CHAPTER 26

Jane

I stared at my suitcase open on my bed for a long moment. I was going to a beautiful resort for my job tomorrow. I had plenty of sundresses, casual work clothes, and a couple of nicer things for any fancier occasions. I had packed four pairs of shoes and some various accessories before I went to make myself some tea. I went over my stuff in my head once again as I waited for the whistle, wondering what Brent and Brandon would be wearing there. They backed off from me at work, and I acted like they didn’t affect me, making it a relatively pleasant work environment. I knew from Google that they were out doing their thing and I had a drawer full of new friends that worked them out of my system on a nightly basis. I giggled as I thought about packing some and getting caught by the airport. That would be so embarrassing since a lot of us were flying together. I would figure something out there. The friends I’d made at the office included a guy named Nate, who was handsome enough and kind but he wasn’t the sexy twins that I worked for. I didn’t have the heart to use him for my first time when it wasn’t even him that I was thinking about.

If that were to happen at all, it would be with someone there that I’d never see again. Ever.

I finished and set the bag by the door as I folded some jeans and a tank top to wear tomorrow. It was expected to be warm where we were going, so I only planned to wear the jacket to the airport tomorrow. I slipped into a t-shirt and found a book on my Kindle to read in bed as I let myself relax. This was going to be work, but it was also going to be fun. There was a fantastic beach and several pools to find peace at, as well as a few clubs and bars to let loose at. My move to New York was the biggest experience of my life so far, and I wanted to live a little.

I looked in the drawer beside me, thinking that I should spend a little time with my favorite toy before I left. I grinned and set the book down to reach for it, going to my stock images of the twins in my head to use as my fantasy. I finished and put it back before sipping my cooling tea and closing my eyes. If this stuff made me feel this way, I could only imagine what a man would feel like.

I rose to shower and get ready for the flight, sipping coffee to wake up as I put on a little makeup and add a few last-minute things to the bag. There was a car service picking me up, and I made a quick walk through the apartment to make sure that everything was ready to go. I was thankful that I didn’t get the kitten I’d wanted for the last year at this moment so I could leave without worry.

The flight was quiet since a lot of people seemed to sleep through it. It was a day’s worth of traveling, and even I dozed off since I got caught up in my activities last night. The twins weren’t with us, making me assume that they had a different flight or perhaps chose first class. I didn’t care how I flew, though this plane was beautiful and spacious. I just wanted to be in the ocean.

We arrived around seven in the evening, though my body was a little off. Not nearly as much as I expected, though. We took shuttles to the resort and got settled in before the casual night in the hotel bar meeting everyone. I walked into my fifth-floor room, and my mouth dropped open. It was large with whitewashed walls and a huge bed against the wall that faced the windows and the balcony. Those windows offered an impressive view of the pretty blue ocean and a long stretch of beach that I would be on every chance that I got. I put my clothes away with the door wide open, breathing in the salty air as I worked and looking out quite often. Once I was done with the clothes portion, I stepped into the bathroom and took a long look at the large space with a luxury shower as well as a claw tooth bathtub. “They didn’t cut any corners, did they?” I asked myself softly as I got my things arranged on the counter.

I showered and put on some more makeup to make myself look like I didn’t spend an entire day on a plane. Slipping into a short red, clingy dress and some black strappy heels, I took one last look in the mirror and slipped my room key into the small black purse that I slid over my shoulder. I took the elevator to the bar and walked in, seeking out familiar faces at the door. I found the corner that my people seemed to be gathered in and joined them, accepting Nate’s offer of a drink. Slowly but surely, we met up with some of the other companies that were attending the conference and were soon talking and laughing.

Admittedly, I kept looking at Brent and Brandon. They wore low-slung jeans and casual button up shirts in varying shades of blue as they sipped what looked like whiskey and talked with some of the guys. There were plenty of women taking them in, but the guys didn’t seem to notice all that much. They were just talking, and taking peeks at the sports playing on television as I tried to focus on the group that I was in. They were fun and would have kept me laughing if I wasn’t distracted. After about an hour I started looking at the door, and Nate took notice, asking me if I wanted to walk on the beach with him.

We left, and I slipped off the shoes gratefully to trudge through the sand, Nate beside me as I took it all in. It was stunning, and I couldn’t wait to come down here in the morning or afternoon tomorrow if I had a chance. “Wow,” I murmured as I heard him laugh beside me.

“First time at a place like this?” Nate asked as I nodded and glanced at him, asking the same. Nate shrugged and said he regularly vacationed at places like this as I nodded. He seemed to have an air of wealth about him that was not nearly as sexy as the twins, even though he was nice in a surfer guy kind of way. We walked down the beach and back towards the hotel as he reached for my hand, making me tense up. “Jane, I think you’re a gorgeous woman.” I shook my head. “I’d like to spend some time with you here.”

“I can’t. I mean…I don’t see coworkers like that.” I shot him an apologetic look in the moonlight and shrugged. “You know how that turns out, right?”

