28. Ginger
28
GINGER
S ince the night I solidified my relationship with Jackson, Sawyer, and Ashley, it feels like things have gotten serious between us. We don’t hide from each other, which has probably made us a little less secretive than we should be while at work.
I’m having a hard time caring. I’m so happy throughout the day, spending my time with them, and at least one of them sneaks usually over to my place after Gracie goes to bed. Last night it was Jackson and Sawyer, and every time I’m sandwiched between just the two of them, I feel dirty. The best kind of dirty.
The taboo of sleeping with brothers might get me a little hot.
It’s just one more box checked on the long list of things about dating all three of them that I like. I’m decidedly a terribly selfish person.
And I don’t care.
The only thing is, it’s getting harder and harder to hide it from Dad. They’re his friends, and again—hot ones—but I don’t like lying to my father.
Today, I’ve already plied all of my co-workers with treats—testers for our upcoming Fourth of July event, and I’m back cleaning the dishes. Jackson crowds in behind me, the line of his body pressed provocatively against mine.
His nose dips to my throat. “Mm. Why do you always smell so good?”
I laugh softly, enjoying the small nuzzle he gives me before I elbow him lightly. “You are not stealthy. Not at all.”
Jackson pops up to look around before he grabs me around the waist and turns me for a proper kiss. I melt under his mouth, succumbing to the charged feeling kissing him gives me. But he retreats, the more sane of the two of us.
I grin and swat him with my towel. “Get on with yourself.”
Jackson matches my grin as he backs away. “I’ve got to go check on the newest house. Take pictures, get the listing ready.”
I nod and shoo him toward the door. “Go on then.”
Finishing the dishes, I wipe down the counters and smile at Kaleb, a relatively new hire that’s going through training—or so the men tell me. He leans at the end of the counter I’m cleaning and gives me a wide smile back. Nutty brown hair flops across his forehead, a little too styled for this kind of job, and the line of hair across his jaw makes him seem younger. Not that I have any real clue how old he is.
“Hey, Ginger.” The slow blink he uses to flirt makes me want to roll my eyes, but I don’t.
“Kaleb.” I wipe some crumbs into my palm and bring them to the garbage, wet the cloth, and return.
Kaleb’s gaze follows me, and I shake my head softly. He’s not very subtle, and he’s certainly got the most juvenile ways of flirting with me at work. Let’s be fair, most of the men here ask me to marry them on a daily basis, compliment me on my cooking or my smile and eyes, but they never go overboard with me.
I have more leeway to tease. I’m female. It’s a double standard, but it’s true. I can get away with more, and no one seems to mind. I’m not making anyone uncomfortable, and they don’t seem to want to make me feel that way. I mean, who would spoil them if they did?
“So, how are you liking the job? Learning a lot?”
His head nods back and forth. “It’s definitely got some perks.”
I bat my lashes. “My baking certainly is good, isn’t it?”
“It’s always a treat when you come on-site. Too bad you’re always bombarded. I never seem to catch you alone.” He rubs his hands together, and I get a small tinge of what the fuck? before I settle into my standard flirty response.
“You know you can’t have all my sweets to yourself.” I swat him half-heartedly with my towel.
“I’d love another taste.” Kaleb’s eyes flash, darkening as he gives me a smarmy grin.
“I might have something left over in the fridge.” I finish my last wipe down and toss the towel in the sink on my way to check. Bending to look past the lunches, I find one lingering coconut cupcake on top.
Before I can grab it, hands clamp down on my hips, and the hard line of a jeans zipper presses into me.
I shoot straight and turn to face Kaleb’s leer. “And who gave you permission to touch me?”
He corners me, trapping me between the door and the cold shelves. “You can stop playing. I’ve seen the way you are with the men here.”
“Excuse me?” I plant a hand on his chest and push him, but he doesn’t budge.
Panic and anger mingle in my middle as his hands close around my hips again, gripping me hard. I jerk with the bruising pain of it, and he bends to smash his mouth against mine.
Yanking my mouth away, I elbow him in the collarbone, barely able to keep him fromdoing so again. It’s hard. I’m struggling, but he’s so much stronger than me. “Get off.”
“Who are you trying to fool? Everyone knows you’re the office slut.”
My anger turns cold. Is that how everyone sees me? Someone to hand around? They’re all just waiting for their turns?
“It’s time I got my go at you.” He drops his voice menacingly.
I try to knee him but don’t have the room.
His big hand closes around my breast, and I screech, but he slams a hand across my mouth to cut it off.
Fuck, no. This is not happening right now. I struggle, trying to bite him, scratch him, kick him, anything to get an inch of space to slip free.
With a rush of air, he’s off me, and I gasping, trembling, trying to keep the tears at bay. But as I blink them away, I hear a soft choking sound and turn to see Sawyer holding Kaleb against the wall beside the fridge. The guy’s toes are dangling, trying to find purchase on the floor.
“Sawyer. Stop. Put him down.”
The feral noise that growls out of Sawyer’s mouth is terrifying but sweet at the same time.
I step forward and put my hand on his forearm, watching his fingers clamp around Kaleb’s throat.
The gurgle is concerning.
“Stop it. He’s not worth it.” I give his arm a little tug. It wouldn’t matter how hard I pulled; I wouldn’t be able to move him if he didn’t want me to, but his grip loosens.
Kaleb sucks in a breath, struggling to get adequate air.