Paige shrugged. “Just thought I’d give you something to get through the day. Have fun at work.” She gave me a light peck on the lips and curled back onto her side. I shook my head as I left her bedroom. Like Jack had said, I was whipped—and I didn’t give a shit.
* * *
Functioningon forty-five minutes of sleep was tough. I didn’t know how many cups of coffee I needed before I was coherent. I trudged through most of my day exhausted but with a dopey grin on my face.
“I’m guessing you guys are okay now. I didn’t get any hysterical messages from Paige, and you look like the tired cat that ate the canary.” I laughed as Jack handed me another cup of coffee. I sorted out the paperwork from our recent influx of jobs. I knew my ‘not quite all there’ gaze came from being sated and fuck drunk.
“Thanks, bro. Well…” I smirked at Jack.
He shook his head and raised his hand. “Just because I’m happy you guys are together doesn’t mean I need a play by play, or even hints of a play by play. You need to tell Paige about crazy train, though. And sooner rather than later. Yesterday was only the beginning of the trouble she’s looking to cause.” Jack narrowed his eyes at me. He was absolutely right. My past with Jenna was ugly, but Paige needed to know all the sick details before Jenna tried to drive another wedge between us.
I nodded. “I will. I’ll see her later tonight and fill her in. How are you feeling? We’ve both been pulling pretty long hours. I can take on more if you need some—”
“You took on plenty. I’m fine. I’ll let you know when I think it’s too much.” No, he wouldn’t. I’d have to watch and judge for myself, but from the looks of things he did feel okay. He was eating, had energy, everything seemed fine. I couldn’t help but think I was sitting next to a ticking time bomb, and dreaded picking up the pieces when it finally exploded.
“Hey there he is! Look who’s back from Philly and slumming it with us!”
“Oh hey, Sean. Thanks for coming in.” Jack motioned to the seat next to his desk.
Sean had gone to school with us, and worked with Jack when he needed extra hands. I never liked him much, but Jack insisted he was good at what he did. Although he was an arrogant prick that grated on my nerves, I could get past it if he was helping us out.
I nodded at Sean. “Good to see you too, I guess.” I leaned back in my chair and drained the last of the coffee from the cup. Sean laughed as he took a seat in front of Jack’s desk, resting his feet on the edge.
“Here are the keys to the van. We took the old tile up already so all you have to do is—”
“Yeah, yeah, Jack. I’ve done this for you a hundred times. I don’t need instructions. So, does your cousin still come here to do work for you guys? I was hoping to run into her.”
Jack furrowed his brow at Sean before he leaned forward to answer. “Why do you want to run into Paige?”
Sean leaned his head back and laughed. “I heard she’s hotter than ever. And single.” Sean glanced at me with a sickening smirk on his face. “Have you seen her, Jacobs? I bet she still has the same huge—”
“That’s my cousin, who happens to be like my sister. Watch yourself.” Jack scowled at Sean who kept laughing with his head lowered. I ground my teeth as I glared at the back of his head. I’d been dying to knock him out since we were kids. I was giving him room to say one more stupid thing before I had the joy of getting in his face.
“Hey boys, guess who has the new sign proofs early!” Paige breezed into the office and set two large reels of paper down on Jack’s desk. Today was the first time I was annoyed that Paige wore a dress. Sean’s eyes traveled up and down her body as she leaned over to roll out the papers, and it was all I could do not to knock his teeth down his throat.
Jack stood to peer down at the designs. “Holy shit, Paige. These look awesome! Ev, come take a look.”
Paige peeked over at me with an adorable blush in her cheeks. It brought back recent memories of the last time her face was flushed, and made me grin as I rose from my seat.
Paige met me halfway, and I pulled her into a kiss. She stiffened at first, maybe a little embarrassed by my very public display of affection, but I needed the message to be loud and clear. She eventually melted into me and wrapped her arms around my waist.
“Point made, dude. You can stop groping the help now.”
“The help?” Paige kept her arms around me as she pursed her lips at Jack. She rested her chin on my chest to gaze up at me. “Is that all I am to you guys?”
“Oh no, not to me. I’ve missed you since I left this morning.” I kissed her forehead as I smirked at Sean. I made sure to say that loud enough for him to overhear. He shook his head and stood up from his chair.
“All right, I get it. Let me go take care of this. Nice to see you, Paige.” He scooped up the keys and jetted out the door.
“Hey, Sean. Nice to see you, too.” Paige cuddled into my chest again.
Jack grimaced at us. “Could the two of you cut it out? I’ve spent enough time trying to hold off my gag reflex. Let me go give Sean the address of where he’s going. You ran him out of here so fast he forgot to ask.” Jack laughed as he jogged outside.
“What does he mean by ‘ran him out’?” Paige squinted at me, I couldn’t blame her for acting confused, but she didn’t need to know about my victorious pissing contest.
I led her over to my desk and pulled her on my lap. “Nothing to worry your pretty little head about. So did you miss me, too?” I buried my head in her neck, and dragged wet kisses to the sweet spot behind her ear as I moved my hand up her thigh. I chuckled when she jumped.
“Yes, I did. My pretty little head? I guess you don’t want to worry the help…” My hand drifted from her thigh to between her legs. Her panties were already wet. A moan escaped her as she tried to move my hand away.
