Chapter 25
“Who knew work could be this fun?” ~ Rhett
Rhett
“A re you serious? You want us to walk into the office separately?”
Dakota nods. “Yes.”
“My brothers know we’re dating. You came with me to Barnacles & Barnyards. ”
“How is Captain Cluck anyway?”
I scowl at her, but I’m not serious. It’s cute how she teases me. She giggles.
She bats her eyelashes at me. “What’s wrong? Paradise with your Captain not working out the way you planned?”
“You’ll pay for that.”
“Oh no. What are you going to do? Spank me?”
“Maybe.”
“Please. You keep saying you will, but you never do. I’m starting to think you’re a liar.”
My cock twitches and I nearly moan at the idea of her ass with my red handprint on it. “Keep teasing me and you’ll find out I’m not a liar while we’re at work.”
She gasps. “Rhett Raider. Wait. Do you have a middle name?”
“No. My dad didn’t believe in middle names.”
Her brow wrinkles. “Believe in middle names? It’s not a religion you can question the existence of. It’s a name in between your first and last one.”
I shrug. “Nonetheless. I don’t have a middle name.”
She clears her throat. “Okay. Rhett Raider, you are not going to get up to any sexy shenanigans in the office. I am serious about my job. I’m not putting it in jeopardy.”
“Not even a little kiss in the break room?”
“No kissing. No petting. Definitely, no nudity.”
“Eli had sex with Paisley in her office numerous times when the brewery was temporarily housed here.”
She holds up a finger. “One, I don’t have an office and I’m not into public nudity.” She adds a finger. “And, two, Eli’s a billionaire. He can do whatever he wants.”
“I’m part—”
She doesn’t allow me to finish explaining how I’m part owner of the distillery before she flashes me a third finger. “And, three, Paisley didn’t work for the distillery.”
“Neither do you.”
“I work for Eli, who owns the distillery. Therefore, I pretty much work for the distillery.”
I chuckle. “I give up. I’m not going to win this argument with you.”
“It’s good you realize when you’re beaten.”
“But I’m not entering the office separately. I’m not ashamed of you.”
“Rhett Raider – your name has a nice ring to it. I do love alliteration – you better not be ashamed of me.”
“I literally said I wasn’t two seconds ago.”
“Good.”
Dakota can talk circles around me. Before I figure out which way is up, the work day will be over. I’m not Miles or Zane. I’m serious about ensuring Buccaneer’s Whiskey and Distillery is a financial success.
One day, I hope to be able to hand the reins of the company over to my children. Children, I hope, will have green eyes and blonde, curly hair. The thought has me smiling as I slam my door shut and walk around to open Dakota’s door for her.
“Do you want children?”
Her eyes widen, and she rears back. “You did not ask me about children right before we start work. You’re a menace, Rhett Raider. And I’ve changed my mind. Rhett Raider is too long. You’re RR from now on.”
I throw an arm over her shoulders as we walk to the office entrance. She tries to shrug me off but I don’t let her. I want her to understand I’m serious about us. I’m not pretending we’re not involved just because we’re at work. Fuck that.
As soon as we’re inside, she scoots away from me and rushes to her desk. “Did you notice the time? We’re late.”
We wouldn’t have been late if she hadn’t pushed her ass against my morning hard-on. The sexy mink.
I catch her at her desk and whirl her around. I drop a hard kiss to her mouth before retreating. “See you later, Havoc.”
She huffs at me and I stroll to my office whistling. Time to make up for months of frustration when I didn’t have Dakota.
I settle behind my desk. While my computer starts up, I type a message to Dakota.
Excuse me, ma’am. I’m looking for a gorgeous, highly intelligent woman with an unfortunate attraction to her cocky coworker. Have you seen her?
I think you have the wrong number.
Impossible. She was last seen rolling her eyes at me and pretending she isn’t thinking about what I’d do to her if we were alone in this office.
Sounds like a real HR violation.
Only if we get caught.
“Get to work, RR,” she shouts from her desk in the reception area.
