Page 1 of Year-End Bonus
Chapter one
Skylar
"Pancakes?"
I startle at Reid's voice and quickly lower the screen on my laptop so my brother can't see what I'm looking at.
"Uh, yes. Please." I squeak out.
He grins at me across the counter where I'm sitting. "Didn't mean to scare you, Sky."
He bends to grab a pan from the cabinet next to the stove and moves to the refrigerator to gather eggs and milk. "Mom would say that means you're feeling guilty about something."
I bark out a nervous laugh, clearing my throat as I reach for my water. He's right. Not about me feeling guilty, althoughtechnically, I am lying to my brother about why I'm in town. But it's not guilt that has me on edge.
I open my laptop again, eyeing Reid over the top to make sure he's occupied before I go back to drooling over the pictures of the three men who have offered to make my deepest, darkest fantasy come true tonight.
The sexy men ofEcoStarTechstare back at me. Darlings of the technology world, billionaires multiple times over, and my bosses... until yesterday.
Paul Ludlow, CEO of the fastest-growing tech company in the nation, wears an expensive pinstripe suit and a no-nonsense expression on his handsome face. His gruff attitude and direct manner make him the grumpy asshole boss of my dreams.
My eyes slide over to the dazzling smile of Hunter Price, the chief technical officer, who looks like he belongs in Hollywood instead of behind a computer. As if his chiseled jaw, blond hair, and six-foot-four build aren’t enough of an indication that he's one of God's favorites, he’s also a tech genius, appearing on multiple30 under 30lists before founding the company with his best friends eight years ago.
And because two sexy bosses aren't enough, there's also Mark Warner. Last but by no means least, he’s the chief operating officer and a former fitness model. He’s as sweet and friendly as he is dreamy.
I’ve worked with these men as a graphic design consultant for the last four years. I gave my notice a month ago, and last week, they proposed an extra-special year-end bonus.
I wiggle on the stool at my brother's banquette, squeezing my thighs together in anticipation of tonight.
"Morning, Sky."
My long-time best friend and brand-new sister-in-law, Holly, towel-dries her hair as she walks over to me in a festive red bathrobe covered in candy canes. She rests her arm over myshoulders, and I bite my lip, leaving my screen open for her as I glance at my brother again. I don't have to hide anything from Holly. When I peer up at her, she's intently studying the headshots of the guys on my computer. After a moment, she darts a glance at my brother, who still has his back turned to us, pulls anoh my godface, and fans herself.
She’s the only person who knows what I'm doing tonight, and she's been sworn to secrecy. We had a strict “sisters before misters” policy long before she fell in love with my brother. Truthfully, I would have gone to my grave with the plan for tonight, but as part of the agreement I signed with the guys, I had to tell one person. Holly is the best friend a gal could ask for. She never judges me and listens with an open heart. Her only words of caution were, "Don't fall in love, and pee a lot so you don't get a UTI."
Holly saunters over to the stove, standing on her tiptoes as she wraps her arms around Reid's middle. "Morning."
Reid turns and pulls her against him, capturing her lips with his and squeezing her terrycloth-clad butt. "Morning."
I pretend to gag.
Reid chuckles and turns back to flipping his pancakes. Holly grins at me and pulls out plates for breakfast.
The truth is, I would love to find someone who looks at me the way these two moon over each other, but I don't think I'm wired for domestic bliss. Call it childhood trauma, or daddy issues, but all my fantasies involve... more. At least tonight, I'll be three someone's everything. Butterflies erupt in my belly at the thought.
I shake my head. As I try to stay grounded in the present and stop obsessing about the sexy, steamy future ahead of me, my eyes land on Holly's wet towel.
"By the way, why do you have liquid dish soap in your shower?"
"If it's good enough for the ducks, it's good enough for me." My brother flips a pancake onto a plate. He slides it over to me as I close the laptop and stare at him in disbelief.
"Do you use it on your hair or your skin?" I ask, horrified and already making a mental list of K-beauty skincare products to buy him for Christmas.
"Both."
I look at Holly, who rolls her eyes in a tell-me-about-it gesture. "Oh, my god, Reid. That is not good for either."
"I don't know, Skylar. His downy feathers have never looked better," Holly says, handing me a fork.
