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Rhodi hurried back to the living room and his guest. He’d not meant to be gone so long.
“Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to—”
He snapped his mouth shut and slowed to a walk. She was asleep, her lashes resting solidly on her cheeks.
“Karen?”
Nothing. She didn’t move.
He ran his hand over his face and made a split-second decision. Moving to her side, he brushed some hair that had escaped the clip away from her face. Then he bent and scooped her up in his arms.
I’m not thinking about how perfect she fits against me. Nope, not at all. I’m remembering that my mother raised me to respect women, as did my father, and I will treat her how I would want someone to treat my mother or my aunt should she be in a situation like this.
It took a lot of convincing that he was listening to himself and he would leave her alone in the guest room. Keeping her in his arms, he pulled back the covers and lay her there before removing her shoes and placing them by the bed. Then he covered her up to the waist.
With a deep breath, he left her there and got back in his vehicle. He called Wild.
“What’s up?”
“Meet me outside the hospital.”
Wild cleared his throat. “Everything okay?”
“I need your help for a bit, yes, it’s fine.”
“I’ll be there.” Wild ended the call.
True to his word, Wild waited for him outside the entrance. He hopped in and Rhodi pulled away without waiting for him to buckle himself in.
“What’s going on?”
“I need you to follow me back to my house in this so I can drive her car.”
“I thought you took her to get her things.”
Rhodi shifted and pressed on the accelerator. “I stopped by the house for the gifts and when I came out, she was dead to the world. I didn’t have the heart to wake her.”
Wild grunted. Rhodi glanced at him but his brother remained oddly silent on the matter. He was grateful, however, not stupid enough to think this would be over.
After getting into her graphite metallic hued Chevy Cruze hatchback, he led the way to his house with Wild following in his Jeep. She had a six-speed so that explained why it wasn’t an issue for her to drive his vehicle. Once there, the brothers entered, and he left Wild in the living room as he carried her purse and car keys back to the bedroom he’d put her in.
Once those sat in the chair where she could see them easily when she woke, he left her again. He stuck one of his cards in the outside pocket with a small message on the back.
Wild rocked back on his heels. “You leaving the alarm off so she can leave when she wants?”
“Yes.”
“If this had been any other woman, you would have been trying to get into her pants. What gives?”
He shrugged. “I want to protect her.”
“This will make Mom happy.”
He scowled at his brother. “Don’t start that. Come on, let’s go.”
They were at the hospital until the early hours of the morning. He drove his aunt home and crashed in his old childhood bedroom. The smells of breakfast woke him, and he stumbled to shower then out to the kitchen.
He rubbed his eyes as he took in his aunt. She didn’t look as if she had been up all night in a hospital.
“I’m proud of you, Rhodi,” she said without looking away from where she scrambled the eggs.
Walking up to her, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “For what?”
“Letting that poor girl sleep. We’re hiring her, you know.”
“I know,” he acquiesced. “Emma told me the same thing when I went back there to see her.”
“Good. Make sure you don’t run her ragged. Let her get used to how we do business. I’ll be there to help until she is settled in the role.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She popped him and he gave her a questioning look.
“I know your sarcasm when I hear it. And don’t think that because I’m not your mother I won’t take you to task for it.”
He grinned. “Good thing you love me.”
“Humph.”
Rhodi batted his eyes at her. “Come on, Auntie. I’m the only one here. Admit I’m your favorite.”
“Get out of this here kitchen. Your brothers will be here soon.”
The silence swiftly changed as the other three Wilder brothers descended upon the house. They ate, laughed, and joked with one another then cleaned up, leaving her kitchen spotless.
Outside they huddled around their vehicles.
“Auntie’s on board with Karen getting the job.”
Wild grinned. “She still sleeping at your place?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t go back after I left with you.”
“But you wanted to,” Derek stated.
He flipped his brother off, not dignifying that with a response. Hell yes, I did. Wanted to curl right up next to her and hold her, then strip her bare and go wherever it led us.
