Page 37 of Beneficial Misfortune

Maybe I should submit that to Hallmark; it’s a missed opportunity, honestly.

I bite my lip, holding in my laughter at the stupid thought, before shaking it away. I’ll deal with that later. Right now, I need caffeine.

“I’ll make you a deal. How about I make us some coffee, and we can sit down and talk about why you never called?” His warm breath rolls over my skin, and I can’t fight the shiver as it works its way down my spine.

His lips ghost over the sensitive skin of the back of my neck, and I let my eyes fall closed.

Fuck.

It would be so easy to explain it was all a misunderstanding. As silly as it might sound to him, it’s the truth.

The words are on the tip of my tongue, but so are some other ones that are less than ideal.

Like the urge to beg him to touch me. Having him this close after so long is almost intoxicating. It’s as if I’m right back in that night again. I remember the way he and Des made me feel, the tender way they held me and the protection they offered me from the creep at the bar.

That night was exactly what I needed—a way to make a fresh start and leave the memory of Carter and everything else behind—and they had delivered.

It wasn’t until I saw Addison that I realized why it worked so well, though. They were exactly what I was looking for because they were the exact opposite of what I was used to. It had been almost like a bucket of ice water was poured over my head when I thought he had a wife and child, but it was a good thing.

If not, I have no doubt I would have fallen for him, for both of them, and that wasn’t what they were looking for. I hadn’t been either, but the signs were all there looking back at it now.

No, it might have been a misunderstanding, but I’m grateful for it now. It saved me from making a fool of myself, at least at that moment.

There doesn’t seem to be anything that’s going to save me this time, though.

“Alex, don’t tease her before coffee.”

My body stiffens at the sound of his voice, and I stop breathing.

Alex huffs, but I feel him move away. “I was only asking a question,” he says, turning to lean against the counter to my left, his arms crossed and a smirk on his lips.

I’m so fired.

“Yes, well, your questions tend to be annoying, so let her get some caffeine in her system first. I don’t need you chasing her off on her first day,” Nathan says from behind me, slowly getting closer.

Wait, what?

He’s not going to fire me even though he just found his brother all but pressed against me in the kitchen?

A warm hand rests against the small of my back, pulling me from my thoughts, and I turn to find Nathan standing behind me this time. A small smile turns his lips up, and just like that, I’m lost in the blue of his eyes.

“The coffee machine takes a little getting used to. Why don’t you have a seat, and I’ll make us some,” he offers, his voice much gentler than it was with Alex, and I worry I might melt into a puddle at his feet.

I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out, leaving me gaping like a fish before I snap it closed again and nod. Hyperaware of the fact that he’s still touching me, I turn and make my way to the island counter that's lined with stools and take a seat, keeping my eyes fixed on the countertop.

I’d thought it was bad when I had a crush on my now boss, but this…this is so much worse.

I’m so screwed.

Nathan makes us all coffee, and I don’t even realize that I should have paid attention to how he did it until after.

Damn it. I’ll have to find a video online later to show me because I’m not asking right now, not when I can feel their eyes on me as we sit here.

They talk, but I can’t really focus on what they say as I try to understand what’s going on.

Alex’s behavior makes sense, at least. We have history, and I guess in his mind, I ghosted him. But Nathan’s easy way of accepting it really throws me off. Shouldn’t he be upset?

I’m no closer to understanding when I hear them getting up.

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