Page 27 of Maddox: Wild Alaska
"Fuck!" I narrow my eyes on Garrett as I stalk toward him. His eyes light up. "What are you doing out here?"
Branson chuckles and wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Did you just laugh?" I ask.
"You're imagining it," he says dryly.
"Pfft! Imagining my ass!" I shake him off and glare at my brothers. "Turn around while they get out of the tub."
Sofie looks amused as I step to the edge of the tub and fluff out a towel. "I won't peek." Regardless of how much I want to get another look at the gorgeous woman, I snap my eyes closed.
She snickers. "You've already seen me, Maddox." I open my eyes just in time to see the water sluicing down her body once more. Her bikini is just as transparent as before.
I clear my throat, catch her under the arms with the towel, and lift her out. I wrap the towel around her. I wink at Judean. "Your turn." The woman blushes furiously, but I don't give her time to refuse. "Let's have you."
She stands and stops me from lifting her. "I'm too heavy," she whispers, looking down.
"Damn that woman," I mutter under my breath. "Look at me, Judean." She tentatively lifts her gaze. "There's nothing wrong with you. Now, I'm going to help you like I did Sofie if that's okay?"
She nods after a moment.
I help her out of the hot tub, and once both women are on the deck wearing cover-ups over their towels, we sit around the outdoor table with my dad and two brothers. Branson keeps looking at his phone, then sighs and ignores it. Seeing me watching, he sighs again.
"I need a new assistant," he grumbles.
"You also need to send Landon to Anchorage for training. He's a liability right now," I add.
"Assistant?" Judean asks, tilting her head toward my brother. "What kind of assistant?"
Sofie frowns at her friend.
Branson looksat Judean and says, "It's more of an office manager position. I need someone to answer the phones, use the mainstream computer database, and to handle general administrative duties.”
Judean nods, a thoughtful expression spreading across her face. Then she smiles. "I work as a clerk for the San Francisco Police Department." Her grin widens as Branson raises his eyebrows. "I'd love to try it out while I'm here. If we get along, I'd expect a formal offer. How does that sound?"
"Answer to his prayers," Garrett says, patting his brother on the shoulder. "And to Colton’s,” he adds quietly. I glance his way, and he winks.
I roll my eyes and smirk as I look back at Judean, who looks excited. "Are you sure about this?"
"More than I've ever been sure about anything in my life." She grins, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "I can do the job Branson needs me to do. I've been doing it for two years." For Branson. "I have a degree in business and criminology. I can do this!"
Branson sighs. "This is your vacation, though."
She shakes her head. "Being told I'm fat and that I look ridiculous is not my idea of a vacation. I'm all yours. What time should I report tomorrow?"
Momentarily stunned, Branson frowns. "Is eight, okay?"
"I'll be there."
"I live in a cabin here. I'll pick you up out front of the lodge at eight."
"Now that's settled," Maddox says. “Do you have any dinner plans?” His eyes flicker between Judean and me before settling on my face. My heart flutters. I'm glad I'm wearing a thick towel, so he can't see my reaction to him.
Judean nudges me, and I snap out of it. "Dinner?"
"We don't have plans."
"Well, we're supposed to have dinner with everyone tonight," Judean says.
I groan because I hate that I'm going to disappoint Maddox. "I guess we're going to have to be good and eat with them." I smile. "But afterwards, we could get dessert together."
