Page 58 of The Naughty Elf

I give it a beat before I’m up the stairs to check on Ginger, but she’s not there. Of course she snuck off to the sites. I can only imagine what’s going through her head about my ex. I should have introduced them. It’s only one of many stupid decisions I’ve made.

Heading to the sites, I don’t ask around. Instead, I wander until I find Ginger alone in the house that’s just been completed and signed off on by the inspector.

She’s in the kitchen with my brother, Sawyer, leaning close and flirting with him in the aggressive way she used to flirt with me a few months ago.

The stab of jealousy hits me, although I’m not oblivious. I know she’s been with him and Ashley. But Ginger’s kept it exclusively to the three of us. I may prefer to have her all on my own, but I’m too happy to have her at all.

She sucks a bit of frosting off her finger, and I feel the zing down to my cock, even though the action isn’t aimed at me.

The lustful look on my brother’s features reflects my own feelings. Yes, she’s mesmerizing. Tempting.

I retreat, even though I’m sure Sawyer saw me. Ginger didn’t, so I return to our office to wait for her. She won’t be gone for long.

Sitting back in my chair, I press the heels of my palms against my eyes and imagine the various ways I can approach her. Corner her in the kitchen. Her office? One of the hidden spots upstairs?

I try to change locations, even in the small space this house provides. It’s best not to get too comfortable or familiar when sneaking around with an employee. I shouldn’t be so tempted to have her while at work. Yet, I don’t plan on giving her up anytime soon.

When I finally hear her come into the house, she breezes by my office door without even glancing in at me. I don’t give her too much of a lead, however, bounding up the stairs two at a time. Catching her at the end of the hall, I sweep her into the room at the back instead of her office and trap her between me and the wall beside the door.

She lets out a small squeal, but I cover her mouth to muffle it.

Ginger’s eyes are hard and hot with indignant anger.

I drop my hand with a smile but don’t explain myself. I don’t need to.

“What?” Her voice is low, but annoyance seethes through it.

“I enjoyed seeing you jealous.” Especially since I feel that way often about her.

Her eyes narrow. “I don’t appreciate you talking about me with other people.”

She doesn’t say it, but I can hear it.With that woman.

Taking a hard, deep breath, my chest puffs out against hers. As much as I want to soak in this, I need to cut those thoughts off. “That was Michelle. Emily’s mother.”

It takes a beat, but her shoulders droop, and she closes her eyes. “Your ex-wife.”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t appreciate her comment about me having acrush.”

“You mean, you don’t have a crush on me?” My fingertips find the exposed skin at the base of her throat.

Her jaw clenches, and I swear she’s chewing on her words. “I am not somegirl, pining over my boss.”

“No. You’re not.” I keep my words soft. “I’ve never seen you that way.”

“It doesn’t feel that way to me.”

Fuck. What could I say? Michelle read me just right. She knows more is going on than I’m willing to admit to her. “You didn’t witness the rest of the conversation. She and I were married for twenty-one years, Ginger. She figured me out in under a minute.”

“And I don’t seem to have you at all figured out.”

But she does. So much more than she realizes. “That’s not true.”

Something flickers through her gaze, and she softens just enough that I regain a kernel of my confidence.

I lace my hand through her hair and cup the back of her head, tipping her mouth up toward mine. “I want you. Only you.”

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