loved me, man, and I left her. That means I’m in the better position here. I can rekindle that love she used to have for me.”
A wave of red-hot anger welled as Geoffrey stared at the man. His fists clenched with the desire to punch the man’s face, but he didn’t want to test whether the man was right about Brandi. Because if she went to Nick after he’d knocked the man out, he knew he wouldn’t handle that well at all. The possibility was enough to dissuade him.
Geoffrey stepped close, pushing his chest against the man whose surprised expression let him know that Nick hadn’t expected that.
Keeping his voice low, he said, “You may think you know Brandi, but you do not know me. I suggest you tread carefully, because I have no problem sweeping the floor with you.”
Hearing Brandi’s returning footsteps, Geoffrey went around Nick to the cabinet filled with an array of drinking containers and took out two thermal mugs.
“Brandi, I will let you make it just the way you like it, while I do the same. Do you take sugar and creamer?”
“Yes, but you can do it for me. Just add about two spoonful’s of sugar and three of the Hazelnut creamer.”
Geoffrey made the additions and passed hers to her, the both of them ignoring the still glowering Nick. Finished with his own coffee, he pressed the top down and when Brandi had hers just the way she liked it, he put the top on hers, making sure it was snug. He lifted Brandi’s briefcase while she took her purse. Together they left the condo without looking back.
“Are you all right?” he asked Brandi.
She smiled up at him, but he could see the wariness she tried to hide. “I’m fine. How about you?”
“I am good, okay? So there is no need for you to worry.”
Brandi shrugged her delicate shoulders. “It couldn’t have been easy to hear Nick’s reference to our…history. I’m not sure I could’ve took it, if it had been your ex-lover.”
“The thing you must remember is that all of Nick’s posturing is to try to ruin what is between us. We all have our histories. Yours just happens to be making quite a nuisance of himself here and now.”
As they went outside, the concierge went to flag down a taxi. Geoffrey began laughing.
“I cannot believe it. So much has happened this morning that I completely forgot that I parked my truck in the garage.”
“Oh, so did I,” she said, grinning.
“So then I can take you to work myself.”
She shook her head. “Are you sure? We’re both running behind in our schedules so I don’t want to make you any later than you are already.”
“No need to worry. Even with traffic, I will make it to work in good time.”
After Brandi let the concierge know she didn’t need a taxi, Geoffrey took her hand again and they returned inside to take the elevator down to the garage. He hummed as they walked along in companionable silence.
Once in the car and on their way, Geoffrey glanced over at Brandi. “Dinner tonight? My place? I think it is time you see where I live.”
Brandi grinned. “Sounds good. What time?”
“Well, how much time do you need to pack an overnight bag?”
The grin froze on her face. “Excuse me?”
“I wish for us to spend the night at my place.”
“I don’t know, Geoffrey.” She sat back and rubbed her forehead. “I’m just not sure I should spend a night away from the condo. It might hurt my case.”
“How could it? My residence is a hotel suite paid by the company for which I work. It can hardly be deemed as an available residence for you.”
“True. But what if Nick breaks into my room and takes my things?”
“Well, if he were to do that, I would rather you not be there. Brandi, you cannot allow this situation to consume you. I believe things will work out the way they are meant to, regardless.”
“Taking reasonable steps to protect myself and my property isn’t consuming me, Geoffrey.
A wave of red-hot anger welled as Geoffrey stared at the man. His fists clenched with the desire to punch the man’s face, but he didn’t want to test whether the man was right about Brandi. Because if she went to Nick after he’d knocked the man out, he knew he wouldn’t handle that well at all. The possibility was enough to dissuade him.
Geoffrey stepped close, pushing his chest against the man whose surprised expression let him know that Nick hadn’t expected that.
Keeping his voice low, he said, “You may think you know Brandi, but you do not know me. I suggest you tread carefully, because I have no problem sweeping the floor with you.”
Hearing Brandi’s returning footsteps, Geoffrey went around Nick to the cabinet filled with an array of drinking containers and took out two thermal mugs.
“Brandi, I will let you make it just the way you like it, while I do the same. Do you take sugar and creamer?”
“Yes, but you can do it for me. Just add about two spoonful’s of sugar and three of the Hazelnut creamer.”
Geoffrey made the additions and passed hers to her, the both of them ignoring the still glowering Nick. Finished with his own coffee, he pressed the top down and when Brandi had hers just the way she liked it, he put the top on hers, making sure it was snug. He lifted Brandi’s briefcase while she took her purse. Together they left the condo without looking back.
“Are you all right?” he asked Brandi.
She smiled up at him, but he could see the wariness she tried to hide. “I’m fine. How about you?”
“I am good, okay? So there is no need for you to worry.”
Brandi shrugged her delicate shoulders. “It couldn’t have been easy to hear Nick’s reference to our…history. I’m not sure I could’ve took it, if it had been your ex-lover.”
“The thing you must remember is that all of Nick’s posturing is to try to ruin what is between us. We all have our histories. Yours just happens to be making quite a nuisance of himself here and now.”
As they went outside, the concierge went to flag down a taxi. Geoffrey began laughing.
“I cannot believe it. So much has happened this morning that I completely forgot that I parked my truck in the garage.”
“Oh, so did I,” she said, grinning.
“So then I can take you to work myself.”
She shook her head. “Are you sure? We’re both running behind in our schedules so I don’t want to make you any later than you are already.”
“No need to worry. Even with traffic, I will make it to work in good time.”
After Brandi let the concierge know she didn’t need a taxi, Geoffrey took her hand again and they returned inside to take the elevator down to the garage. He hummed as they walked along in companionable silence.
Once in the car and on their way, Geoffrey glanced over at Brandi. “Dinner tonight? My place? I think it is time you see where I live.”
Brandi grinned. “Sounds good. What time?”
“Well, how much time do you need to pack an overnight bag?”
The grin froze on her face. “Excuse me?”
“I wish for us to spend the night at my place.”
“I don’t know, Geoffrey.” She sat back and rubbed her forehead. “I’m just not sure I should spend a night away from the condo. It might hurt my case.”
“How could it? My residence is a hotel suite paid by the company for which I work. It can hardly be deemed as an available residence for you.”
“True. But what if Nick breaks into my room and takes my things?”
“Well, if he were to do that, I would rather you not be there. Brandi, you cannot allow this situation to consume you. I believe things will work out the way they are meant to, regardless.”
“Taking reasonable steps to protect myself and my property isn’t consuming me, Geoffrey.
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