I chuckle as I throw my phone on my desk and open my email.
Thirty minutes later, I find myself reaching for my phone again. I need to borrow your stapler.
You couldn’t come up with a better excuse?
Fine. I need to staple some papers, but honestly, I also need to see you bite your lip in frustration when I ‘accidentally’ brush against you.
You are ridiculous.
And yet, here you are, smiling at your phone like you secretly love it.
She glances behind her and notices me standing in the hallway. I wave at her. She shoos me away. “Go back to your desk, perv!”
I salute her before spinning around. I throw my phone into a drawer. It’s too tempting to tease Dakota, and I really do need to get some work done.
Some time later, my stomach growls to remind me it’s nearly time for lunch. Excellent. Time to convince Dakota to go home for ‘lunch’ with me.
“Dakota,” I holler down the hallway. “I need to see you.”
Zane pokes his head in my office. “What do you need Dakota for?”
“Yea,” Miles says as he joins him. “What do you need Dakota for?”
I glare at my younger brothers. “None of your damn business.”
“I bet he wants to bend her over her desk,” Miles says.
“Or have her sit on his lap,” Zane says.
I growl as I stalk toward them. “You will not make fun of Dakota.”
“It’s okay,” Dakota says from behind them. “I get it. They’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” Miles says and Zane nods his agreement.
“Oh really?” Dakota crosses her arms over her chest. “And I didn’t overhear you saying what a lucky bastard Rhett is.”
I am a lucky bastard.
Miles scowls. “Maybe I was referring to something else.”
She lifts her eyebrows. “Such as his relationship with Captain Cranky?”
I groan. I am never going to hear the end of how some stupid chicken sat on my shoulder all morning at the petting zoo.
“Did someone say Captain Cranky?” Kai asks as he joins us.
“Is no one working?” I ask.
“Jaxon is. The man doesn’t know how to stop. He’s a machine.” Kai feigns retching.
“And Eli’s working, too.” Miles points to Eli’s office door, which is shut.
Zane snorts. “Sure, he’s ‘working’. Paisley snuck in there fifteen minutes ago.”
Miles rubs his hands together. “Excellent. We should create an emergency and disturb them.”
Dakota raises her hands. “You’re on your own with this one.”
Zane pouts. “But you’re excellent at pranks.”
She grins. “I am. But I don’t need to see my boss’s naked ass ever again.”
I growl. “When did you see Eli’s naked ass?”
“When I walked in on him with Paisley bent over his desk.” She shivers. “I learned to knock on his door awful quick.”
“Welp. If we’re not pranking Eli, let’s go get some lunch,” Kai says.
“Awesome. I’m starving.” Miles rubs his belly.
Dakota’s stomach growls and her eyes widen as she slams a hand over her middle.
Zane throws an arm over her shoulders. “Little sis is hungry, too.”
“Little?” Dakota asks.
“You may be older but you’re height challenged.”
She glares at him. “I am not short.”
“Didn’t say you were. I used the term height challenged. It’s more inclusive. You should try it.”
She elbows him and he yelps as he releases her. “I am not height challenged. The Raider brothers are abnormally tall.” She studies Zane. “Is it to compensate for other shortcomings?”
“Uh oh.” Kai shakes his head at me. “You’ve disappointed her in bed.”
My gaze meets Dakota’s. “Is this the hill you want to die on? Claiming I disappointed you in bed?”
Her cheeks darken. “I didn’t say anything of the sort! It was Kai!”
“Come on.” Miles herds her out of my office and down the hallway. “Let’s discuss this over lunch.”
“You better be buying,” she mutters.
“Big brother’s buying. Apparently, he has stuff to make up for.” Miles winks at her.
I guess we’re going to lunch together. So much for my plans to take Dakota to my house, strip her naked, and make her come twice before returning to the office.
But there’s no way I’m tearing her away from having fun with my brothers. She’s never experienced having siblings before. She can borrow mine whenever she wants.
Maybe forever.