Indecent Danger (Danger Incorporated #3)(34)
Shane held out a fresh drink to her and she took it, her mind still ruminating on his words. “What do you mean by stupid shit? Travis told me he’s something of an adrenaline junkie and some of the things he’s done are dangerous.”
“The head is heavy that wears the crown,” Shane quoted, leaning against the bar. “He’s always known that he can only go so far. He can only get so crazy. He has to be the responsible one. The hardworking one. There was no year off after college and before graduate school so Travis could have one last hurrah or f*cking find himself. Shit, by then he was working twelve to fifteen hour days between the office and classes. I have no idea how he found time to have a life, or even if he did, really. I was still in high school at the time.”
Travis was a smart man who worked relentlessly for the family firm but Aubrey hadn’t given much thought to what he’d had to give up to do that. “It sounds like he missed his childhood.”
“In a way he did, but don’t worry—we all had a great time when we were kids. His was just…a little different. There was no sitting around and fantasizing about being an astronaut or a rock star. His path was clearly written.”
“That’s too bad,” Aubrey said softly, her heart aching for a little boy with a man-size future. “That couldn’t have been easy for him.”
“Don’t feel sorry for my cousin, Bree. He has a great life and he’d tell you so himself if you asked him. Hell, until you came into the picture he had a different woman–”
Shane broke off and rolled his eyes, his cheeks turning red. “Shit. Fuck. I think I better shut up now.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at his shame-faced expression. “You don’t have to tell me about the females in his life. I’ve been his assistant longer than his girlfriend. When I first started working for him the phone rang all day and it was a different woman every time trying to talk to him. Some even stopped by the office hoping to push their way in. Each and every one of them was completely gorgeous.”
“And none of them meant a damn thing,” Shane declared, his tone brooking no argument. “Travis was playing the field but those women never had a chance. But when he met you? He fell hard, honey. If you don’t want him, please tell him now because he’s fixing to start planning a future with you. What Travis wants he usually gets.”
“I do want him. Very much.” The conversation from the other night was running through her head. “He said something about how other women never saw the real him. That they didn’t want to.”
“We’ve all had our share of women who only have their eye on the Anderson money. Travis probably more than most. I have a feeling you don’t care about all that.”
She didn’t and she hoped Travis would always believe in her. She cared about him, not the money or the power.
“Is that why you’re not married? Have you had one too many gold diggers in your life?”
Something flickered across Shane’s expression but it was gone so quickly she thought she might have imagined it. “I love women, and if you get married they frown on continuing to date and sleep with other females.”
There had to be at least one woman out there that had tempted this handsome man to give up his bachelor card. “Then you’ve never been in love? That’s kind of sad, Shane. Everyone should have love.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw belying the carefree smile he wore on his face. “There are all different kinds of love, honey. Believe me, I don’t spend too many nights alone in my king-sized bed.”
He was obfuscating the subject to keep from telling the truth, and not doing all that good of a job of it. “That’s not what I was talking about. Sex doesn’t count. I mean, has there ever been a woman that made you want to be with just her?”
Shane was quiet, rubbing the back of his neck and looking off into the distance as if he was thinking about something or someone a long time ago, but then he shook his head. “No. There’s no one. And the world should rejoice about that. I’d be a lousy husband.” His phone chimed and he pulled it out of his pocket. “Travis. He’s heading to talk to Martin and he wants me to take another run at Iris. He saw her in the resort gift shop on his way to the penthouse. He thinks she might respond to a charming male who compliments her and buys her drinks. That is my specialty. Will you be okay here while we’re gone?”
Why wouldn’t she? These Anderson boys worried way too much. She’d been taking care of herself for a long time.
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Shane shoved the phone back in his pocket. “Monitor Travis’s emails for something from Jason. He and Jared are trying to track down who Iris is sending the money to every month.”
Aubrey didn’t even want to know how Jason and Jared were doing that, but their computer skills had come in handy when West was hunting down Alan Morton.
“Will do. I’ll send you a text if I get something. And Shane?” He paused with a hand on the doorknob. “Be careful. There is still a killer out there and we don’t know why he or she is doing this or who their next target is.”
The usually smiling man’s expression turned serious. “That’s good advice, Bree. Deadbolt this door behind me and don’t let anyone but me or Travis in. Not for any reason. Got it?”