Page 16 of Broken Love

After staring at the spot until my eyes blur, I finally get to my feet and pick it up. Looking out the peephole, thinking whoever left it might still be around, I don’t see anything. Double-checking that the new locks I installed are in place, I return to the couch with it in my hand. I have no idea what it could be, and there’s nothing to indicate who it’s from. But it’s for me, right? I mean, it has to be. But what if it isn’t? What if it’s for a neighbor and I open it?

Deciding to shove it in my purse and deal with it at work tomorrow, I head to bed for a restless night of sleep filled with dreams of faceless people terrorizing me.

Waking feeling more tired than when I went to sleep, I drag myself through a quick, cold shower, do my hair and makeup, and get dressed in a simple black, pleated skirt, white top, and pretty, silk vest. Slipping my feet into my sneakers and dropping my black pumps into my bag, I rush out the door without breakfast or coffee, thankful there’s a refreshment cart in the lobby at work.

The subway ride is cramped and smelly, and I keep getting pushed around. Exhaling when it reaches my stop, I rush out in a flood of people and jog up the stairs to the street. A quick walk to the Graham building, and I’ve got coffee in my hand just in time to hop on the elevator.

By the time I reach my floor, I’ve chugged the entire thing and am in need of another. “Morning, Kathleen.” I offer a smile to the woman as she speaks to someone on the phone in hushed tones. I’m assuming it’s her husband or one of her children. She gives me a wave as I enter the office.

I nearly stumble when I see Tucker sitting behind his desk, typing on his computer, and Tanner nowhere in sight. After yesterday, I feel unsure about our working relationship.

Deciding to go with welcoming, I force another smile on my face and say, “Good Morning, Mr. Graham,” as I sit in my chair and pull out my pumps. I freeze when I see the envelope from last night; I had forgotten all about it.

“How was dinner last night, Windsor?” His tone is less hostile than yesterday.

Glancing over at him, I find him observing me. “Uneventful. I decided not to go. I had some things to do that I had been putting off and needed to get finished.” Setting my sneakers under my desk, I slip my purse into the bottom drawer and pretend to be searching for something so I don’t have to look at him.

When the silence drags on too long, I sit up. “Oh!” Heat warms my face when I see a fresh coffee and a large blueberry muffin on my desk. Tucker stands in front of me. “What’s this?” It’s a stupid question, and I know it.

“I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I was an asshole to you when you didn’t deserve it.” Staring into his eyes, I can see him silently begging me to forgive him.

“Well…” I take a sip of the offering, and it’s made just like I like. He must have spoken to Tanner. “We all have bad days. Forgive and forget?” My eyes travel up his frame before landing briefly on his lips, remembering how they kissed down my body, traveled to places no man had explored the way he had.

I can feel the blush hit my cheeks when he says, “I was fucking jealous.” His fists clench, and he leans forward, placing them on my desk and getting closer to me. “I was pissed that Tim was flirting with you. He’s a nice guy, but dammit, baby, your ours.”

I think my jaw must hit the floor at that confession because a sexy smirk drags up the corner of one side of his lips, and all I want to do is lick it.

“I know you’ll object, contract and rules and all”—he lifts a hand and cups my cheek, brushing his thumb across my bottom lip and tugging until it glides along the top of my teeth—“but, Winds, baby, we made the rules, we can adjust them any way we like.”

Is it me, or is it hot in here?

“I really fucking like today’s outfit, too.” Heat flares down my body as his gaze travels across my flesh.

“Thank you,” I manage to whisper.

His eyes drop, and a frown appears. “What’s this?” He taps the envelope from last night, where it sits between us.

I freeze and realize he can feel it because his hand is still on my face, but I choose to ignore the inquisitive look he gives me and lie through my teeth. “Just something from home.” Well, I suppose it’s not a complete lie.

“Everything alright?”

I don’t get a chance to answer because Tanner enters the room, threat clear in his voice. “Brother, if you fucking upset Windsor today, I’m kicking you the fuck out of here, and you can find your own office to terrorize.” He looks up from the file he is reading and stares at us and the familiar way Tucker still holds me. A huge grin erupts on his face. “Well, never mind me then. Have we kissed and made up yet?”

“There’s been no kissing,” I blurt out, wishing I could take it back because they both look at me very predatorily, and I squirm in my seat. The last time I saw those looks, I was flat on my back with a mouth between my legs and another suckling at my breast.

Oh boy.

Tucker

All kinds of wicked ideas enter my mind when I see the lustful look on Windsor’s face. I know she’s imagining our night together, and I can’t wait to do it again, especially now that I’ve more than voiced our intentions with her.

I have a niggling feeling about that envelope, however. When I asked about it, she froze. Fear entered her eyes, and I knew before she spoke that I wouldn’t get an answer out of her.

I’m going to have to let it go for now because she doesn’t trust us just yet, and if it is something important, I want her to come to us about it. I want her comfortable enough to tell us her problems so they can become ours as well.

Right now, I’d like nothing more than to kiss her again, but I know she’s not ready for that just yet. The three of us need to have a talk about how things will be for us in the office and at home. We also need to convince her to move out of that security risk of a building and into ours, at least, even if it’s not with us for the moment.

“Dad is coming by this afternoon,” Tanner says as I drag myself away from touching our woman’s delicate face.

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