Derek muttered something unflattering about the Air Force and Rhodi ignored him, not wanting to be drawn into another battle about which branch of service was the best. He continued on to climb in his Jeep and started the supped-up engine. As Wild leaned against the hood of his vehicle, he nudged him until the damn Marine finally walked out of his way.
After another visit to the hospital to check on his girl, and his two new nieces, he talked for a bit to Earle about not rushing her to come back to work, to make Emma stay home and recover, he went to D.A.R.K. and to his office. His aunt had opened and was running the front.
As he passed her, she was on the phone and didn’t do much more than wave in his direction as he strode by. Rhodi was working in his office on the temporary desk when the elevator doors opened, allowing him to hear his brothers as they joked and laughed together.
Pushing away from his desk, he went and leaned against the doorway as Wild and Derek carried a large wooden desk through, then down the hall.
“Go help Adam and the delivery guys. All our desks are here.”
He slid in the elevator and rode down. Honestly, he wasn’t a fan of them, but life was full of things he didn’t like. The day wasn’t as sunny as it had been yesterday, but still a damn nice day. Good weather for him to get some fishing in.
Adam stood by one of the two trucks with the moving men and looked in his direction as he crossed to the lift gate holding his own desk. The leather top George III antique reproduction. Nine drawers, slightly curved, and it had been on his mind ever since he had started looking for furniture for his office. Unlike the real one, this was set for charging devices and the like.
Cracking a rare grin, Adam punched him in the shoulder.
“Need a throne for this?”
“At least you recognize that I’m royalty.”
“Whatever. Grab the handles of that cart, I’ll help steady it as we take it up. They will follow with the next one.”
They were all sweating once all the furniture had been moved in and the old moved out. Standing outside, where thankfully a slight breeze offered some comfort, he perked up when a familiar Cruze turned into the lot and parked.
She climbed out and he couldn’t look away. Today she wore a green skirt suit, and he had to force himself not to head to her side and plant a big kiss just to claim her in front of his brothers and the moving men.
“Good to see you again, Karen,” Derek called out, jogging over to her.
Biting back the urge to kick his brother’s ass, Rhodi turned away and made his way to where Adam signed the paperwork.
Even so, he pivoted so he could see Derek escorting her inside.
“Should probably loosen up that jaw, Rhodi, or we’re going to have to take you to the dentist to unlock you.” Adam didn’t raise his voice, nor did he pull his focus from the papers before him.
Snapping his gaze to his brother, he snorted. “He’s making an ass of himself.”
“Because he went to walk in a woman who helped you save Emma’s life? Don’t think so, but if you need to feel that way, okay.” Adam handed back the paperwork. “Thanks for delivering everything. Much appreciated.”
“Have a good day.”
The men piled back in their trucks and headed off. That left Rhodi and Adam standing outside, shirtless in front of their business. Not really a good look, but he’d not wanted his button-down to get dirty.
They went back in and he gave a slight frown when he didn’t immediately see Karen there, but kept his mouth shut. Taking the stairs two at a time, he was back in his office soon and looked around at the new furniture.
Approval.
After helping Wild move his desk a bit more, he returned up the hall to his office when Karen stepped out of one of their interview rooms. She wasn’t looking as she buttoned the singular closure on her suit coat.
He stopped just shy of running into her.
“Oh,” she gasped, stepping back.
He grasped her upper arm to steady her. “Easy now.”
“Thank you,” she said. Blinking, she ran her gaze over him. “Oh.” This time the word fell from her lips much deeper and much breathier.
Karen flicked her tongue over her dry lips as she tried to make sense of the man before her. Rhodi dressed in jeans was nice as hell, him shirtless was something else entirely. Seeing him across the parking area had been one thing but this—being so close to him, breathing in his husky manly sweat and watching the inches of exposed skin of his torso—shot everything up on a differed level. A different plane.
Dragging her stare over him, she fought the urge to follow it up with fingertip caresses. She wanted to dig in her nails, mark him, claim him. Hell, lick him.
Those blue eyes were killers.
“I’m fine, thank you,” she pushed the words past her lips, praying she was able to keep on her legs once he released her.
