Page 23 of Triplet Babies for Pucking Christmas

I clear my throat and back off, walking to the other side of the counter to give myself some space. She’s too petite, too sweet-smelling, too…much.

“So, let’s talk salary,” I say, trying to focus on something other than how good she looks bending over the counter.

She shrugs, sprinkling cheese onto the bread. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking this is a one-week trial, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“Fair enough.” She slides the sandwich into the pan and grins over her shoulder. “You can decide if you want to keep me after you eat.”

I can’t help but chuckle at that, watching her flip the sandwich with practiced ease. She makes it look effortless, and I’m mesmerized by the way she moves—smooth, confident. Like she belongs in a kitchen. It’s… sexy.Fuck.

The door swings open behind us, and Jamie walks in, smelling like a mix of cologne, sweat, and alcohol. His hair’s a mess, and he looks like he just rolled out of bed. Which, knowing him, he probably did.

“Damn, it smells good in here,” Jamie says, sniffing the air. “God, I’m starving. And I’ve never had so much sex in my life. Troy, I need ice for my dick and balls. That girl from last night? Whew. The mouth on her…”

I clench my jaw, clearing my throat, trying to shut him up before he says something worse. That’s when Jamie notices Savannah.

His eyes light up in that way I’ve seen too many times. It’s the look of desire, the one he gets when he’s locked onto his next target. We’ve shared women before—more than once—but right now, the thought makes my stomach churn.

“This is Savannah,” I say, cutting him off before he can open his mouth and say something stupid. “She’s the chef.”

Savannah turns, offering Jamie a polite smile, but I notice her cheeks are a flushed pink. Jamie being Jamie, he zeroes in on that like a fucking shark.

“Chef, huh?” Jamie grins, walking over to her and leaning against the counter, clearly impressed. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jamie.”

“Savannah,” she replies, her voice soft, and I can see the way she’s holding back a smile. It’s innocent enough, but it still pisses me off.

“You making me one of those sandwiches too?” Jamie asks, flashing her that cocky grin he uses on every woman.

Savannah laughs lightly, nodding. “Sure. If you want one.”

“I do.” Jamie looks at me, raising an eyebrow. “So, what’s going on here, Troy?”

“She’s the chef,” I repeat, my voice tight. “Just here for the week to help out.”

Jamie leans closer to Savannah, his voice dropping. “Only a week? That’s a shame.”

I grit my teeth, feeling a wave of something I don’t want to acknowledge—something I haven’t felt when Jamie’s flirted with women before. Possession. As ridiculous as it sounds, I feel like Savannah’sminesomehow, even though I barely know her.

I sit there, uncomfortably watching Jamie flirt with her, and it feels wrong. Every time he leans in, every time she blushes or giggles, it grates on me.

Savannah finishes the sandwiches, handing one to Jamie and then sliding mine across the counter. She’s still smiling, her cheeks still pink, and it still irritates the hell out of me.

Jamie takes a big bite of the sandwich and groans. “Holy shit, this is amazing.”

I take a bite of mine and fuck me, itisgood. Crispy, cheesy perfection. But I can barely enjoy it because I’m too busy watching the two of them, waiting for Jamie to cross a line.

“Damn,” Jamie says, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “You’re good. We need more women like you around.”

“Yeah,” I mutter under my breath. “We don’t.”

Jamie ignores me, still focused on Savannah. “So, are you staying with Troy all week?”

“Uh, yeah,” she says, glancing at me nervously. “Just cooking, really.”

Jamie smirks, clearly not convinced. “I’m sure Troy will keep you busy.”

That’s it. I clear my throat loudly and stand up, glaring at Jamie. “All right, enough. She’s here to work, not to deal with your bullshit.”

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