name one," Nathan said.

Micah shrugged. "Well, if he's coming home tired, she might feel neglected or like he's lost interest, or maybe she feels he's keeping secrets from her. Women are freakishly tuned in to when a man is holding out on them, I swear."

"How the hell do you know so much about the female mind?" Connor demanded.

"I've had relationships. It s all common sense. You just have to put yourself in the mind-set of a woman."

Four sets of eyeballs skittered over Micah like he'd lost his damn mind.

"Now who the hell tries to do that?" Pop demanded. "No man in his right mind ever wants to try and figure out what goes on in a woman's head. I tell you, its an exercise in frustration. Good way to give yourself a stroke about thirty years too early. Hell, son, I've been through two wives and three live-ins. God help me, but I prefer life as a bachelor."

Connor chuckled and shook his head. Even Micah grinned.

"He's probably right," Gray said wearily. "I've been spending all my time out at the new house. I wanted everything to be perfect so that when we came back from our honeymoon, I could surprise her with the house. Honestly, by the time I get home, all I'm thinking about is food and bed."

"Ouch," Nathan said. As dim-witted as he was when it came to women, and his current predicament sure didn't show him to be a fount of knowledge on the female species, even he could figure this one out.

"Yeah, ouch," Connor said in sympathy. "Sounds like my sister has got her feelings hurt. She's always been sensitive that way. You know that, Gray."

"Now don't go bad-mouthing your sister," Pop said gruffly. "She hasn't had the best time of it in life. She's bound to be a little insecure, especially in a new relationship. Gray just has to work harder at making sure she knows where she stands."

Gray winced and rubbed his hands over his face. "God. I can't believe I'm standing here being lectured by an old fart and three guys whose idea of a steady relationship is knowing the name of the woman they're sleeping with."

Pop punched him in the gut. "Who you calling an old fart? I'll take your scrawny ass any day of the week."

"And Nathan knows her name, he's just not sleeping with her," Connor drawled.

"Yeah, yeah, you just couldn't resist a potshot. Sure, kick a man when he's down," Nathan muttered.

He avoided Micah's gaze. There was no way in hell he was spilling the beans about what had gone on the night before. If it meant getting teased by the others because he couldn't pin the little witch down, then so be it. Better that than getting his balls handed to him if it got back to Julie what he'd done.

"Have you tried talking to her, son?" Pop asked Nathan in exasperation.

"Don't we have projects to discuss?" Nathan demanded. "I'm fairly certain my private life isn't one of them."

He was roundly ignored by the others.

"He can't get close enough to her to talk," Connor snickered.

"It seems to me that you have offended her female sensibilities by being a typical, thickheaded male," Pop said sagely.

"No kidding."

"So, go talk to her. Ask her out. Seems to me that's what you should have done months ago instead of going to her for massages. A man's got to speak up for what he wants, or risk losing it."

Everyone groaned. Pop was on a roll, and when he got on a roll, well, there was no shutting him up.

Gray sighed. "He's got a point. It's only when men try to do romantic bullshit that they get into trouble. I should have just taken Faith to buy the damn house and let her do all the decorating instead of busting my ass for the last several weeks to get it ready. Now I've got a woman who apparently thinks I don't want her."

"Well, you know where she is," Micah said with a grin. "I'm sure we can handle your projects for the day. I never do like to see an unhappy woman. I'd just as soon see Faith back to her old self by tomorrow."

Nathan felt yet another damn blush work its way up his cheeks when every single one of them turned and stared expectantly at him.

"What?"

"Seems to me you've got a woman who needs to hear precisely where she stands too," Pop said. "Go on. Take the day. Get out of my hair. But I'd prefer it if you boys got your heads on straight tomorrow so we can get some work done around here."

"I'm just glad I'm still single," Connor said. "Too much drama for my tastes."

"You'll get yours," Pop said as he dug around on Faith's desk for the paperwork she'd left. "The smug ones always fall that much harder."