7. Windsor

CHAPTER 7

Icanceled dinner with the others. I was no longer in the mood after Tucker came into the office at lunch. Despite his hurtful explanation for why he wasn't there this morning, I was warmed by the fact he knew exactly what I would like from the deli. When I saw a third lunch in the bag, I knew he'd intended to eat with us but, instead, left because of the way Tanner exploded on him.

For that reason, I believe he was somehow lashing out after Tim had asked me out. He felt hurt that I might be interested in another man, so he wanted me to feel pain as well. I don't like the mind games, but I can at least understand his reasoning.

Jealousy is a spiteful, hateful thing and can make the most rational person lash out. And Tucker Graham is typically rational. He thinks things through before making a move. I witnessed it all day yesterday and during our night together.

I'm starting to wonder if we need to clear the air and talk about that night and what it means for us because I'm not sure about them, but I know I have feelings. A lot of them. Not just about what happened, because it was amazing, but also about them.

Sitting on my sofa in the dark with just the streetlight for company, it's well after ten in the evening when I hear a noise at my door. Glancing over, I notice an envelope slipped under the crack and hesitate to get up and grab it.

After staring at the spot until my eyes blur, I finally get to my feet and pick it up. Looking out the peephole, thinking whoever left it might still be around, I don't see anything. Double-checking that the new locks I installed are in place, I return to the couch with it in my hand. I have no idea what it could be, and there's nothing to indicate who it's from. But it's for me, right? I mean, it has to be. But what if it isn't? What if it's for a neighbor and I open it?

Deciding to shove it in my purse and deal with it at work tomorrow, I head to bed for a restless night of sleep filled with dreams of faceless people terrorizing me.

Waking feeling more tired than when I went to sleep, I drag myself through a quick, cold shower, do my hair and makeup, and get dressed in a simple black, pleated skirt, white top, and pretty, silk vest. Slipping my feet into my sneakers and dropping my black pumps into my bag, I rush out the door without breakfast or coffee, thankful there's a refreshment cart in the lobby at work.

The subway ride is cramped and smelly, and I keep getting pushed around. Exhaling when it reaches my stop, I rush out in a flood of people and jog up the stairs to the street. A quick walk to the Graham building, and I've got coffee in my hand just in time to hop on the elevator.

By the time I reach my floor, I've chugged the entire thing and am in need of another. "Morning, Kathleen." I offer a smile to the woman as she speaks to someone on the phone in hushed tones. I'm assuming it's her husband or one of her children. She gives me a wave as I enter the office.

I nearly stumble when I see Tucker sitting behind his desk, typing on his computer, and Tanner nowhere in sight. After yesterday, I feel unsure about our working relationship.

Deciding to go with welcoming, I force another smile on my face and say, "Good Morning, Mr. Graham," as I sit in my chair and pull out my pumps. I freeze when I see the envelope from last night; I had forgotten all about it.

"How was dinner last night, Windsor?" His tone is less hostile than yesterday.

Glancing over at him, I find him observing me. "Uneventful. I decided not to go. I had some things to do that I had been putting off and needed to get finished." Setting my sneakers under my desk, I slip my purse into the bottom drawer and pretend to be searching for something so I don't have to look at him.

When the silence drags on too long, I sit up. "Oh!" Heat warms my face when I see a fresh coffee and a large blueberry muffin on my desk. Tucker stands in front of me. "What's this?" It's a stupid question, and I know it.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I was an asshole to you when you didn't deserve it." Staring into his eyes, I can see him silently begging me to forgive him.

"Well…" I take a sip of the offering, and it's made just like I like. He must have spoken to Tanner. "We all have bad days. Forgive and forget?" My eyes travel up his frame before landing briefly on his lips, remembering how they kissed down my body, traveled to places no man had explored the way he had.

I can feel the blush hit my cheeks when he says, "I was fucking jealous." His fists clench, and he leans forward, placing them on my desk and getting closer to me. "I was pissed that Tim was flirting with you. He's a nice guy, but dammit, baby, your ours."

I think my jaw must hit the floor at that confession because a sexy smirk drags up the corner of one side of his lips, and all I want to do is lick it.

"I know you'll object, contract and rules and all"—he lifts a hand and cups my cheek, brushing his thumb across my bottom lip and tugging until it glides along the top of my teeth—"but, Winds, baby, we made the rules, we can adjust them any way we like."

Is it me, or is it hot in here?

"I really fucking like today's outfit, too." Heat flares down my body as his gaze travels across my flesh.

"Thank you," I manage to whisper.

His eyes drop, and a frown appears. "What's this?" He taps the envelope from last night, where it sits between us.

I freeze and realize he can feel it because his hand is still on my face, but I choose to ignore the inquisitive look he gives me and lie through my teeth. "Just something from home." Well, I suppose it's not a complete lie.

"Everything alright?"

I don't get a chance to answer because Tanner enters the room, threat clear in his voice. "Brother, if you fucking upset Windsor today, I'm kicking you the fuck out of here, and you can find your own office to terrorize." He looks up from the file he is reading and stares at us and the familiar way Tucker still holds me. A huge grin erupts on his face. "Well, never mind me then. Have we kissed and made up yet?"

