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I pause, but don’t turn around. In the blink of an eye, he’s pushed up against me, his front to my back. One hand lands on the door by my head, and the other to my left hip. His hot breath in my ear has me dripping instantly for him.
“There’s going to be a punishment for this.”
“For what?” I breathe out.
He tilts his hips into my ass and I can feel just how much he wants me. “For teasing your boss, Red.” He gives me one good spank and I squeal, slapping my hand over my mouth quickly.
“Yes, Chief Hunter.”
He steps back from me as I open the door. I’m met with a look of smugness by Cash and surprise by Tom.
“Everyone, get back to work!” Vincent barks out. The station scurries around and I sit at my desk, trying my best to not think about the punishment I’ll get later.
ChapterEleven
VINCENT
The work day dragged on. And when Daisy clocked out, I counted my own minutes until I could leave. I can’t get to her fast enough. One, because I just want her. But two, I need to make sure she’s okay. Her living outside of town makes me uneasy. And I didn’t realize how much it did until I saw where she lived.
Christmas is great, but just outside of it lies a rough neighborhood. Lakeshore used to be a quaint, small town back in the day, but when Christmas began to boom, people flocked to it. The name alone was a draw, and a lot of business owners used it for branding. Lakeshore ended up a ghost town, so to speak, leaving owners scrambling to make ends meet. And with failed businesses, comes abandoned homes that squatters take over. Nothing is cared for and it shows.
And Daisy lies on the cusp. On Sycamore Road, the house she bought is old. The fucking locks didn’t even work. So if that’s the smallest of it, I can imagine the worst of it. Wiring that needs updating, a roof that could collapse. I could strangle this woman for buying this place.
But I didn’t know her then, so I couldn’t stop her.
I know her now, though. And I know a reliable construction company. One call to the Casanovas and they’ll come through for me. And I’ll foot the bill for it all.
It’s also the one way to ensure I’ll never get in her bed again. I may not have had a relationship for years, but I know stepping on someone’s independence is a sure way to push them away. I can’t help myself, though.
Driving to her home, I battle with myself the whole way. I shouldn’t be coming here. I try to rationalize my reasons for being here. I’m a nice guy, she’s my employee. I’d do it for anyone.
Check the locks, Vincent.
Check the windows, Vincent.
Check the wiring, Vincent.
Then move her out of there and into your home.
No, I wouldn’t move anyone into my home. But I recognize my need for her and try to rationalize that next. She’s the only one who’s grabbed my attention in a long while. I’ve been on a date or two, but it’s very hard to meet someone when all you do is work. And for so long, I’ve been just fine with that.
I’ll take care of everyone else, since I couldn’t save the one who was taking care of me.
I miss my sister every damn day. I was fourteen years old, and Violet was eighteen, when she was killed by a hit-and-run driver. They never found the driver, and I feel the police and detectives gave up way too fast. They deemed itwrong place, wrong time.
And that infuriated me. I promised myself then and there I would do everything in my power to work for families that went through the same trauma. I wouldn’t give up on them, like the police gave up on my family.
That’s my rationalization, anyway. I just want to make sure Daisy is safe.
I pull into her driveway, glancing around at the broken down homes. There’s no sign of life around here, yet I still feel as if I’m being watched, which has my senses tingling. I know these homes are inhabited, but where is everyone during the day? They slowly come awake when the sun sets. Those are the worst types of neighbors to have.
Shaking my head, I get out of my truck and walk up to her door. I try the knob and it’s locked.
Good.
I knock, step back, and watch the windows. I can hear her coming down the hall and when she opens it, she’s gorgeous in a fitted wrap dress, hunter green that makes her red hair pop even more. And the way the dress brings out the emerald light in her eyes? It’s like they can see right into my soul.
I’m on fire for her.
