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1
ROSA FLORES
As I stretched my back and looked around the living room, I couldn’t bat away the exhaustion I felt.
Everything in my body literally ached.
I had just had two days off and was back at my housekeeping job, where I lived on location five to six days of the week, depending on how much my bosses needed me. But despite having had some time off, my body was exhausted.
That’s what happened when you helped watch you sister’s two little terrors under five when they were sick. But even then, I couldn’t stop the smile on my face when I thought about my niece and nephew. They were a handful in the best way. They had so much energy and kept you laughing the entire time. I was always amazed by my sister after I babysat. Elena was an emergency room nurse who worked crazy hours and juggled her kids as a single mom yet never complained all while making it look seamless. Easy almost.
I yawned and shook my head. Nope. I could not be doing that. Yawning would only make it worse, and by the look of the house, I didn’t have time to sit.
I stepped out to the pool area and frowned. It seemed my bosses, three of the hottest men I had ever seen, had thrown some kind of get-together. A party. My stomach dipped and my heart frowned. It probably wasn’t a get together or a dinner party, a small voice in my head whispered. It was probably a date. Or dates. I scanned the room and tried not to frown as I searched for evidence.
Did they have women over?
Mr. Lane, Mr. Brooks, and Mr. Jennings never had women over.
Or none who stayed the night at least.
I should know. I had been working for them for the last six months. Originally from Southern California, a year ago, I moved to Seattle to help my sister when her good-for-nothing ex went out one day and simply texted her that he wouldn’t be coming back. Two days later, Elena was served with divorce papers. And if that hadn’t been enough, he gave up his parental rights to make sure he didn’t pay her a dime of child support. I dropped everything and moved to help her. She was the only family I had left, and she needed me. When I first arrived, I worked odd jobs to help out financially.
Six months ago, my old boss from California called me asking if I would be interested in a housekeeping position. When she told me the details of the pay and benefits, I jumped on it. Even with having to live on the property that much of the week, with the pay, my sister could swing the discounted rate of the daycare center the hospital provided.
I licked my lips and stared at the empty beer bottles by the pristine pool.
This wasn’t like them.
The men of the house hardly had guests over, much less threw what seemed to be a party.
“Rosie?” A deep voice startled me, and I jumped. My hand flew to my chest, and when I turned around, my eyes widened at the man who stood there. It took everything inside of me not to swoon at the sight of one of my bosses.
“Mr. Brooks,” I whispered and tried to calm my racing heart. I wasn’t usually a jumpy kind of person. But the fact the house was so different than usual had my mind running crazy. What the heck have they been up to while I was gone?
“I am so sorry.” He stepped forward. His beautiful light blue eyes seemed contrite. He was beautiful masculinity. Tall, so much taller than me; all three men I worked for and who lived here were. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“You didn’t,” I clipped a little to brusquely and then sniffled. “I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I didn’t mean to sound cranky.” The pressure between my sinuses started to throb, and I shook my head. My little terrors seemed to have passed me whatever bug they had been fighting. Or maybe it was late summer allergies? God, I hoped it was.
“Are you okay?” he asked. I opened and shut my mouth because my nose chose that moment to tickle, and it felt like I was about to sneeze. Thankfully, it passed, and I simply shook my head and cleared my throat.
“Did you need anything?” Like me in your bed? My sex-depraved brain was on a roll. But then again, it had been a while since I’d gone out and got myself any.
“Oh no, I just saw you were here and wanted to say hi.” He smiled, stopping about three steps away from me. I breathed in and stifled a moan.
Casey Brooks always smelled good. Not only did he look like he stepped off a surfing magazine, with sun-kissed skin littered with freckles and light blue eyes that seemed to almost glow when he looked at you, but he had curly dirty blond hair that seemed to turn lighter as the summer progressed.
“Hi.” I smiled tightly, fighting making an ass out of myself again.
“I’m sorry about the mess.” He pointed behind me. “Can I help you?”
“Mr. Brooks, you pay me to clean up after you guys.” The easy smile fell from his lips. His hand rose to scratch the back of his neck.
“But not this kind of mess.” He frowned, and I hated that I missed his light blue stare when he looked over my shoulder. I could see a muscle at his jaw tick almost furiously.
“It’s okay.” I shrugged. “Looks like you guys had a good time.” I smiled tightly, and when his eyes connected with mine, my stomach did a somersault.
“We didn’t. Malcom’s idiot nephew decided to throw himself an impromptu graduation party since he heard we were in Spokane this weekend.”
