Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
At home, Jessie gives Goldfish a treat while I prepare a snack for her. After she eats, I send her outside to burn off some energy before she does her homework. While she plays on the swingset, I get back to work.
There’s an email from my manager that apparently came in just after I logged off earlier. It’s an invitation to attend a celebratory event at the corporate office today at five. In her message, she apologizes for the last-minute notice, and says the event isn’t mandatory, but that it would be nice to see me there.
I’ve only been to the office a couple of times, and this would be a great opportunity to foster relationships with people there, so I’m frustrated, because the timing is impossible. I hope to eventually move up the corporate ladder, and making my presence known would definitely help, but I can’t leave Jessie alone, and I can’t take her there with me, no matter how understanding my bosses are. Marissa won’t be home for at least another hour.
I’m resigned to missing the event and composing an email to send my regrets, when, through an open window, I hear Jessie squealing with laughter and G barking excitedly.
My neighbors’ heads appear over the fence. Cam and Wyatt are tossing a ball into the yard and Jessie’s tossing it back.
My stomach flutters with excitement, but I remind myself to tamp that down. My desire for those men cannot exist in the same realm as my daughter.
I can’t look away though, and while I thought at first that Jessie was returning a ball they might have accidentally thrown over the fence, the three of them are continuing to toss it back and forth. They’re playing a game. Goldfish is playing too, running after the ball anytime Jessie doesn’t catch it.
I force myself back to the screen, and am about to continue my message when I get an idea. Since the men are already playing with Jessie, could they possibly watch her while I run to the office?
CHAPTER 29
STELLA
I head out the back door, ignoring the impulse to check my hair and makeup first. When the men see me, their smiles grow bigger, and Cam almost misses the ball that Jessie threw his way.
“Hi!” I wave at them.
“How are you?” they call over.
When I reach the fence, I ignore all the butterflies in my stomach and explain that I just found out about a work event. “Is there any way you could stay with Jessie for about half an hour or forty-five minutes? I just need to put in a quick appearance at the office.”
“Sure,” they say easily.
Turning to Jessie, I ask, “Is it okay with you if the neighbors come over to watch you while I run into work?”
My daughter is so excited, she literally turns a cartwheel.
“We’ll be right over,” Cam calls as they disappear from view.
They arrive at the front door minutes later, their Clue game in hand. “Take your time,” Wyatt says. “We’ll be fine here.”
As I drive off, I second guess asking them to babysit. Even though I won’t be gone long, it’s a pretty big favor to ask, but they seemed up for it, and Jessie sure was happy.
When I arrive at the office, I send a text to the guys to check in, and they tell me all is well, and to enjoy my event.
Community Bean is celebrating an outstanding quarter. There’s food and drink in the office’s big break room, including samples of new coffee drinks and bakery items that will soon be in the company’s coffee shops.
My manager seems glad to see me, and I get to talk with some people I’ve only ever interacted with through a computer. Before I leave, the owners, Ana’s men, Derek and Jansen, find me and tell me they’ve heard good things about the work I’m doing for the company.
All in all, it’s a great little event, and I’m grateful I was able to go.
On the way back to my car, I text the men again to let them know I’m on my way.
“Good!” Cam writes, adding a silly emoji. “Jessie’s just beaten us at Clue again.”
“It’s a good thing we’re not playing for money,” Wyatt says.
During the drive home, I wonder when they might ask me out again. Or if I should ask them to go out, especially since I originally told them I was only going to go on one date with them.
Of course, I also told them they couldn’t kiss me again, and they sure found a creative way to break that rule!
My mind wanders to all the ways they kissed almost everything except my mouth, and then I think about all the things I’d like to do to them the next time we’re alone together. It’s not fair that I was the only one to have orgasms.