Safe with Me

“Why aren’t you sleeping with him again?” Meg asks and I choke on my coffee.

“I might be,” I whisper and feel their astonished gazes on me, but I avoid them. “Don’t you dare breathe a word of that to anyone.”

“Who can blame you?” Nat asks just as Caleb stands and returns to the ropes. “Look at those back muscles.”

“Look at that ass,” Meg counters.

“You should see it naked,” I respond and we all giggle again.

“Should I be grossed out by this?” Nat asks, tilting her head to the side. “He’s practically my brother.”

“But he’s not your brother, Nat.” I remind her with a grin. “And the Montgomery men are freaking hot.”

“That’s no lie,” Meg agrees. “Aren’t you going to be late for work?” She asks me.

“I have a few minutes,” I murmur and feel the familiar pull low in my belly as I watch Caleb lay on the ground again and execute perfect sit-ups.

It would be the perfect position for me to ride him. I might have to suggest that tonight.

“He’s hardly panting,” I observe. “What kind of physical training must he go through to work that hard and have it hardly phase him?”

“Oh girl, you have no idea the rigorous training they go through to become SEALs. It’s not natural.” Nat shudders. “All of the boys have always been athletic.”

“Obviously,” I murmur sarcastically. “It’s a bit intimidating.”

“Caleb can be the scariest person on Earth if he’s pissed off,” Nat informs us, her eyes still glued to him. “He’s just big and strong, and damn intimidating.”

“You should see him with the girls.” I grin, remembering our movie night last week. “He’s funny and sweet.”

I realize the room has gone dead silent. I look over to my friends to find them looking at each other and then staring over at me. “What?”

“You’ve got it bad,” Nat remarks and snickers. “Welcome to the club.”

“What club?”

“The ‘I Love a Hot Man’ club, sweetheart.” Meg laughs and salutes me with her mug just as Caleb approaches the sliding door, frowning at me. I step back in surprise as the girls giggle.

“What’s wrong?” Caleb asks, is hair and clothes soaked and a little muddy from the rain and grass.

“Nothing,” I reply and shrug.

He narrows his eyes at me, watching me closely, and then turns his gaze to Nat and Meg.

“What’s going on with you guys?”

“Nothing at all,” Nat replies with a huge grin. “Just girl talk.”

“Uh huh.” He props his hands on his lean hips and watches all three of us for a moment and then shrugs and saunters to the fridge to pull out a cold bottle of water. “We have to leave soon,” he reminds me.

“I know,” I nod and watch as he saunters out of the room toward the stairway to go up and shower.

Natalie suddenly pulls me in for a long, hard hug. “Good luck,” she whispers and then pulls back.

“Have a good day at the office, dear,” Meg grins.

“Thanks.”

***

I love my job. Not only because I’m good at it, but because it’s fun and I feel like I’m part of a family.

Isaac Montgomery owns this construction business. He is married to Stacy, my first cousin, although she and I were really raised more like sisters. Since leaving Chicago, Isaac has not only looked out for me, but has given me this job in his office, paying me under the table to help in my need to disappear.

Thank God for them.

In the past year, I’ve not only cleaned up Isaac’s accounts and maintained his billing and payroll, but have blended into the camaraderie of the guys who work for him.

Of course there is harmless flirting and teasing, but at the end of the day, I know the guys all have my back and they’re fun to joke with when they come into my office with questions about their checks or benefits, or just to chat before they head out to a job site.

But there is a new guy, Levi Jackson, who creeps me the hell out.

He’s never done anything inappropriate, but the way he watches me and the tone of his voice when he speaks to me gives me the shivers.

And not in a good way.

He’s a good looking guy, and probably used to snagging any woman he sets his sights on, if she doesn’t pick up on the creepy factor.

I have a sick feeling in my gut that he’s set his sights on me.

So not gonna happen.

I find myself avoiding eye contact with him, walking past him quickly and generally avoiding him as much as possible. I’d tell him to fuck right off, but he hasn’t done anything to warrant it.

Except give me the creeps.

Isaac shares the office with me, but is out with the crews most of the time, leaving the office duties to me, which suits us both just fine. He’s outside instructing a crew on a new project, and I can hear his no-nonsense voice as I check company email.

The front door opens and closes, the hinges groaning loudly.

“We are a construction company,” I remark loudly. “Can’t you oil those damn hinges?”

“I think I’d have to have the boss approve that first.”

My head snaps up in surprise. I was expecting Isaac, but instead, Levi is approaching my desk, a smirk on his face.

“Sorry, I thought you were Isaac,” I respond politely. “What can I do for you?”

“I have a question about the insurance benefits,” he replies and moves around my desk to lean a hip on my desk at my side.

Way too close for comfort.

“I explained the insurance to you last week, Levi.”

He smiles and shrugs, crosses his arms over his chest and leans back a bit, watching me. “I’m slow.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Maybe I just want to come in here and talk to a pretty lady.” He smiles at me, like he’s trying to pick me up in a bar, and it makes my stomach roll.

“Levi, I’m not interested. If you have questions about payroll or insurance, fine, but I’m too busy to chit chat and am not interested in your come ons.”

I stand and try to move around him to the center of the office, but he blocks my path and deliberately brushes his arm against my breast.

“You know,” he murmurs and reaches out to run the back of his index finger down my arm. “You don’t look like you belong to a cop.”