"There's been no kissing," I blurt out, wishing I could take it back because they both look at me very predatorily, and I squirm in my seat. The last time I saw those looks, I was flat on my back with a mouth between my legs and another suckling at my breast.

Oh boy.

Tucker

All kinds of wicked ideas enter my mind when I see the lustful look on Windsor's face. I know she's imagining our night together, and I can't wait to do it again, especially now that I've more than voiced our intentions with her.

I have a niggling feeling about that envelope, however. When I asked about it, she froze. Fear entered her eyes, and I knew before she spoke that I wouldn't get an answer out of her.

I'm going to have to let it go for now because she doesn't trust us just yet, and if it is something important, I want her to come to us about it. I want her comfortable enough to tell us her problems so they can become ours as well.

Right now, I'd like nothing more than to kiss her again, but I know she's not ready for that just yet. The three of us need to have a talk about how things will be for us in the office and at home. We also need to convince her to move out of that security risk of a building and into ours, at least, even if it's not with us for the moment.

"Dad is coming by this afternoon," Tanner says as I drag myself away from touching our woman's delicate face.

"He up for it?" I ask as I take a seat at my desk to finish my email with one of our overseas ships that needs work.

"Says Nurse Ratched will be with him." I grin at the reference. Leave it to our father to give the woman such a nickname.

"Nurse Ratched?" Windsor glances between the two of us as she plays with the opening of the envelope that drives my curiosity up ten notches.

Tanner is the one to answer. "Dad had a health scare not too long ago, and then he was diagnosed with high blood pressure a couple of months ago. He had a fall last week, and we forced him to accept the help of a live-in nurse. He insists she's a serial killer in disguise, though, because she's making him exercise as well."

"Sounds terrible," she snickers.

"If you ask him, he'll tell you it's a death sentence." I roll my eyes because our dad can be as dramatic as our sister.

A call comes in, directing Windsor's attention away from us and distracting her from the envelope calling me to open it. Even more so after she puts it in a drawer and locks it. Tanner shoots me a questioning look, and I shake my head. She's hiding something, I know it. I just can't figure out what it could possibly be.

The morning goes by in a flash as we all keep busy. Windsor is digitizing some of our files and creating spreadsheets for our accountant, who needs a more detailed report of the money being spent on the cargo ship I was talking with this morning.

She's lost in concentration, so when our father shows up, she's glued to her screen and doesn't even notice the man until he starts bitching at his nurse when she attempts to pull out a chair for him.

"Oh!" Windsor jumps to her feet. "Hi, welcome to Graham Shipping & Exports. I'm Windsor. How can I help you?" He shoots her a quizzical look before turning a glare on Tanner and me.

"You boys want her greeting people, but you've got her locked up in here? How does that make a lick of sense?" Windsor's alarmed gaze meets mine, and I can't help but grin.

"That's what Kathleen is for," Tanner bites back.

"Ain't she retiring?" Dad counters.

"Yeah, and until that happens, Windsor is in here with us." I cross my arms, daring him to argue. He'd have done the same damn thing with Mom.

"Windsor, this is our father, Dean," Tanner explains.

"Oh, it's so nice to meet you, sir." Her smile softens as she comes around to shake his hand.

"Sir? I like her. You two had better not screw it up." Tanner glares over at me because I almost did already.

"Not likely to happen," I reply, my eyes on Windsor as she moves to grab Dad a bottle of water from the fridge in the corner.

"Thank you, young lady. How do you like it here so far?" He sits in front of her desk, ignoring us and waving his nurse away, my brother and I essentially dismissed from the conversation.

"It's only been a few days, but I'm enjoying it so far. Your sons have been a world of help, and Jessica in Human Resources is so kind with her baking."

"Indeed, she is," he hums. "They been good to you? Sometimes, I think I raised rabid wolves with these two."

Windsor gives a shocked laugh at that as she looks between us, her eyes sparkling with amusement and fondness. "Oh yes, they've been quite supportive."

"Good, good. Now, what about you? How do your parents feel about your first official position after college?" Her face falls slightly before recovering quickly, and I want to pull her into my arms and hold her. I know Windsor still feels the loss of her mother.

"Oh…uhm…well, my mother passed away last year, and I haven't spoken to my father in years." Dad frowns. I can already tell he's ready to adopt the woman and call her his own.

Reaching forward, Dad places a hand over hers. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how hard that must have been to go through. Do you at least have siblings to share in your grief and memories?"

Her head shakes sadly. "Yes and no. The day Mom passed, she told me my father had two other daughters with different women and none of us knew about each other. It's been a process."

"That must have been shocking." He leans forward to listen more attentively.

I don't know what magic our father is working, but he gets her to open up more than we have. "It has been. I hired two private investigators to find them for me. I met one the other day." Tears swim in her eyes. "We spoke briefly, but I didn't have the courage to tell her who I was. I don't like the idea of turning her world upside down if a new sister or two is unwanted." The pain in her voice makes my chest hurt. As much as my siblings can get on my nerves, I can't imagine a life without them in it.

Listening to the two of them talk while pretending to work heightens my attraction to Windsor. I may have been reticent to pursue her at first, but now I'm seeing a side to her that encourages me to give her the future she deserves more than anyone else I know.

A swift glance at my twin tells me he's feeling the same way. We're invested in Windsor, and the more time we spend with her, the deeper our feelings grow.