Page 2 of Peaked Desires

“Oh my God.” Elise’s cheeks grow red as she shakes her head and stares down at her feet. “Shit. Shit… Shit!”

I frown as this girl reels off curse after curse. She’s working herself into a weird fit, her fists clenching together as she mutters something under her breath. I’m just standing there, dumbfounded.

Fuck. All I’m doing right now is imagining how it would feel to run my rough hands between those thick thighs. Hell, I’m not even trying to calm Elise down I’m that distracted.

Do something, jackass.

She’s so goddamn curvy it’s making me rock hard. I’m hoping the pressure of my jeans does enough to hide the painful erection throbbing in my pants.

“I’m such an idiot… Oh God, I just called my new boss a pervert…”

I clear my throat, trying to break the inappropriate thoughts racing through my head. “It’s okay, really. I didn’t mean to startle you, and I apologize for that.”

She looks up at me and it’s then that I realize how tiny she is. Of course anyone standing near me looks small, but this cutie would practically fit in my pocket.

And that’s exactly where I want to keep her.

I shake my head again. The sudden feeling of needing to protect this woman is undeniable, but she’s still cursing herself.

She looks up at me, her bright eyes still wide with shock, but now mixed with something else - embarrassment, maybe. “I-I’m sorry,” she stammers, her voice still trembling slightly. “Don’t fire me, I really need this job. This is just… a lot for me right now. I didn’t mean to jump to conclusions.”

I nod understandingly. “Seriously, it’s fine. I’m just here to fix the lock on the bathroom…” I stare at the door handle on the wooden floor beams. "… and I guess I have to sort that one out now too.”

She chuckles, a tiny little laugh that’s so cute I want to bottle it up just so I can hear it again.

“Well, then, Mr. Barrel-”

“Please,” I grunt, taking one step close to Elise. I reach out with my hand, offering it to her. Her eyes widen with what I want to think is excitement. “You can call me Huxton.”

She smiles and shakes my hand. “Okay, Huxton. It’s really nice to meet you in person.” She looks down at her towel, cheeks flaming brighter and brighter. “If you don’t mind, I’ll leave you to it. I have to get ready for my first day.”

My skin turns hot the moment she says my name and takes my hand. I’ve never felt anything like it before. Obsessive. Protective. Mine. The way my name sounds on her lips… it’s exactly how I want my name to sound for the rest of my life. The way her tiny hand felt in mine, grasping so softly, so perfectly.

She scampers off down the hall towards the bedrooms and I turn in the opposite direction to start work on the bathroom lock. My head is foggy, filled with thoughts of Elise. The air in the bathroom is the same, humid… with droplets from Elise’s shower still clinging to the damp walls. I reach into my bag and retrieve my tools, forcing myself to resume work.

But my tools aren’t the only thing that catches my eye.

Tucked away in the corner of the bathroom are panties. Red lace panties.

I grab them without thinking, pictures of Elise wearing them storming my mind. They’re so tiny in my fist, I can imagine how tempting those thick legs would look in them. I bring them to my nose, inhaling the musky scent deep into my lungs. The silky fabric is soft, and a wild thought enters my mind.

She’s mine. Mine.

By the time I’m done with the lock, I’m repacking my tools and heading back to the front door, quickly fixing that too. My mind is still spinning with images, thoughts and newfound desires that suddenly seem so clear.

But then reality hits like a ton of bricks.

This is my new employee. Someone I’ll have to work with every day. Fuck. I have a business to run. A new launch to get through. I take a deep breath and remind myself of everything I’ve put into this mountain retreat. Years and years of work. Dedication and sacrifice.

“All done?” Elise’s voice forces me to spin on the spot. She smiles at me, looking so damn beautiful in the crisp white blouse adorned with my company’s logo.

“Yeah, all fixed.”

My hand reaches into my pocket, my fingers clenching to the lacey fabric hidden inside. I don’t want to let her out of my sight. Not today. Not ever.

“How about I walk you to the office and introduce you to everyone?” I say.

She nods, and I watch her move down the stairs of the cabin, wondering if, for the first time in my life, opening the Mountain Retreat Lodge might not be the most important thing anymore.

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