to answer it. “Hello? Hi, I thought it might be you calling…. My brother’s here right now…I’ll talk to you sometime tomorrow, okay?”
Danny took another swallow of beer, still trying to come to terms with the situation. As soon as David sat down again, he asked the question that was bugging him the most. “If you knew you were gay, why did you start dating her in the first place?”
“I didn’t know. Not for certain. Not until too late… Also, I needed to be seen in a relationship, Dan. Chase, Behr & Lily is an extremely conservative law firm. I thought having Jordan on my arm advanced my chances of a partnership.”
“So, you were using her.” Danny sat back against the couch.
David had the good grace to look ashamed. “Not on purpose, but yes, I was. I ended it once I understood the relationship would never work. And once I found out that Chase’s son is being offered the only open partnership slot, I realized I’m tired of living a lie.”
“Sorry about the partnership, David. That really stinks.”
“Yeah. I’ve spent so much time and effort trying to impress the senior partners. All for nothing.” He sighed heavily. “I wanted that promotion. But not as much as I want to be accepted for who I really am. That’s why I asked you to come over.”
Danny pressed the issue. “You were honest with Jordan, though, right?”
“I’m sure she knows. She has to.” David stood up and headed for the wet bar.
“You don’t sound very sure.” He followed, leaning against the bookcase as he watched his brother.
David looked up from the wine he was pouring. “I know I didn’t handle this very well.”
Danny scowled. “You just broke up with her and didn’t bother to explain why? Jordan deserves better from you. She’s gorgeous, intelligent and successful. She’s sexy and—”
“And you noticed all of this after meeting her only once.” David looked at him oddly.
Danny opened his mouth, then shut it again. There was no adequate way to explain his attraction.
David smiled. “Don’t bother answering, little brother. Your face says it all.”
J ORDAN WAS AVAILABLE .
That thought prevailed in Danny’s mind when he left David’s condominium. His keys jingled in his pocket as he jogged down the stairs, whistling out of tune. He didn’t have to feel guilty anymore about what had happened in the elevator. Jordan was single and apparently had been for several weeks.
Now he just had to figure out how to contact her before David made good on his threat to matchmake for them.
As he pushed through the front door and bounded down the steps, he heard a rustling from the shrubs behind him. Then it sounded as if someone stumbled, followed by the click of heels on the concrete walkway. He started to turn around when he felt something poke him in the back.
Then a woman’s quiet voice spoke near his ear. “Hold it, mister. I’ve got a banana. And I’m not afraid to use it.”
Danny immediately recognized Jordan’s cool, clear voice. It made him think of spring water bubbling over polished rocks. His body responded and began to resemble the alleged banana. Playing along, he lowered his voice to match hers. “Okay, lady. You’ve got my attention. What now?”
Her breath hitched once, then she blurted out her next command. “Stay quiet and walk toward the burgundy Honda parked at the curb.”
Was Jordan looking for another illicit thrill? For the chance to be with her completely, he wasn’t going to protest, so he started toward her car. Then reality hit him in the gut. He’d come out of David’s condo wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants, so of course she assumed…
“No! Don’t turn around.”
Danny suppressed a sigh of disappointment. “I think you’re making a mistake. My brother—”
“I know all about your brother. This isn’t—”
“You do?” He jerked his head in her direction, but her hand shot out to nudge it forward again.
“Let’s not talk about him right
Danny took another swallow of beer, still trying to come to terms with the situation. As soon as David sat down again, he asked the question that was bugging him the most. “If you knew you were gay, why did you start dating her in the first place?”
“I didn’t know. Not for certain. Not until too late… Also, I needed to be seen in a relationship, Dan. Chase, Behr & Lily is an extremely conservative law firm. I thought having Jordan on my arm advanced my chances of a partnership.”
“So, you were using her.” Danny sat back against the couch.
David had the good grace to look ashamed. “Not on purpose, but yes, I was. I ended it once I understood the relationship would never work. And once I found out that Chase’s son is being offered the only open partnership slot, I realized I’m tired of living a lie.”
“Sorry about the partnership, David. That really stinks.”
“Yeah. I’ve spent so much time and effort trying to impress the senior partners. All for nothing.” He sighed heavily. “I wanted that promotion. But not as much as I want to be accepted for who I really am. That’s why I asked you to come over.”
Danny pressed the issue. “You were honest with Jordan, though, right?”
“I’m sure she knows. She has to.” David stood up and headed for the wet bar.
“You don’t sound very sure.” He followed, leaning against the bookcase as he watched his brother.
David looked up from the wine he was pouring. “I know I didn’t handle this very well.”
Danny scowled. “You just broke up with her and didn’t bother to explain why? Jordan deserves better from you. She’s gorgeous, intelligent and successful. She’s sexy and—”
“And you noticed all of this after meeting her only once.” David looked at him oddly.
Danny opened his mouth, then shut it again. There was no adequate way to explain his attraction.
David smiled. “Don’t bother answering, little brother. Your face says it all.”
J ORDAN WAS AVAILABLE .
That thought prevailed in Danny’s mind when he left David’s condominium. His keys jingled in his pocket as he jogged down the stairs, whistling out of tune. He didn’t have to feel guilty anymore about what had happened in the elevator. Jordan was single and apparently had been for several weeks.
Now he just had to figure out how to contact her before David made good on his threat to matchmake for them.
As he pushed through the front door and bounded down the steps, he heard a rustling from the shrubs behind him. Then it sounded as if someone stumbled, followed by the click of heels on the concrete walkway. He started to turn around when he felt something poke him in the back.
Then a woman’s quiet voice spoke near his ear. “Hold it, mister. I’ve got a banana. And I’m not afraid to use it.”
Danny immediately recognized Jordan’s cool, clear voice. It made him think of spring water bubbling over polished rocks. His body responded and began to resemble the alleged banana. Playing along, he lowered his voice to match hers. “Okay, lady. You’ve got my attention. What now?”
Her breath hitched once, then she blurted out her next command. “Stay quiet and walk toward the burgundy Honda parked at the curb.”
Was Jordan looking for another illicit thrill? For the chance to be with her completely, he wasn’t going to protest, so he started toward her car. Then reality hit him in the gut. He’d come out of David’s condo wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants, so of course she assumed…
“No! Don’t turn around.”
Danny suppressed a sigh of disappointment. “I think you’re making a mistake. My brother—”
“I know all about your brother. This isn’t—”
“You do?” He jerked his head in her direction, but her hand shot out to nudge it forward again.
“Let’s not talk about him right
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