She truly needed him to let her go or she was going to have a puddle beneath her. He didn’t.
If anything, he moved closer, surrounding her with his scent. She was addicted in an instant. Her palms burned with a desire to touch, explore, and do more to this man.
“How did you sleep?”
She yanked her gaze up to find him waiting, a hint of amusement lingering in the heated depths. Did he know I was following that happy trail?
From the sparkle in his eyes, he did.
“Fine, thank you. I apologize for that. You could have woken me and taken me to my hotel.”
“Why take you to a hotel when I had a bed right there? And trust me, Karen, had I woken you, we’d both still be there.”
Well, when he put it that way. She gulped. Her awareness zone narrowed to two people and only two. Him. And her.
“Excuse me,” she murmured. “I have to get going.”
“Yes, we do.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re working here now, you can’t be living in a hotel. That’s a waste.”
Shoving her immediate response of how she would love to stay with him, share his bed, she tried her best to sound nonchalant. “I don’t plan on it. I have an appointment to go view some apartments as soon as you let me go.”
How did he know I had been hired? Of course, I suppose he would as he is one of the owners.
“Right, as soon as I let you go.” Silence hung between them. “I’m coming with you to make sure they give you a good deal.”
She initially bristled but held her tongue until she could control her response. “Thank you for the offer, but it’s not needed.”
He guided her to his office and moved to the far side where he stepped into what she assumed to be a bathroom, for her ears were hit with the sound of running water.
“It’s not an offer. It’s a statement. I’m going with you. So that’s either I follow you or take you in my vehicle.”
“If I say take me in your vehicle will that mean there will be sex?” she whispered her question, but she wasn’t sure he hadn’t heard her when he peered around the corner and speared her to the spot with his molten gaze.
“Say something?”
She struggled to swallow. “I’ll take my car.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Take your time. I’ll just be out here imagining you taking me over this huge ass desk of yours. Having me bent at the waist while you enter me from behind, your hand in my hair, the other gripping my waist. Each thrust sending my breasts skidding over the leather.
She gulped and had to work on dragging her mind off that and focusing back on being a well-mannered employee.
True to his word, he stepped from the bathroom, a dark blue shirt over his head and jeans on his lower half. He perched on the edge of his dark sofa and made short work of tying on his shoes. When he bounced to his feet, she exhaled slowly.
I have to get control of myself if I am going to be around him daily. Can’t be staring after him like a lovesick child. Or a stalker.
She hid her grin at that thought.
“What’s got you smiling?”
Guess it wasn’t as hidden as she’d thought it was. “Just a random thought.”
He cocked a brow and edged closer to her. “You are all full of mystery. I am looking forward to figuring you out.” Rhodi gestured for her to head out of his office first and she did, grateful to not have to be behind him where, most likely, she would be panting like a bitch in heat.
She opted to take the stairs, not truly trusting herself to be in the elevator with him and no one to chaperone their interaction. Whatever was wrong with her, she had to get it back under control. Passing their aunt, she gave her a small smile.
“Where are you two off to?” she asked as she halted typing on the keyboard.
“I’m going to make sure she gets a nice place in town so she’s no longer paying for a hotel room.”
Ms. Wilder nodded. “Good idea. I hear she stayed at your place last night, if we don’t find one for her today, I don’t want her staying with you again. She will stay at your mom’s house with me. There’s plenty of room.”
More than a bit unnerved by the way they spoke about her as if she weren’t there, she cleared her throat and held up one hand. “I’m fine.”
“Nonsense. You’re practically family now, no reason for you to be paying for a hotel.”
It took a lot for her not to jump on the offer. Her money was dwindling fast and she didn’t have much left in the way of savings either. She retained her pride, however, and didn’t want any indebtedness to any of them. This was going to remain strictly a boss-employee relationship.
“Truly, thank you for the offer, but I don’t think it’s right for me to do that.”
Sharon Wilder paused in her work and pushed up from the desk. She pinned her with a gaze, her eyes holding the same intensity as theirs.