“It doesn’t have to. There aren’t any rules about it, you know.” Nate tugged on my hand a mile or so from the hotel, and I pressed my lips together. “It could be fun.” I felt dread fill me as he pulled me back towards him, focused on the figures walking towards me before Nate turned me around. I wasn’t scared of him, but I didn’t want this, not letting on to anybody just how innocent I was. “Come here.”

“I have to go, Nate.” I tried to sound casual as I pulled away and he tugged again. “Stop it.”

The shadows drew closer to us, and I pulled hard as I got free from Nate, surprising him so much that I fell forward on the sand. “Are you okay?” A familiar husky voice asked as I blushed and looked up. It was Brent with Brandon just behind him, shooting a dark look at Nate.

“Fine. I just fell, that’s all.” I let him help me up and moved closer to him as Nate watched me. “Good night, Nate.” I left, and the brothers walked with me easily, making me shiver under their gaze as Brandon held my shoes in his hand.

“Are you really okay?” Brent asked as I took a breath.

“He didn’t do…anything. Not really. I just didn’t even want it to begin,” I admitted as I shivered in the ocean breeze. “I don’t know why I walked with him out here.”

Brandon opened the glass door to the lobby, and I wandered towards the elevator, still shaking. He wrapped a strong arm around my shoulder and pulled me against his body as heat washed over me. Brent pushed the button for the elevator, and they took me to my room as I looked up at them. “Why were you guys on the beach?”

“Saw you leave with him and wanted to make sure that everything was all right,” Brent replied as my eyes widened. Brandon handed me my shoes as I stood in the open door, looking at me closely. “Are you okay to be alone?”

I licked my lips as they both watched me. There was a part of me that wanted to tell them no. That girl wanted to tell them how much I was craving them and that I wished it was them on the beach with me instead of Nate. It seemed like a good place to be with the right man or men. I couldn’t choose one of them and silence fell between us. “Yeah, I think so. I’ll see you tomorrow morning in the conference room.” I hated the words.

“Sleep well, Jane.” Brent looked at me one more time before he turned towards the elevator, followed by his brother. They waited for me to close and lock the door as I leaned against it, taking a slow, deep breath. I walked forward to close the curtains after cracking the window open just enough for some air. I went to the bathroom to strip off the dress and slip into a soft cotton nightgown and wash my face.

Sitting on the big bed alone with the television on seemed to soothe the discomfort from the evening for me. Nate never threatened me and any that there might have been was handled by Brandon with a simple look. No words were said, but the brothers conveyed a lot with their actions, being protective and caring all in the same beat. It only made them sexier to me, and I dropped back onto the pillows with a sigh. I fell asleep there, waking up to the light of the sun slipping through the crack of the blue curtains. I rolled to my side and looked around the strange room before thinking back to the events of the night before.

Glancing at the clock, I realized that I had about an hour and a half before I had to go downstairs. I made coffee in the cute little coffee maker and opened the door to take it outside and look over the water. I played back the part from last night where Brent asked me if I was okay and I caught his intense gaze. His concern was apparent in his eyes as well as anger, and I remembered how I scooted close to him without a second thought.

God, it was so easy. I sipped my coffee again and looked around, feeling like I was in paradise.

I showered and dressed in a gray pencil skirt and soft yellow button up shirt with cap sleeves after my light makeup was on. I slipped my feet into heels to match the skirt and slipped my tablet, wireless keyboard, and a notebook with a pen inside of a dark purple messenger bag. My hair was in a loose bun at the name of my neck today for comfort, and I took one last look in the mirror before slipping the key into my bag and going to the elevator. There were a few familiar faces, and I smiled at them as we all said our good mornings. I didn’t get to know too many people that well last night to use names, but there would be time for that throughout the week. Once we were in the lobby, I took a long look around before heading to the back wall where our morning meeting was going to be held.

The room was beautiful with a large space full of tables and a lot of windows. I was surprised to see a breakfast buffet set up in the corner and a big one at that. I searched the room for Brent and Brandon to see them holding a table as I walked over and sat down beside Brent with a grateful smile. “Thanks again for last night.”

“It wasn’t a problem, Jane.” He gave me a serious look as I nodded and stared at the table. They were wearing black slacks and white shirts with ties that made their eyes a beautiful blue as I swallowed thickly. I wanted to tell them how much I wanted them to come into my room with me and make me forget the slice of fear that I felt on the beach. I wanted to tell them that I wanted them to be the ones touching me, but remembered how I reminded them that nothing would ever happen between us. How would it look if I took all of that back after things seemed to be better between us?

It would look weak.

Brent stood and went to get a plate, assuring me that he’d bring me something back. Brandon remained for a moment, searching my face before he rose to follow Brent as women watched from all over the room. God, in the natural light of this room the guys were breathtaking. They had a commanding presence without the good looks, and even I stared as they walked through the various food offerings as well as stopping by the espresso stand before returning to me. Brent had a plate of fresh fruit and some breakfast pastries while Brandon slid a strong cup of coffee across the table at me.