hurting financially. Take the duplex for a month, and we’ll talk, okay?”
Charity. It rubbed on a person like a wool saddle blanket. And yet, she did need to get away from her other apartment. “Thank you.”
“Now, you’d better sit down before you fall down.” Abby tugged out a chair at the dining room table and motioned for her to sit. “We’ll play helpless females and let the guys unload the car.”
“Forget the female stuff. We’ll let the Doms unload.” Dixon sat as well, bouncing once in glee. “You two missed the fun last weekend. Like HurtMe pitching a hissy fit at johnboy. He thinks johnboy trespassed on his personal territory when he—”
Drowning out Dix’s voice, Xavier and deVries clumped into the house, carrying another load. Only half listening to the gossip, Lindsey slouched in the chair and watched the men work.
On the next trip, Rona followed them in and walked through the archway to the dining area. Hands on hips, she gave Lindsey a thoughtful perusal. “The way you’re moving your head says you have a headache.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be in administration?”
“Nurses never stop being nurses. Did you take anything?”
“Uh-uh.” Lindsey shook her head…carefully. “Isn’t that stupid? I can’t believe I’m sitting here hurting and didn’t even think of it.”
Rona opened her purse. “I have ibuprofen.”
Dixon jumped up. “I’ll get water.”
By the time she’d taken the pills and settled back, the men—who now included Simon—had finished unloading the few boxes. With every trip, she’d felt deVries’s gaze land on her, as if he thought she’d drop dead if he didn’t keep an eye on her.
When Simon walked over, Lindsey frowned. “I’m sure there’s a rule somewhere that a boss isn’t supposed to help his secretary move.”
He didn’t even smile. “There is. However executive administrators’ assistants are in an entirely different category of regulations.”
Rona snorted. “In fact, according to Simon, the rules are the boss has to order the pizza.”
“I never buck the regs.” Simon glanced at his watch. “Pizza and drinks should arrive any time.”
Pizza? “You guys…” Lindsey’s eyes filled; her shoulders began to shake. No, no, no. No crying. Because if she started, she’d never stop. Blinking hard, she sucked in a breath and pushed the weakness away. “Thank you, Simon.”
“My pleasure, pet.” He frowned as his gaze skimmed over her face; then he walked over to talk to Xavier.
Rona disappeared into the kitchen.
A clinking noise made Lindsey turn. DeVries was coming in the front, tossing his car keys from hand to hand.
Lordy, why did he have to be the one to stampede her hormones? Taken piece by piece, he didn’t seem as if he should be so compelling. The cropped hair was meh. His face looked more battered than handsome. His body—well, okay, his build was even better than any superhero’s. In fact, he was kind of like a really deadly Thor. She sure couldn’t forget what his naked body felt like against her and exactly how rock hard each muscle was.
Gaze fixed on her, he prowled across the room, much like an Anatolian guard dog checking out a potential threat. He went down on his haunches beside her chair. “I’m going to give you some time to get settled in.”
The way his thigh muscles bunched under his thin jeans was mesmerizing. “Uh-huh.”
He unhurriedly ran a finger down her uninjured cheek. “Another day or so, we’ll have dinner and talk.”
Wait. Dinner? She snapped back to the conversation. No way. She pushed his hand away from her face. “DeVries—”
“Zander.” His fingers curled around hers.
God, he was more stubborn than an oak stump. “Listen, I understand why you were unhappy with me, but it’s better if we leave well enough alone.”
“I’m not much on leaving well enough alone.”
“I am. Friends and that’s it.” She gave his hand a firm shake and let go. “Thank you
Charity. It rubbed on a person like a wool saddle blanket. And yet, she did need to get away from her other apartment. “Thank you.”
“Now, you’d better sit down before you fall down.” Abby tugged out a chair at the dining room table and motioned for her to sit. “We’ll play helpless females and let the guys unload the car.”
“Forget the female stuff. We’ll let the Doms unload.” Dixon sat as well, bouncing once in glee. “You two missed the fun last weekend. Like HurtMe pitching a hissy fit at johnboy. He thinks johnboy trespassed on his personal territory when he—”
Drowning out Dix’s voice, Xavier and deVries clumped into the house, carrying another load. Only half listening to the gossip, Lindsey slouched in the chair and watched the men work.
On the next trip, Rona followed them in and walked through the archway to the dining area. Hands on hips, she gave Lindsey a thoughtful perusal. “The way you’re moving your head says you have a headache.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be in administration?”
“Nurses never stop being nurses. Did you take anything?”
“Uh-uh.” Lindsey shook her head…carefully. “Isn’t that stupid? I can’t believe I’m sitting here hurting and didn’t even think of it.”
Rona opened her purse. “I have ibuprofen.”
Dixon jumped up. “I’ll get water.”
By the time she’d taken the pills and settled back, the men—who now included Simon—had finished unloading the few boxes. With every trip, she’d felt deVries’s gaze land on her, as if he thought she’d drop dead if he didn’t keep an eye on her.
When Simon walked over, Lindsey frowned. “I’m sure there’s a rule somewhere that a boss isn’t supposed to help his secretary move.”
He didn’t even smile. “There is. However executive administrators’ assistants are in an entirely different category of regulations.”
Rona snorted. “In fact, according to Simon, the rules are the boss has to order the pizza.”
“I never buck the regs.” Simon glanced at his watch. “Pizza and drinks should arrive any time.”
Pizza? “You guys…” Lindsey’s eyes filled; her shoulders began to shake. No, no, no. No crying. Because if she started, she’d never stop. Blinking hard, she sucked in a breath and pushed the weakness away. “Thank you, Simon.”
“My pleasure, pet.” He frowned as his gaze skimmed over her face; then he walked over to talk to Xavier.
Rona disappeared into the kitchen.
A clinking noise made Lindsey turn. DeVries was coming in the front, tossing his car keys from hand to hand.
Lordy, why did he have to be the one to stampede her hormones? Taken piece by piece, he didn’t seem as if he should be so compelling. The cropped hair was meh. His face looked more battered than handsome. His body—well, okay, his build was even better than any superhero’s. In fact, he was kind of like a really deadly Thor. She sure couldn’t forget what his naked body felt like against her and exactly how rock hard each muscle was.
Gaze fixed on her, he prowled across the room, much like an Anatolian guard dog checking out a potential threat. He went down on his haunches beside her chair. “I’m going to give you some time to get settled in.”
The way his thigh muscles bunched under his thin jeans was mesmerizing. “Uh-huh.”
He unhurriedly ran a finger down her uninjured cheek. “Another day or so, we’ll have dinner and talk.”
Wait. Dinner? She snapped back to the conversation. No way. She pushed his hand away from her face. “DeVries—”
“Zander.” His fingers curled around hers.
God, he was more stubborn than an oak stump. “Listen, I understand why you were unhappy with me, but it’s better if we leave well enough alone.”
“I’m not much on leaving well enough alone.”
“I am. Friends and that’s it.” She gave his hand a firm shake and let go. “Thank you
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