Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 17082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 85(@200wpm)___ 68(@250wpm)___ 57(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 85(@200wpm)___ 68(@250wpm)___ 57(@300wpm)
“Mom? What a wonderful surprise,” Vaughn says as the doors open. I haven’t even seen him yet, and my heart thumps faster in my chest. “I didn’t know you were coming in today. And you must be Henrietta. Mom’s told me all about you. However, she neglected to mention how beautiful you are.”
Mom bursts into an echoing laughter that catches the attention of the people parading through the halls.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” a second male voice comes from inside the room. “Well, it is, but—”
“Meetings all across the office, huh?” Thickly layered sarcasm hangs on Veronica’s words.
Okay, now I’ve got to see what’s happening in there. Curiosity overshadows my ever-tightening nerves, and I approach the doorway passively. I stick my head through to see one of the men, nearly equaling Victor’s beastly size, holding a child-sized golf stick in his hands. If size didn’t confirm it, the golden eyes are confirmation that he must be one of the brothers.
I clasp my mouth shut with my palm to stifle my chuckle.
“I met up with Vaughn,” he speaks, which must mean he’s Vance. “That counts as a meeting, right?” His eyes instantly snap toward me. “Woah, woah, woah, what’s this? A fresh face in the office?”
“None of that,” Veronica scolds, waggling a finger in his face. “Poor thing’s nervous enough as is. You’re not going to add to it.”
“Can I?”
“You’re the youngest. You can do whatever you want,” Vance teases, turning his attention back to the plastic golf ball on the ground. He slumps over, squares his shoulders as best he can in that position, and takes a swing at the ball. It glides over the carpet and hits a flag that must’ve come from the same toy set as the club.
He pumps a fist in the air in celebration.
“Can’t do much if she doesn’t come in.” Vaughn’s voice is softer than his brothers’. Reserved and calculated. Something about hearing it speak about me makes my heart skip a beat.
First-day nerves, I tell myself as I step through the door. Every little sound will make me jump. Don’t overthink this, but that was much easier when he was just a disembodied voice.
Like his calm and smooth voice, Vaughn Valentine doesn’t have the same ridiculously muscular proportions as his brother. He also lacks the sharp edge of their cutting gaze, favoring a more humble approach with a warm smile and softer eyes.
Where the other brothers are broad-shouldered with their musculature on display, Vaughn is slim, choosing lean, cut muscle over titanic shapes. His dark brown hair is slicked back, with a clean-shaven face that shows off his square jawline.
But those eyes. It seems it’s always the eyes with the Valentine siblings, burning a fiery golden glow.
“Claire, I take it?” He looks at me, unblinking. Almost forced. As if given the opportunity to look anywhere but my face, he’d drink in my body instead. Much too awkward around our parents, so I applaud the strained effort.
“And you must be Mr. Valentine.” It’s my turn to fight the urge to speak in any other way than polite and formal. Every inch of me screams that it should come out in a deep, sultry whisper, but with our parents here, that would be awfully embarrassing.
The best part is that looking at Vaughn, the fears and nerves I felt by both Victor and Vance have dissipated into thin air.
Maybe working here won’t be so bad after all.
3
VAUGHN
Imust have died and gone to heaven.
It’s the only explanation for seeing this angel with my own two eyes.
“Please call me Vaughn.” My voice is raspy, and I clear my throat to get rid of the irritation causing it.
But there is no irritation, is there? It’s caused by the stunned shock of this beauty walking into my office and realizing that I will get to spend every single day with her at my side.
Is that a good thing or a bad, I wonder? Part of me is excited by it. Thrilled that I won’t have to look very far to see Claire again, but the rest of me is terrified. How can I get through a hard day of work when she’s here, too?
With long hair cascading down her shoulders in a river of gold, and her big blue eyes I want to get lost in forever. I’m losing my mind by looking at her face alone, and the rest of her is just as exquisite. Petite frame, with two gigantic pillows stretching the front. Wide hips and a plump ass that threatens to draw my eyes away and leer uncomfortably while our parents watch in shock and disgust.
More than her hot-as-fuck body, I’m drawn to her plump, red lips. They’re so inviting. I swear she feels the same way as I do … that if we were alone, without the prying eyes of my mom and hers, we’d be making out like naughty kids behind my desk.