“I did, but I’m more practical.I could tell you’re a womanwho has a good education, likely has been around money most of her life.I’m aforeman.I work with my hands not my brain.I’m good for a night, but youwouldn’t have any interest in dating me.Much less in having an open threesomewith us.I honestly thought that if you met us in the real world, you would beinterested in Garrett, not me.”
“You.Keane.You’re my brother-in-law’s foreman.He speakshighly of you.So does my sister.”She frowned and pointed Garrett’s way.“Ofcourse she also likes his ass, so I have to question her taste.”
“Shit.She’s Lexi’s sister,” Garrett said with a frown.“Lexi mentioned she had a sister, but I never saw a picture of you.”
“You’re not very observant since I’m right there in the bigfamily portrait in the dining room.”
“Oh, we don’t eat with the family, ma’am.”He had switchedinto complete polite cowboy mode.“We either eat at our place or with thehands.Your sister’s house is pretty far from the office and the foreman’shouse.We’ve been there but only briefly.”
She sighed.“You’re going to be difficult.”
He shook his head.“Not at all, ma’am.I’m trying real hardto ensure we’re not trouble.Garrett was frustrated.”
Her nose wrinkled.“Garrett was an asshole.”
“I’m right here,” Garrett said.
“And yet you are somehow still an asshole.”She turned backto Keane.“You’re as bad as him.”
That made him sit up straighter.“How so?”
“He made assumptions about me and so did you.He decided I’msome kind of woman who didn’t earn her place, who likes to walk in and screweverything up just for fun.”
“I didn’t say you did it for fun,” Garrett attempted.
Olivia…he liked her name…ignored him.“Keane decided I wassome kind of rich girl who would look down on a cowboy.My dads are cowboys atheart.I know they’re wealthy now, but they worked for every penny.I grew uparound hands.I practically lived in the bunkhouse when I was a kid.There isnothing I find sexier than a good man who happens to work with his hands.Andquite frankly, his brain.You don’t get to be my brother-in-law’s foremanwithout a brain.”
Something warm lit in his chest even though he knew she waslikely saying it to put Garrett in his place.Damn, that boy had dug a hole.
Her eyes went hard and that warmth curdled quickly becausethat look was not for Garrett.It was directed squarely at Keane.“But I don’tknow why you would be worried that I might not date you since you could findanother one like me at any club.”
Fuck.How long had she been listening?“I’m sorry I saidthat.”
“I’m not.Now we all know and we can move forward.Garrettisn’t interested in a ball-busting bitch, and I’m a bit common for you.I’lladmit I had a great time last night and I seriously considered looking you up.You’ve saved me the trouble.”
“He didn’t mean it like that,” Garrett said quietly.
She turned his way, her eyes lit with irritation.It didn’tmake her less beautiful.In fact, it kind of did something for him.“How did hemean it then, Counselor?”
Keane wasn’t sure how to reply.
Garrett did.Or at least he thought he did.“He shuts downwhen he’s afraid of rejection, and honestly, he’s got a lot of reason for that.He took you at your word.In some ways he was content to only have one nightwith you because he firmly believes if you know who he is, you’ll walk away.”
“And you?”Olivia asked.
“I’m an asshole who was pissed off the hottest woman I’veever seen snuck out of bed this morning, so I was taking it out on the womanwho runs the company.I chose misogynistic words, and I’m ashamed of them.Ihave biases I need to work on, and one of them is rich people.”
“Myparentsare rich,” she countered.
“And you don’t have a trust fund to fall back on?”Garrettreplied.
She went silent.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.I shouldn’t, but I grew updirt poor.When my mother died, my father took me to a bus station.He didn’tactually buy me a ticket.He told me someone would take care of me and then hewas gone.I was eight.”
“Are you honestly trying to trauma dump on me right now?”Olivia huffed.
“I am trying anything that will salvage this situation.Ilove my job.Keane loves his job.It keeps us together in a way no other workwill,” Garrett admitted.