forward, his fingers still entwined in front of him, Mecan’s expression turned serious. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me nothing. I can see it all over your face. Something’s not right with you.”
Holding his brother’s gaze for a second time, Darwin suddenly felt like the younger brother. He leaned forward in his own seat and whispered as if the duo were conspiring together.
“Yeah, but I don’t know what it is. It’s like…” He paused, gathered his thoughts, then switched gears. “After I talked to you last night, I went to visit an old friend. She and I kick it every so often.”
“Kick it?”
“You know.” Darwin rolled his eyes. “We have a sexual understanding.”
“Is that what they’re calling it these days?”
“You want to hear this or not?”
Mecan gestured for him to continue.
“Well, my girl set the mood right. Candlelight, a bottle of wine, some chocolate syrup…”
Mecan grimaced. “Too much information.”
“Don’t interrupt me.”
“Sorry.”
“We spent some time doing a little cuddling, a little tickling, then jumped in the Jacuzzi. Well, when the moment was just right…” there was a moment of hesitation as Darwin felt his cheeks flush with heat “…I couldn’t perform.” He let his last three words fall quickly from his mouth.
Mecan nodded, fighting not to let a smile cross his face, the muscles pulling against his resolve. Clearly, Darwin didn’t find the problem to be a laughing matter. His brother’s expression was too serious, a sudden wave of anxiety sweeping over the man. Mecan attempted to assuage his discomfort. “Well, that just happens every now and then,” he finally managed to say, his smile not quite a smile as he struggled to keep a straight face.
“Has it ever happened to you?”
Mecan tossed a quick glance over his shoulder, then cast a gaze around the room. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, words failing him.
“See. It doesn’t just happen. And that’s not all,” Darwin said softly.
“You mean there’s more?”
“I mean this isn’t the first time. I haven’t been able to get or keep an erection for weeks now,” Darwin confessed, embarrassment painted in his expression.
“Have you seen a doctor?”
He nodded. “The official diagnosis for my problem is—” he paused, leaning in closer as his voice dropped another octave “—erectile dysfunction, and they can’t find anything medically wrong to explain it. He thinks I should see a shrink, that maybe it’s related to something emotional,” he whispered.
“So, what are you waiting for?”
“I’m waiting for it to fix itself,” Darwin whined, exasperation balancing his words.
Mina moved toward them with their bottle of wine and two glasses. On her heels another waitress was bringing the appetizers. Once they’d been served, she stepped back, pausing for just a brief moment. “Can I bring you anything else?” she asked politely.
Mecan shook his head. “No, thank you. I’m fine.”
She smiled at Darwin again, the look she tossed him a clear invitation for something more. “And you, sir? Can I do anything else for you?” she asked, an air of seduction coating her tone.
Darwin forced himself to return the smile, his expression pained. “This is good for now, Mina. Thank you.”
The young woman nodded as she moved to another station, tossing them both a quick look over her shoulder. Her expression was hopeful yet Darwin seemed oblivious.
“I don’t know what to do, Mac,” he said, his eyes skating over his brother’s face.
Mecan took a deep breath. He could only imagine the man’s frustration. He had never played the field the way Darwin had, and the day he’d met his wife, Jeneva, he’d fallen hopelessly in love. He’d known almost instantly that no other woman would ever be able to make him feel the way Jeneva did. As he thought about his wife and their family and compared it to his brother’s life, an idea suddenly crossed his mind. As if a lightbulb had gone off in his head, he smiled and nodded.
“You need to settle down. That’s what you need.”
“Excuse me?”
“You need to fall in love and commit to one woman. I’d bet my last dollar that would cure your problem almost instantly.”
Darwin rolled his eyes skyward. “You’re crazy.”
“No, I’m very serious. That love stick of yours is probably just tired of being shuffled from one bed to another. And I think your heart is, as well. I’m certain if your heart’s no longer in it, then you’re sure to have problems.”
Darwin pondered his brother’s comments. He shook his head and the two men locked gazes. Maybe, he thought. Just maybe his big brother knew what he was talking about.
The words out of his mouth, though, were pure denial. “I truly doubt that the only cure I need is to settle down with one female happily-ever-after. That fairy-tale crap may have worked for you, but I’m not buying it.”
Mecan shrugged, a wry grin returning to his face as the waitress approached with the first course of their meal. “Suit yourself, but don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”
Chapter 3
When Darwin finally made his way back to his office, there was a stack of legal documents lying in a neat pile on top of his desk. At lunch, he and Mecan had quickly changed the subject from his sexual problems to news of family members and their own recent exploits. Although they’d enjoyed an exceptionally good meal, Darwin had actually been relieved when it was over. His brother’s comments continued to haunt him, the idea having taken a firm hold in his consciousness.
He was desperate for an answer to his problem. The situation was really starting to wreak havoc on his personal life. Last night’s fiasco had left him wounded, his ego sufficiently bruised as he’d crept from his friend’s bed and out the front door as fast as he could run. The woman had professed to be understanding but her disappointment had been obvious. He could only imagine the tale she’d had to share with her friends once he was gone and she could get her hands on a telephone. Darwin cringed at the thought.
His new assistant, an intern named Rhonda Bishop, rushed into the office behind him, visibly flustered as she juggled a cup of hot coffee in one hand and more file folders in the other. She began talking at a rapid pace, words flying past her thin lips.
“Hi, Mr. Tolliver. Mrs. Scott asked me to give these to you. She said you need to have your personal attorney review them, then you need to sign where indicated and get them back to the legal department ASAP.” The young woman took
