Page 22 of Christmas with Brother's Best Friends
Why are they being this way?
Because I’m their best friends’ sister? Or because they don’t like the sight of another man flirting with me?
“Let’s go,” Josh says, nodding toward our building.
The moment that Max’s arm slips from my shoulders, I feel Ryan’s hand against my lower back. This whole situation makes me feel hot despite the chilly weather, and I can’t wait to get inside so that I can take off my coat.
“Flirting with dudes on company time? Might have to dock you, Em,” Josh teases me as we cross the street.
“I’m sure we can think of a more fitting punishment,” Max says, sharing a smirk with Josh that makes my legs wobbly.
I lean toward Ryan for stability, feeling his hand slip around to hold my side instead. Even this isn’t totally appropriate. Where is the line? If I’m judging the metrics based on my brothers,they’d probably shove Ryan away from me right now for holding me like this.
But it feels so good being pressed up against his fit body and being held like he’s willing to shield me from an incoming car.
“Hope you didn’t think that guy was your soulmate or anything,” Josh says over his shoulder.
I scoff. “Well, I didn’t have time to figure that out before you three came.”
“He wasn’t good enough for you,” Ryan tells me in a firm voice like there’s no room for negotiation.
I glance up at him, but he keeps his gaze forward as we approach the door to our building. He can’t keep making comments like that and then not looking me in the eye. I can’t judge his intentions when he does that.
“He’s right,” Max says before following Josh inside.
“And what if I gave him my number and agreed on getting a drink with him after work today?” I question them, unable to help myself.
I want to push them. I want to see how far they’ll go.
Even if I really shouldn’t.
We all pile into the elevator, and Josh reaches in front of me to hit the button for the top floor. His eyes catch mine as he starts to lean back. “I guess we’ll have to give you extra work so that you stay here.”
I hear Ryan snort a faint laugh, while Max tilts his head back a little and chuckles. They’re so insistent on making sure that nothing happens between me and that guy. My cheeks heat up at the thought of them scaring other guys off because they want me to themselves.
It’s an inappropriate, wild thought, but it makes me feel all warm and tingly inside.
The elevator suddenly feels so much smaller as they surround me on three sides, caging me in with their frustratingly hot bodies. I exhale slowly, grimacing when it comes out shakily. Can I at least act like I’m not affected by them?
I almost gasp when the elevator doors finally slide open so that I can put some distance between us. Even as I walk ahead to reach my desk, I can feel their gazes on me, and instead of feeling weirded out, I drink in every ounce of their attention.
“I’ll send my ideas for the file center page to you guys in a few hours,” I tell them once I take a seat, seeing them head to their own desks out of the corners of my eyes.
“Take your time. You don’t have anywhere to rush off to anyway,” Josh says, flashing me a playful wink that makes me want to bury my face in my hands to hide my blush.
They’re killing me. They’re going to be the death of me, and there’s nothing that I can do but breathe through the heat and hope that I don’t do something stupid.
I’m supposed to be in control here. This is my job. My career. My future.But every time one of them looks at me like I’m theirs, something inside me unravels a little more. It’s not just physical—it’s emotional, magnetic, impossible.I’m losing the professional distance I swore I’d keep. I’m losing the version of me that plays it safe. And the scariest part?I don’t think I want it back.
Chapter eleven
Chapter Eleven: Josh
“The crew is back together!”
With a genuine grin on my face, I embrace Andrew and Ethan, patting them on their backs and playfully pushing them off. “Glad you two could take a break from saving people’s asses to hang out with us.”
Max tosses his arm over Andrew’s shoulders as Ryan and Ethan greet each other. “This son of a bitch has the worst schedule to work around. Do you ever go home?”
