After my parents died, I hopped around to anywhere that slightly peaked my interest and changed jobs like they weresocks. I’ve driven tour buses, been a bartender on a cruise ship, a canyoneer tour guide, a zip line instructor and more than I don’t even remember. For a long time I couldn’t stand to be in the same place for too long. Staying still brought up the chance of being held down but recently my opinions have changed and my wanderlust has quieted to a whisper.
About six months ago, the ache from losing my parents started to reappear and it felt like my body was rejecting the thought of learning new people, places, things and started to yearn to put down some roots. It took awhile to find somewhere that I could see myself settling down, then I found the job opening for Warren Farms and Apiary. I worried my scattered resume was going to be a detriment but it seemed that Lola was looking for my special brand of mess because after one phone interview, she offered me the job and helped me get set up with an apartment close by.
She had originally offered me a place in the bunkhouses that offered room and board to a lot of the Warren family employees but I declined. I wanted to make my own space and worried the bunkhouse would be too similar to previous adventures where work and home were so intertwined, I couldn’t pull them apart if I tried.
Signing my last document, Lola takes them and places them neatly into a bright red folder with my name written clearly on the front. “Alright, with all that squared away, let me take you to your office. Mabel, would you like to join us?”
The smile that has been permanently affixed to Mabel’s face drops as she looks at her watch. “Crap, I really want to but I need to head over to the orchard and see what our stock is looking like for the farmer’s market next week.” Mabel looks genuinely upset to not be walking with me and Lola to my home base and my confusion returns. Maybe they are just a really hands-on family? The hugs hinted at that, I guess.
Lola shrugs, walking me to the door, “Your loss….again.” we exit the building as a disgruntled sound follows us out. “It’s not too long of a walk but it is a little bit out of the way.” I just nod. “After you boss.”
Chapter Two
ELLE
I’d thought I mentally prepared myself to finally meet the Intruder.
I was wrong. So wrong. So. Fucking. Wrong.
The door to my building creaks and Lola’s voice filters in “...And here is the maintemporaryattraction.” Lola swings out her arm in a ta-da motion and I can’t help the scowl that paints my face, it would have been a full on glare if she hadn’t included the temporary into that sentence. I guess I couldn’t be too hard on my sister, I did agree to this.
Lola’s eyes are wide as she looks at me, mouthing “oh my god”just as the door opens a little more to accommodate the Intruder, a flash of sun momentarily blinds me.
Lola is still talking, telling the Intruder to take some time to get comfortable and something about pamphlets but it fades out as I start to see clearly again and I’m able to take in the man who I will be sharing a space with for the next few weeks.
Oh my god is fucking right.
Brown hair that’s slightly too long and curly, warm green eyes, strong shoulders, his left arm is splattered with what looks like postage stamp tattoos and long legs. His thighs are begging for a bite to be taken out of them.
Nope. I was going to stop that train of thought right fucking now. This man was the enemy, the Intruder.
Lola lets out a small cough, her lips pulling into a slight smirk that makes me want to scream, “If there’s anything else I can do to help you get settled, don’t hesitate to reach out but I do have to run, I have a meeting with Mama.” She rushes out the last few words as she thrusts a red folder of paperwork into my hands before she runs out in a quick exit and like a poltergeist, she’s gone.
I take a deep breath, fortifying myself to be the host my family expects of me. I stand and prepare to start the tour of my space but before I could open my mouth, he was sticking his hand out to shake. “Miss Elle, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Damn his voice. It wasn’t particularly deep but I could feel it in my stomach. I place my hand in his for what I planned to be a quick shake but as his warm fingers encapsulate my hand and I freeze. Calloused but somehow soft, it feels like he’s giving me a hug. My chest heats and I have to bite the inside of my lip to stop any noise that was trying to escape, instead I force out a grumbled response. “I’m sure it is.”
Chapter Three
PATRICK
I’d thought meeting the eldest and youngest Warren sisters would have prepared me to meet the middle one.
I was wrong. So wrong.
In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been as wrong as I was with that innocent assumption.
Some would say she looked like her older sister but if they took more than a passing glance, they would see how uniquely remarkable she was. She shared the same hair color as her sister, Mabel, but that was where the similarities ended.
Her hair rested just above her shoulders and was styled in a half up half down style with the up part almost looking like a messy bun. She was wearing what were obviously blue light glasses and with the reflection that shined on her face from her computer screens, it was hard to confirm the exact color of her eyes but I felt in my soul there was never a more breathtaking optical coloration as hers.
When she finally turned her gaze to me, there was a small frown line resting between her eyebrows. It was the cutest thing I’d ever seen.
The urge to smooth it out with my fingertip, or better yet, kiss it away, had me clenching my fists. I was vaguely aware that Lolawas going over something with how this set up would work until the new building that would become my office was ready but I was too focused on if Elle would prefer a kiss.
Taking in the organization and accounting for my new role, my hands were very likely to be dirty by the end of the day. I decided that a kiss to her forehead would definitely be the best option moving forward.
“If there’s anything else I can do to help you get settled, don’t hesitate to reach out but I do have to run, I have a meeting with Mama.” Lola flashed a smile as she headed out the door. Oh crap, I completely missed everything she said since we walked into the office. My focus solely on kissing my office-mate.
