Page 2 of Never Say Never

"Not appropriate work talk." York stood up, gathering his papers.

Way to fuck that up. I internally groaned but pushed off the counter to follow behind him. I wanted to ask why he was at a gay club that night. I should have approached him but I was meeting up with an informant, and above all else, my family business came first. Missed fucking opportunities. I moved next to him, nearly choking on the cashmere rain cologne that wafted off him. He looked good and smelled good too. Goddamn, now all I needed to do was see how he was in bed.

"So, outside of work, it's cool to ask?"

York glanced my way for a brief second, his brown eyes scanning every inch of my face.

"What are you up to, Paul?"

I shrugged. "Nothing, just making conversation. Nothing wrong with that." I plastered on my friendliest smile. It worked on anything with a heartbeat. "You did say we should be getting closer as a team.”

"Everyone else. You, on the other hand, they should stay clear of. You're a walking PR disaster."

I slapped my hand on my chest, gawking at my boss. "That's harsh, sir."

York moved down the rows of cubicles heading toward his office. "It's not."

I moved around him, opening his door like the good man I was. Tracy had the nerve to call out my character, but truth be told, I was honest with her from the start. She'd taken things to a new level in that pretty little head of hers. I was trying to have a good time and monitor what was being said about the Vitales. I worked hard and now my family had the same information the FBI had on them. She was a way in, nothing more. The fact she got to have sex with me was a win for her. If she wasn’t useful, I wouldn't have so much as glanced her way.

Even though I was all about the family, however, didn’t mean I was without desires.

York Washington was my current craving and the only man I should be avoiding like an STD. I only needed information on him but therein lied the problem. I knew nothing about York Washington besides what I observed at work. Outside of it, he was a mystery. Last weekend was a fucking fluke, and I still beat myself up I hadn’t leapt at the chance.

He brushed past me, his wide shoulders swiping over my chest. The briefest contact was enough to turn me on. It was a serious problem. We Vitales were cursed, I swore it. If our father was anything to go off, none of us were safe. That man had a wandering eye and dick.

"Did you get the latest paperwork done?" York asked as he placed all his things on the large wooden desk that took up the backside of the office.

"Yes, we're all set."

"Paul, if you weren't such a fine agent, I would have sent you away by now."

"Was that a compliment from the grumpy York Washington?" I teased.

York glared at me and my smile faltered. Fuck, he was a hard man to crack. I wasn't even looking at him to better my family, no, it was all about what I wanted. I knew I couldn't have him, but if I could, I'd give up trying to screw him after one night. Honestly, I just needed a taste.

"Sorry, but you can't blame me. You don't compliment me enough. One of my love languages is words of affirmation. Also physical touch."

York clasped his hands together, his fingers thick, but on his left hand the ring that had been there when I first joined him was nowhere in sight. The tan lines had faded and now it was as if he'd never been married.

"Get out of my office and round up the team for a briefing in thirty."

I saluted him. "Aye-aye, sir."

York shook his head, but I caught the small smile before I headed out the door. It took some time but I was pretty certain I was wearing him down. I took it as a personal win. I headed down to check on the others. There was no showing up late or slacking off for too long here. York was a demanding boss. He was fair, but he was all about his work.

"Ay, Paul, what are you doing this weekend?" Jamie asked.

I stopped by his cubicle right across from my own. I'd known him for well over two years now. I knew his home life and the layout of his house. I knew his favorite restaurant and even how often he went to the gym. Jamie knew only Paul, the man I played to keep my family safe. Somedays it felt as if I was someone else, that my life before the car accident was nothing more than a dream. It was that accident that had sparked this idea, this mission to infiltrate the FBI and to make Gianpaolo die. The white picket fence, growing up with two older parents that doted on me and hoped for the best, was nothing more than a lie. However, some days it felt real.

"I don't know, I was thinking about stopping by Linda's house again,” I said.

His smile dropped and he groaned. "I told you to stay away from my ma."

"What can I say? She loves me. Not to mention she makes the best cookies."

Hunter popped his head over his cubicle, pushing his glasses up over his nose. "Oh man, are we talking about Jamie's mom’s cookies? I'd rob a bank for those."

I nodded. "Agreed. They are hot and soft. Just like his mom."