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Something that required a damn
     bodyguard.
    Brady grimaced at the nickname. “Let’s not repeat that to anyone.”
    “We’ll see. Speaking of sex…”
    “Were we?”
    She nodded. “We were. Ninety percent of the time, civilians are either thinking about
     it, talking about it, or doing it. They did a study.”
    “It’s not just civilians,” Brady muttered, making her laugh.
    “ Speaking of sex , I saw the way Stephen’s assistant, a Mr. Calvin Grimes, was looking at you before
     we left. I know for a fact he’s out. Are you ?”
    He tensed in momentary surprise, but didn’t pretend not to understand her question.
     “Observant as well as liberated, aren’t you?”
    “I am. I have exceptional instincts about carnal appetites and preferences for baked
     goods. You look like a spiced apple pie kind of guy. Patriotic, with unexpectedly
     zesty undertones.”
    Brady dipped his chin, his grin restrained but genuine. “I’ve been out since high
     school. To my family, at any rate. So is Rory, if you’re curious. I won’t go into
     how retired chief of police Solomon Finn Sr. handled the news that two of his six
     strapping Irish sons were gay. Let’s just say we were all surprised at how well Uncle
     Shawn took Owen’s bombshell. Surprised and jealous. And for the record, I wouldn’t
     turn down any type of pie.”
    “Good to know.” She kicked off her sandals and patted the space beside her on the
     bed. “Now we can gossip freely about Grimes and the big plans he obviously has to
     climb his boss’s new bodyguard like a jungle gym.”
    Brady snorted, but sat down. “He can have all the plans he wants. It won’t be happening.
     He’s not my type.”
    “Why?”
    “Man’s a fast talker. Pushy. A real climber.” Brady studied his hands. “Don’t get
     me wrong, he’s attractive and good at his job, but other than that…”
    “No, I get it.” She knew exactly what he was talking about. A lot of the people around
     Stephen were like that. Men and women who never stopped talking but rarely said anything
     genuine. Unfortunately, it came with his job.
    Brady Finn wanted something real.
    “You and Jeremy have that in common. He wasn’t into settling for less either. Of course
     his version of not settling was a little slutty, which I can say because we’re so
     much alike and I’m partially responsible for his impressive track record. Not entirely
     responsible, mind you. Those comic book conventions he goes to give new meaning to
     the term wild rumpus . Sadly, I suspect that not only are you not bi, you’re also more of a traditionalist
     in the romance department.”
    “Three for three. Do you read palms at that bakery?” He leaned on his elbow beside
     her, his smile bemused, but he was finally starting to relax. “I’m still in shock
     about the whole Jeremy thing, to be honest. I mean, I always knew he had it bad for
     Owen. But it was just as clear that my cousin was oblivious. Talk about the last person
     on the planet I’d have ever guessed was gay. My most recent relationship, if you could
     call it that, was with a tough-as-nails leatherneck with more testosterone than brain
     cells, and I was less surprised when he made a pass at me than I was to find out the
     family skirt chaser had settled down with a man.”
    “Don’t call Owen gay to his face,” Tasha advised. “He hates labels.”
    Brady grimaced. “He should get used to it, because other people love them.”
    And wasn’t that the damn truth.
    “He’s happy though, right? I mean, what? Over six months now?”
    “Yes. And of course he’s happy. Jeremy’s a catch. A talented artist, a sex god with
     super-sized equipment, endless stamina and the patience of a saint.” Her smile softened
     when she thought about Owen and Jeremy together. “We’ve been friends most of our lives
     and I’ve never seen either one of them this…complete.”
    “It must be nice,” Brady mused. “Being with someone who knows you