Dominic jabbed Gage in the side as they walked through the door of East Coast Security. “Why are you so damn cheerful this morning? Get laid last night?”

Without missing a beat, Gage dropped into a chair in front of their bank of monitors. “Of course.” Then smirking at them, he added, “Didn’t you?” When they both just frowned in answer, he laughed. “Oh, come on. What’s so difficult about it? You see woman, pick up woman, fuck woman, then repeat. If you two would stop sitting around talking about your feelings and buying tampons, you might actually get lucky. Tell you what, I’ll go out with you both tonight and be your wingman.”

Mac shook his head, then flicked his hand to Dominic. “Go ahead and do it before I kill him.” Gage looked around in confusion, but it was too late. Dominic jerked the chair he was sitting in backward and suddenly his feet were up in the air as he hit the floor.

Dominic smirked, saying, “Thank fuck, I couldn’t listen to another word from this cocky little bastard.”

Always the good sport, Gage started laughing as he rolled out on the floor and to his feet. “All right, have it your way. Don’t say I didn’t try to help a brother out, though.”

They all spent the next few hours running through the security feeds and finalizing assignments for the next week. When a text message buzzed through on his phone, Mac looked down at it distractedly.

DECLAN: Evan’s birthday party at McDonald’s @ 2:00. Be there, asshole.

Mac chuckled, wondering not for the first time if everyone called their friends such flattering names or if it was just them. Maybe something left over from their days in boot camp.

MAC: I hear ya, dickhead. What does the little guy want?

DECLAN: Who the hell knows? The list changes every day. Ask Ava. Ellie gave her the latest list last night. Appreciate you coming. His mom is out of town on her honeymoon and I’m trying to provide a distraction to her being gone, ya know?

MAC: Yeah, man, I hear ya. I’ll make sure Dominic knows. Gage is heading to a customer site this afternoon, so I don’t think he’ll be there. Later, brother.

Mac immediately sent a text to Ava concerning Evan’s toy list.

MAC: Avie, what does Evan want for his birthday . . . ? You feeling okay?

He was starting to worry when it took her almost twenty minutes to answer his text.

AVA: Skylanders. Are you coming to the party? I could pick up something from you and me if you like . . . I’m fine.

Shit, Mac thought, Gage was right. He was turning into a pussy. Why else would he get a big thrill out of giving a joint gift with Ava? His cock was twitching in his pants as if she had said something dirty. Truly pathetic. Before long, he’d start setting his DVR to record Ellen.

MAC: Yeah, thanks, Avie. I’d like that. Need me to pick you up on the way there?

And just like that, Gwen was out of town and he had fallen back into the habit of looking for ways to spend time with Ava. He tapped his fingers on his desk impatiently before her response finally came through.

AVA: That’s okay. Dominic is picking me up on his bike. You know, if you fall off, you should get right back on. Didn’t want my skating accident to scare me off. Thnx, though. See u there.

Mac stalked out to the lobby just in time to see the asshole in question walk out the door, giving him a shit-eating grin as he waved good-bye. “I’m going to kill that fucker,” he snapped to the empty room. It seemed that life was not only shitting on him, but taking a colossal dump. What. The. Fuck?

Chapter Eight

Ava grimaced when she threw her leg over Dominic’s bike. The last thing she felt like doing today was riding a motorcycle after damn near breaking her neck on a busy street that morning, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Luckily, Dominic had been on board when she texted him while talking to Mac. She had enlisted Emma to stop by and pick up the presents she had bought for Evan from her and Mac, since she wasn’t sure if Dominic had anywhere to store them on his bike. Luckily, Emma had left Brant in the car and God willing, he was in the dark about her mode of transportation to the party.

“I hear you’ve been a busy girl this morning,” Dominic yelled over the roar of the bike.

She tried to shake off the embarrassment she felt knowing that someone else knew what a fool she had made out of herself that morning. It couldn’t be helped, though. Dominic was likely to witness even more humiliating moments in her quest to get Mac’s attention if he planned to help her. “Yeah, you could say that. I was going to see if you would help me out, but I didn’t have your number. I had to get it from Declan this morning. By the way, he’s a little suspicious as to why I suddenly wanted to contact you.”

“I’ll bet.” Dominic chuckled, obviously vastly amused by the thought of Declan’s discomfort. What was it with these guys and their need to get under each other’s skin? Of course, when she thought about it, that was exactly what one brother would do to another. “I was hoping that you’d just let the whole skating idea go. I didn’t think you’d be out on the damn sidewalk twelve hours later putting on some roller derby. I’ll give you credit, though, Mac’s nerves were totally frayed over the whole incident.”

Dominic’s words distracted her from the ache in her injured shoulder long enough to ask, “Really? What did he say?”

“It wasn’t so much what he said as how he stomped around the office with a stick up his ass. I mean, more than usual. You’ve got his attention, Blondie. Not that I think you ever really lost it. Maybe you should just leave it at that for a few days before you break a bone.”

Ava smacked his back, shaking her head emphatically. “No, I can’t stop now. I just need some ideas on what to try next.”

Dominic sat quietly for a moment, appearing to ponder her statement before snapping his fingers. “Hey, I got it. How about the new zip line place right in the middle of town? That would be pretty easy to bring Mac by. We’re riding over to North Myrtle Beach tomorrow to talk to a new customer, so we’ll be going right by there.”

Every ache and pain in her body seemed to pick that moment to remind her how stiff and sore she was after the debacle this morning. She didn’t know if she was ready to get back on the horse quite that soon. “Er . . . I don’t know. I was thinking of something later on in the week.”

Dominic rolled the kickstand up on the bike, preparing to set off. “I hate to say this, Blondie, but you might get more results with Gwen gone this weekend. If you wait, she’ll be back in town, and even though I’m already sort of plotting against her, I wouldn’t feel great about her having her face rubbed in it.”