Page 44 of Hearts Held
Leaving Everett and I,alone.
“What is it you want me to demand, Everett? To get off me?” I bluntly reply.
He chuckles in my ear as I feel his strong frame pressing into my back. He leans in even closer.
“Oh dove.” His fingertips tenderly graze my rib cage. “I beg you not to ask me that. In fact, I don’t think you want that either. Instead, why don’t you demand something from me.Orderme.”
I can feel lips caress the small space behind my ear and delightful shivers dance down my body as I arch into him.
“Demand that I hold you. Demand that I kiss you. Order me to place my face between your—” We’re interrupted as the door opens and Bobby’s voice booms, my face flushes with angst.
“All right, looks like someone’s got an admirer!” Bobby waltzes in holding a large vase of yellow tulips, while Everett’s secretary is grasping a vase of a dozen red roses.
Everett’s eyes narrow as he backs into thewall, crossing his toned arms.
Walking up to the roses, I pluck the note from the vase.
Dear Brielle,
I wasn’t sure which job to address you flowers to, so I sent them to each. Hoping you will accompany me to dinner this Friday.
Yours,
Dr. Brendon
Bobby grabs the note from my hand and reads it a loud.
“Who the fuck is this guy?” he demands, shaking the note in the air as his eyebrows nearly touch his hairline. Before I can explain who my colleague Dr. Brendon is, Bobby proceeds to rip up my tiny note.
The secretary gasps, placing a delicate hand over her mouth. “Mr. Bobby, that’s not polite!”
Bobby places his hands in his pockets as the patches of notes dramatically glide to the floor, then states, “Well, it ain’t polite sending our girl flowers at our establishment when she don’t need ’em. She’s got my brother and a whole bunch of Adders that are her men, so she don’t needhim. We’ll buy her a fucking flower shop, won’t we, Everett?”
I roll my eyes at him while the secretary looks confused. Poor thing—she is so daft and young. Bending down to clean up Bobby’s mess, I glance at Everett to see a tense tick in his jaw. Then I peer up at his secretary and exclaim, “Thank you for bringing them in, you can keep the tulips, dear. They complement your eyes! Thank you!” As she leaves the room, I turn around to find Bobby lighting one of the roses on fire with a match.
“Bobby!” I shout, stomping toward him. “What on earth!?” Snatching the match from his hand, I heave my breath, to try to blow it out but proceed to burn the tips of my thumb and index finger. As I blow on the digits, I glare at Bobby.
He dramatically shrugs his shoulders and gestures with his hands. “What? You don’t need ’em. Figure light ’em on fire,” he grumbles back at me. Then he proceeds to sit back into the chair with nonchalance.
Everett approaches me, taking my hand within his nimble fingers. He examines the burnt digits.
“Bobby, can you go into Kenneth’s office and get the first aid kit? We need some burn cream,” he orders blankly to his brother, assessing my fingers. The heat from his body draws me closer to him. He smells exquisite,leather, mahogany teakwood with a hint of brandy. Nervously I glance at Everett and Bobby, in hopes they do not observe my embarrassing state. I shift my thighs together, noticing the tension beginning to build.
Bobby tilts his head, his white-blond hair falling in front of his forehead, then points to my large bag. “Doesn’t she got some in ’er bag?”
We both reply in unison,“No.”
Bobby glances dead-eyed between us then dramatically stands from his chair, huffing, then mumbles some shit talk under his breath and leaves to retrieve the cream.
I narrow my eyes toward Everett. “Sir, how do you know what is in my bag?” I ask suspiciously.
My free arm begins to pick at my skirt, trying to find something of a distraction—for I fear if left to its own devices it may reach out inappropriately toward Everett.
“I’m very observant,” Everett replies, then I feel his cool breath on my skin. He begins to blow on my thumb and forefinger. The gesture is so sweet and innocent, yet intimate. It makes the pit of my stomach knot and the hairs on the back of my neckstand up.
To make matters worse, I watch in slow motion as he places my thumb in his mouth. I feel his tongue delicately graze along the pad of my thumb as he lightly sucks on it.
My mouth gapes.
