Chapter 17
Working Capital
Wyatt
The hesitation in Sara’s eyes almost destroys me. I put it there. There’s no one else to blame. I closed her out and pushed her away. She’s reluctant to let me back in and I can’t blame her.
Maybe I’m not the right guy to try to comfort her. Maybe I should text Dante to come back early from working out. They seem to share a connection that’s not broken like ours. Fuck, even Finn might be a better option than me.
She reaches out and puts her hand on my cheek. My eyes focus on hers.
“It all seems impossible.” Her smile is sad.
I release a breath and look around Tom’s room. He’s the closest thing I have to a brother. I wish he’d reach out and let us help him. He’s gone and left her and us with a mess to unravel. Between the three of us and Tom, we’ve completely upended her life.
“We’ll figure out who’s after Tom.” I put my hand over hers. “Everything will go back to normal.”
Her hand and her smile slip away. I replay my words in my head. Fuck, what did I get wrong now? She straightens.
“You’re right. We’ll figure out this thing with Tom and everything will go back to the way it’s supposed to be.” She runs her hands down her skirt and lifts deceptively bright eyes to mine. “I could use a cup of coffee before we head into work.”
She’s avoiding telling me something. I want to force her to tell me, but we don’t have that kind of relationship. Our relationship is this moving target. Maybe we can figure out how to be together in this new situation. Maybe she’ll open up to me.
“Sara—”
“Wyatt.” She smiles but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Not now.”
Fuck.
“Are you good?” I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and she sighs.
“Yes, sir.” She’s using it as a crutch. As a way to placate me.
I can only apologize so many ways for how I treated her in the past, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tear down the wall between us. The wall I built. And I shouldn’t try. I release my breath and stand, holding my hand out to her.
When she slips her hand into mine, I lead her into the kitchen. This is all temporary, but for a little while, I can have what I’ve always wanted. I can pretend this can be more than a week or two of living without constraints.
I pull out a chair at the table. Before she can sit, I draw her into me. Cupping her cheek, I tip her face up to mine. Her pale green eyes are wide and a little shocked. I lower my mouth to hers and kiss her softly, purposefully. It’s a good morning kiss.
When I straighten, her cheeks are pink and her eyes have darkened.
“Good morning, trouble.” I smooth my thumb over her jaw.
Her lips tip into a little smile. “Morning, Wyatt.”
“Have a seat. I’ll pour you a cup of coffee.” I release her and move over to the full pot of coffee. Grabbing a cup from the cabinet, I pour her some and add creamer. When I turn to face her, she’s still standing and staring like she can’t figure me out.
I cross to her and set the coffee on the table. “Sit, trouble. Drink your coffee and I’ll make you an omelet.”
“An omelet?” She eyes me suspiciously.
“Yes. Now drink.” I put my hand on the small of her back and guide her to her chair.
She glances at me as she sits. I’ll blame it on the fact I haven’t done anything for her directly for years. I’ve wanted to but couldn’t risk it.
She lifts the coffee cup and takes a sip. Satisfied, I open the refrigerator.
“Is this going to be an every day thing?” she says.
Shrugging, I set the eggs, some cheese, sliced peppers, and ham on the counter. “Let’s take it one day at a time.”
It’s the only way I can make sense of this in my mind. One day at a time. No end and no beginning, just now.
Finn walks in and grabs a cup of coffee.
“Mmm, eggs.” Finn looks at the omelet I’m making.
“Make your own,” I grumble. Fuck. I swear Peabody hates me because he scratched at my door last night. When I walked into the hallway to figure out the problem, the noises coming from Dante’s open door drew me.
Yeah, Finn got plenty last night and probably this morning.
“I’ll make do.” He grabs a bagel and bites a chunk out of it before sitting at the table across from Sara.
I finish her omelet, plate it, and turn to see her blush. Finn just grins. This will be more complicated than I thought. Am I jealous that the three of them slept together last night? Horribly.
When I put the plate down in front of her, her gaze lifts to mine. She gives me that smile that usually rips me to pieces because I can’t do a thing about it.
“Thanks, cap.” Her eyebrows lift like she expects me to blow up. That’s a nickname I haven’t heard in a very long time. One Halloween, I dressed as Captain America. Sara was still a preteen and said I looked better than the actual Captain America.
Fuck, she’s a brat.
I roll my eyes and turn back to the stove to make my breakfast. Sara chuckles behind my back. When we finally go over our roles, she won’t get away with shit like that. Not without punishment.
“Oh my god, this is good, Wyatt.” She sounds genuinely shocked.
“Why do you think I was miffed he wasn’t making me one?”
I glance over my shoulder to see Finn trying to steal a piece of omelet off Sara’s plate. “Finn.”
He smirks as he snags a piece and pops it in his mouth. “What?”
I finish making my omelet and bring my cup of coffee over to the table with my plate. I sit in the chair next to Sara. Her mood seems brighter than whatever was going on in Tom’s bedroom.
Her hand covers mine on the table. When I meet her eyes, she smiles.
“Thank you for breakfast.”
“Don’t expect it every morning.” But I smile because how can I not? Sara’s beautiful and sweet and sexy and she’s mine. For today.
Sara
While we finished breakfast, Dante shows up, dripping with sweat. He smiles at me before heading into his room. If I thought the man smelled good dressed for work, after a workout, he’s fucking tempting as hell.
I’m half-tempted to abandon my coffee and climb into the shower with him, but then I’d have to redo my hair and makeup. I literally calculate the time that would take and decide against it.
When I turn back to the table defeated, Finn chuckles. “If you want, you could suck me off, flower.”
