Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 154890 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154890 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
“Get the handbook,” Whit says, breaking my gaze. “Hit him with it. It’s probably the only use for it where he’s concerned.”
“That wasn’t sexual harassment!” Brin protests.
“You shouldn’t make dick jokes to a woman twenty-eight weeks pregnant unless you don’t mind losing it.”
“Jody, love, come on!”
“Don’t you love me. I will throw the book at you—literally.”
The pair begin to squabble, and I get the feeling this is the kind of scene that has played out before. And oh my goodness, I love it!
“Will you two knock it off!” Whit bellows. I jump at the sheer volume, but it does the trick as the room falls quiet. So this is new. New to me, at least. Maybe I’m a deviant because I kind of dig it. “I’m not bad tempered,” he then adds in a more even tone.
El coughs “bullshit” into his fist and I try to stifle my smile. This is more like a circus than an office. And as of next month, this is my circus, and those are my monkeys. Kind of.
“That’s something we’ll have to agree to disagree on,” Jody says, making for the door again. I scramble out of her way when she pauses, fixing me with a look. “His not-bad temper can be terrible, but usually not for no reason,” she adds. “Whit is a man with a great weight balanced on his shoulders.”
His lovely, broad shoulders. “Got it,” I agree with a nod.
“But keep him in check. I don’t want to have to retrain him when I get back.”
“Retrain—Get back? When you get back from where?” I don’t know, but I think Whit looks a little panic stricken.
“Oh, you know. A break in the Bahamas.” An unamused Jody points finger guns at her swollen stomach. “Where do you think I’m going looking like this?”
“But…”
“I can’t keep these two in here forever.”
“Oh cool! Twins.” It seemed impolite to ask.
Her expression scrunches even as she slides a tender hand over her stomach. “Twin hippos, I’m beginning to think.”
“Can someone explain what’s going on here?” Whit modulates his tone, holding his hands out in a plea.
“You’re complaining, as usual,” Jody deadpans. “Unless you’re questioning why I’m putting myself to the trouble of showing Mimi around when I should have my feet up.”
“I’ll show her ’round,” the younger brother pipes up, rising from his chair.
“I’m not busy, either,” El adds quickly.
“Down, boys.” Jody makes a patting motion with her hand.
“Absolutely,” Whit replies with a glower. “Put your feet up—take the rest of the afternoon off. But for the love of God, please explain why Miss Valente is getting the grand tour.”
“It’s part of the orientation,” she says as though talking to a halfwit. “How else will she be able to cover for me?”
4
WHIT
I am so screwed.
What the hell happened to Connor’s little sister? She used to be the kind of awkward that was endearing. All legs and nervous hands, the tip of her lips, and the color in her cheeks, was quick to rise but fleeting. Where did that girl go? Who put the saucy siren in her place?
She looks like a modern-day Brigitte Bardot. Is it not enough that I’ve been torturing myself with images of her riding my fingers that she has to turn up looking like the office pervert’s wet dream come to life. Was she poured into that skirt? And that blouse. It was the kind of garment that looked demure at first glance and pure temptation the second, molding to her curves with every movement. I was oddly glad to see years of braces hadn’t fixed the gap between her front teeth. It’s like the pearl between the oyster of those full lips. Something I think she prefers not to show.
How old is she again?
It’s me. I’m the office pervert.
I am so, so screwed.
“What you are is fucked.”
I turn from staring at the closed door, wondering if I need to murder my brother for reading my thoughts before realizing I must’ve said that out loud. “Jesus Christ,” I mutter as I pivot, rubbing my hand across my chin. “Can that woman not keep her nose out of my business?”
“Who, Jody?”
“No, Mum,” I grate out. “And that was a rhetorical question.” Mimi is just a kid. A kid with the body of a goddess and the kind of behavior that reminds me of an eager-to-please puppy. That is some fucked-up combination and far too tempting to have daily in my office. I’ll bloody wank myself to an early grave!
“So it looks like you’ve got yourself a new secretary.” El clears his throat as I swing around to glare at him. “If you don’t want her…”
“Fuck off.”
“Don’t let Jody catch you diminishing her title.” Brin settles lower in his chair, crossing his long legs at the ankles. “She’s not a secretary. She’s keeper of big knob over there. He wouldn’t know his arse from his elbow if she wasn’t about.”