“I’m a Sheenan. We’re not the settle down type.”

“There’s more of you?”

“Four more brothers.”

“All single?”

“Yep.”

“Where are you in the lineup?”

“Second to youngest.” He ticked the names off his fingers. “Brock, Troy and Trey, me, then Dillon.”

“And none of you have ever married?”

“My oldest brother, Brock, did, but he was widowed early on, when the twins were just six months old. And he’s never remarried.”

She shook her head, the only child in her family, unable to imagine a family with five boys. “Do they all look like you?”

“No. I’m the only towhead.” He lifted his beer, took another sip, even as his gaze locked with hers.

The heat in his eyes sent a delicious shiver racing down her spine. She inhaled sharply, telling herself to be careful. He was too attractive. She didn’t want to be stupid and risk her job. “I love where I work,” she said softly. “I love what I do.”

“You’re good at what you do.”

“I would never make the mistake of confusing the professional relationship with the personal. They are, and must be, two separate things. Always.”

“Yes.” He touched her glass to hers. “Always.” He drank. “You’re right. This is good beer.”

“They make a very good lager here, too.”

His eyes gleamed at her. “You know the difference between ale and lager?”

“I do. It’s the type of yeast. Ales are a top-fermenting yeast with mid-range temperatures. Lagers are a bottom-fermenting yeast that requires cooler temperatures.”

“Impressive.”

“I know. I’m pretty good.”

He leaned over then and kissed her.

The kiss was hot, sweet, soul-searing. It made her ache and she kissed him back, wanting more, wanting him.

When the kiss finally ended, Cormac lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “You’re not pretty good. You’re very, very good.”

She’d blushed and laughed and fell for him, and for the next year she was his and only his. They spent all their free time together and just when she thought he might propose, he instead abruptly ended it.

It broke her heart.

But they’d agreed in the beginning to keep work and personal separate so she continued at Sheenan Media even after their relationship ended.

She’d shown up for board meetings with her head high, never letting him, or anyone else know, how much he’d hurt her, because that wasn’t her style. She was tough. Strong. And a seasoned professional.

Let her personal life interfere with her professional?

Never.

At least, she’d never let a man like Cormac Sheenan derail her career.

**

Cormac had watched Whitney race out of her office, jamming her arms into her coat sleeves, trying to hide the sheen of tears in her eyes.

But he’d seen the tears, and it made his gut tighten. Whitney was not given to tears and emotion. At least, not around him.

But admittedly, the meeting with her had not gone well.