I laugh because that’s a ludicrous statement. Like I would just fall to my knees for him in the kitchen while Wyatt watches. My pussy has less humorous thoughts about that proposal and my panties dampen.
“I’m good.” With a smile, I take a sip of coffee.
Dante is back out of his room ten minutes later. He’s fixing his tie as he strides our way. He pauses and kisses my temple before getting out a travel mug and filling it with coffee.
Checking his watch, he says, “Time to go?”
I help the others clean the table. As we head for the door, I stop.
“Forgot my purse and phone.” I hurry into Tom’s bedroom and grab my stuff. I can’t believe I almost left them behind. When I glance at the screen of my phone, it unlocks and shows a message.
Unknown:
We’re watching you
I stop beside the couch and tilt my head at the message. What?
Opening my phone, I go to the message and tap on Information. It doesn’t even list the number.
“Are you ready, trouble?” Wyatt crosses the room to me.
“Weird text.” I shake my head.
Wyatt holds his hand out and I pass him my phone.
“Wrong number? Maybe?” I shrug. It’s an odd message, but people give out wrong numbers all the time in this city. I’ve gotten weird hookup texts in the middle of the night. This is nothing new.
“Maybe.” Wyatt frowns at my phone.
I touch his arm and gesture with my head to the open door. “Let’s go. We can solve this in the elevator.”
He gives me back my phone and places his hand on the small of my back as we follow the others. Little sparks jolt me with every touch. It’s still fresh and new even after everything we did this weekend.
Of course, as soon as we step off this elevator, they’ll be my brother’s best friends again. Untouchable. And no one will touch me. This will be difficult but we’ll deal with it.
When the elevator doors close, Wyatt clears his throat. “It may be nothing, but Sara got an odd text with no return information.”
“Can I see, pip?”
After I unlock it, I hand Dante my phone.
“If it happens again, we need to know.” Wyatt glides his hand over my hip. “It could be nothing.”
“But it could be something,” I say, filling in the rest of that statement.
He nods and his fingers tighten on my hip before he releases me and steps to the side. The elevator doors open into the underground parking. As we walk over to the car, Dante passes me my phone.
His blue eyes capture mine and a little shiver of awareness runs through me.
“Remember your promise, pip.”
I cock my head, trying to think of what he’s talking about.
“You tell me everything that happens.” Dante opens the door to the car and inclines his head for me to get in. Finn takes my hand to help me down. Wyatt slides in next to me, while Finn rounds to the other side. Dante sits in the passenger seat.
While the driver takes us into work, the back of Wyatt’s hand rests against mine. I try not to think about how I could slide my hand into his. Who would the driver tell?
But I don’t. A part of me longs to have that connection with him. Instead, we arrive at the office building and all file out. Dante’s hand replaces Wyatt’s at the small of my back. He’s always been protective though, and he ran interference between me and Wyatt for years.
No one would think anything of him touching me like this. Of course, they didn’t see us in his bed or in the shower last night and this morning. I ache just thinking about it.
When we reach our floor, we head to our separate offices to begin the work week. I make a quick list of everything that needs to be done today. After I add a few things in case I get done early, I settle in to work.
After a while, I glance at the clock. Fuck, it’s eleven forty-five. I stand and stretch before hurrying to the bathroom on this end of the office. As I’m washing my hands, I check my makeup. Drew should be picking me up in ten minutes.
A little rush of butterflies scatters through my body. Who knows what we’ll get up to for lunch? Maybe nothing at all, but it will be nice to have some alone time with him. This whole thing just kind of steamrolled right over both of us.
I’m glad he’s okay with it, but Finn, Dante, and Wyatt have such strong personalities. Not that Drew doesn’t, but he’s different. I can breathe around him without worrying about Tom or what happens next week or maybe the week after that.
My phone buzzes and I pull it out of my skirt pocket.
Drew:
Stuck in a meeting that’s going over time. Can we shift to later?
The butterflies inside all land and I sigh.
Me:
Staff meeting at one
Drew:
Boo
Me:
Indeed
Drew:
After work, can I pick you up?
Maybe have a quick bite before the guys show
Me:
I’ll check with Dante
Would it be weird to say I missed you this morning?
Drew:
Not weird
I couldn’t get you out of my mind
I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face. The other guys are difficult. We have all this combined history, but Drew is fresh and sweet and, fuck, I want to play in that room of his.
Me:
Will you show me the room again?
Drew:
Tell them I’m picking you up at five
They’ve had enough time with you
It’s my turn
Me:
K
A little thrill races along my spine. I slide my phone into my pocket and open the bathroom door. When I walk over to Dante’s office, he’s not in. My brow furrows, but then I walk over to Finn’s. Again, nothing. I glance at the conference room, but the door is open and the light is off.
Pausing, I look over at Wyatt’s door. He’s no longer off-limits. The old rules don’t apply.
His door is open a crack, so I knock.
“Come in.” His gravelly voice slides over me like a caress.
Bracing myself, I push the door open and step into the doorway. His jacket is off. He has his cream shirtsleeves rolled up, revealing his toned forearms. Damn. And then his hands…
Fuck, what he can do to me with those hands. My insides churn into molten heat. He turns from his computer to focus on me.
“Do you need something, Sara?” He leans back in his chair.
I wet my suddenly dry lips. “Dante and Finn are gone.”
He nods. “They had a lunch appointment.”
“Oh.” I swear my brain is drowning in lust. I need to step away and remember what the hell I came in here for. “I’ll just wait for them.”
“Close the door, Sara.”
When I step back to leave, he clears his throat.
I lift my confused gaze to his dark eyes.
He smirks. “Come in and close the door, trouble.”