“I’m sorry, are you telling me you’re not part of my family?”
Karen lost any and all words. Disappointment laced Sharon’s tone. Rhodi came up behind her, the flat of his hand resting all too comfortably against the small of her back.
“Now, Auntie, don’t scare her off. She just got hired. She’ll figure it out soon enough. We have to get going, or we’re going to miss some appointments.”
Without waiting for any other words from his aunt, he guided her out the door into the Montana afternoon. He escorted her to her hatchback and held the door for her, then closed it after she got in. She started the engine and drove off slowly while he got to his Jeep and followed.
The entire trip, she tried to figure out how to get him away from the hotel before he went in to see how little she actually had. Nothing came to mind. He parked beside her at the manager’s office and was at her door before she could open it herself.
Purse clutched in hand, she slipped through the small space allowed between his hard body and the frame of the car. “Thank you,” she muttered.
“You act like that’s a shock for a man to hold a door for a woman.”
“I’m not used to it, I’ll admit.”
He pushed the door shut. “A pity. You should be.”
The action was repeated before they stepped inside, and this time he was close enough that she had to brush against him to slip past.
“Life’s full of things that should be but aren’t.”
“Interesting,” he said, falling into step beside her.
She didn’t comment on that.
Two hours later she stood in the small main area of the one bedroom she had just signed on to rent. Out of all the places she’d seen, this was one, the cheapest; two, closest to D.A.R.K; and three, offered her the most comfort. Sure, part of that comfort could have to do with the price, but she was happy with it and could turn it into something nice with very little effort. The contract had been read by her, by Rhodi, and again by her. Everything had been handled and she now had a place of her own.
The scowl on Rhodi’s face told her, without asking, his opinion on the decision she made, but she didn’t address it. It wasn’t his decision or his money.
“Are you sure about this?” He checked the sturdiness of the kitchen counter.
“Yes. Distance wise it’s good, and it’s cute.”
He cocked an eyebrow and held her gaze. “Cute is another word for small. It’s a cute puppy, for example.”
She pushed her concern to the back of her mind. “I don’t need the space like you do. This is going to be more than adequate for me.”
He grunted. Not a throat clearing but an actual, God-given grunt.
“If you don’t like it, no one is asking you to stay.”
“Kitten has claws after all.”
“I’m no kitten and I just don’t appreciate a man I barely know to give opinions on my living space.”
He moved up until he was right in her personal space. Her deep breath was a double-edged sword. Sure, it gave her oxygen, but it also tantalized her with the rich scent of Rhodi Wilder.
“You barely know me? We damn near had a baby together and you’re working with the family now. I’d say on some levels we’re very well acquainted.”
“I hardly think your Ms. Emma would like you bandying about that we almost had a child when she was the one in labor with twins. All I did was drive.”
She did have to admit it was nice for him not to state that he was her boss, but mention she was working with the family now. That was a blessing to hear.
“It’s what I’d like to do,” he mumbled as his phone rang, breaking the increasing tension between them. “What?”
She sidled away from him, needing a bit of a distraction from everything he presented to her. Karen walked slowly through the small space, envisioning where she would add her own touches.
“It’s settled then, we’ll be there in about thirty minutes.”
Okay, that grabbed her attention. Turning to face him, she arched her brows. “Where are you promising that I will go with you?”
One half of his mouth kicked up in a sexy grin. “So sure I was talking about you?”
No, she wasn’t, and she fought her embarrassment. “Yes.” The word escaped with far more calm than she experienced rolling in her gut.
“We’ve been summoned for dinner. My aunt won’t take no for an answer.” He gestured to the door. “After you. And don’t bother arguing, we all know you don’t have food in here yet.”
And with a single statement, he banished her only feasible argument. There was no stating she wasn’t hungry because she was ravished. Before she knew it, the man had her in the passenger seat of his Jeep as they headed off to dinner, leaving her with no transportation back to her own place.
Shaking her head, she sank back against the seat and sighed. She could handle the final things later tonight when he returned her.
