Page 18 of All Tied Down

But that doesn’t negate the very serious problem we have right now.

“Samson, I will fire you before you step over the threshold if you ever think of calling me Mrs. North again, are we clear?”

“I think it has a nice ring to it.” Garrett snickers behind me.

He’ll definitely pay for that later.

“I’m sorry, Miss Andrews; it won’t happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t,” I tell him, opening the door wider and letting him pass. I watch as he inhales deeply before entering, like he understands that being here will make or break his time with Tom and the security team.

I like Samson, and unless he completely fucks this up, I’ll see to it that he settles into Ironwood and our company.

“Mr. North,” Samson greets with a nod.

“How are the girls?” I ask, stepping around them and moving into the kitchen where Theo is making a fresh pot of coffee.

Bless him.

“They’re good,” he says. “Adjusting now. We found a place out here, and are just hoping to get moved in soon.”

“And the guys are treating you all right?” I ask, knowing full well that the team dynamic is sacred and they wouldn’t have poached Samson from his police job if they weren’t sure he’d fit. I read the file Tom sent over to me last night. They’d encountered Samson while working with Kat, Tom’s now wife, on her stalker case. He’d been with his department for seven years and had recently divorced his wife when he found her sleeping with a coworker.

Tom offered him a job a short time later and so far, it’s worked out.

“Nothing I can’t handle. Ozzy and Grimm offered to help me move, and the girls already have their rooms planned out and have roped Jace into painting them.”

“Good. Keeps them out of trouble,” I tell him with a smile. “Nico Samson, this is Theo Rossi, Garrett’s keeper.” When Garrett arches an eyebrow, I shrug. “Assistant doesn’t seem sufficient with all the nonsense he puts up with for you.”

“This is my version of dirty talk,” Theo says dramatically, fanning his face as Samson’s eyes widen.

“I’d say he’s usually more well-behaved but I don’t know if that’s true,” I say as Garrett shakes his head.

“It’s not.”

“You’ll be checking in with Theo and Des, who you’ve met at the office, yes?”

“Yeah.”

“Perfect. I’d love to get there a few days a week, and I am willing to work around your schedule. I know your mom helps, but I also know this job is supposed to hold better hours for you.”

“I’m willing to put in whatever hours are required, Miss Andrews.”

“If we can’t call you Mrs. North and you obviously wear the pants in this relationship,” Theo quips, “does he become Mr. Andrews?”

I shudder because my father and my uncle are both Mr. Andrews, and if I want to keep having sex with Garrett for the duration of our temporary marriage, I cannot think about the possibility of him taking my last name.

Even just pretending.

“Zip it or I’ll fire you myself,” I hiss which earns me a wicked grin from Theo as Garrett shakes with silent laughter. Turning back to Samson, I smile. “Are you sure you still want this job?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he confirms, and then with a twitch of his lips he adds, “I’m looking forward to it.”

“That’s the spirit. Do you need to use the bathroom? There’s a lovely picture of a highland cow in there.”

“Uh, no, I’m good.”

“Leave the cow alone,” Garrett defends. “It’s a long story.”