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Hayden burst out laughing, but quickly reined it in when she seemed to realize all eyes were trained on her "Um Where is your father now?"

"Retired in Florida Last tiine on a sixty-eight Pontiac Firebird in the driveway Mom calls it his playtime"

Stuart raised a lazy eyebrow "You know cars?"

Brent watched as Hayden’s drink paused halfway to herhis second profession, eive a da his eyes squarely on Hayden "Yes Actually, I ht as athe expensive china Stuart, however, couldn’t have looked more pleased "One of my Aston Martins needs a new alternator" He propped his ankle on his knee, sly at Brent "Can I trust you with it?"

Brent saluted hi in his chest when Hayden rose quickly and left the rooe you"

Stuart smiled on cue, but it didn’t reach his eyes Brent forced hiot up a moment later and followed Hayden froo after them, Hayden’s father threw another question his way, but he could barely focus on it

Last night, when he’d been handcuffed and blue-balled within an inch of his life in Hayden’s foyer, he’d let her think he was going to show up and act like the big clown she perceived him to be Instead, he’d prove to her that she didn’t have the first clue about hiht fork and shooting the shit witha pipe bo injured civilians from a structural collapse

And maybe, just a small part of him had wanted to prove it to himself He didn’t lack familial affection in his life His parents, his sister and brother, his nieces…they were all grateful for the work he put in to keep their lives running smoothly and they never hesitated to tell him They depended on him and he loved that It drove hi endshimself by how much money he made per week How many problems he could solve with each paycheck It may have been unconscious, this need to prove he could acco that didn’t involve a wrench or C4, but he couldn’t deny an odd satisfaction at having fit in tonight, without sacrificing his identity in the process

He hadn’t forgotten his other reason for being there tonight, though After Stuart spent the entire dinner with his eyes glued to Hayden’s brsts, Brent’s teeth were still on edge, even as he strove for casual Not that he could fault the guy The girl , but she had an a rack He’d sneaked in more than a few peeks himself Stuart, however, had all but danced on the table pointing at theuy’s name annoyed the shit out of hiether Hell, they deserved each other But he couldn’t deny feeling a whole heap of aggravation over the idea It had to be the lust talking She’d left hiht and until he had her, apparently this territorial feeling would eat hier Whether or not they could stand to share the same air, he wanted her like hell

Brent scratched the back of his neck, feeling anxious He didn’t like Hayden and Stuart being outside his line of vision She didn’t want to be alone with hi

Trying to talass on a crystal coaster and rose fro an excuse as he went She hadn’t mentioned why she wanted Stuart kept away, had she? Brent’s stride increased in pace He’d just turned down the hallway leading to the kitchen when he heard voices

"Coht him here to make me jealous It worked Is that what you want to hear?"

She sighed "Actually, I couldn’t care less" Her heels clicked then stopped short "Stuart, I need to get back to my mother Move out of the way You’ve clearly had a lot to drink"

"A cop, though? Honestly, sweetheart"

Hayden said so Brent couldn’t hear