Her Guys [Blessed 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (3 page)

Katarina straightened to her full height. “Of course. If you will give me a chance, I will become indispensable.”

Gaven’s eyes slashed down her lush body then returned to her face. “Come in tomorrow at nine in the morning. We’ll see if you can handle working here.” Her eyes lit up, causing his cock to swell. He hoped she couldn’t handle it. His tongue longed to taste all of her, and the beast between his legs was begging to get inside her and stay there forever.

* * * *

Katarina felt like she was on cloud nine. Tomorrow she’d start working for Gaven. It was important that she prove herself quickly. She would be crushed if he was ever disappointed in her. The love in her heart that had been steadily building for him over the last seven years couldn’t stand the thought of him not approving of her. Lunn, either.

A picture of them sitting at a table in the pub flashed in her mind. They had looked so handsome sitting together. Gaven’s playful smile always made her blood sing with happiness and love, but Lunn’s dominating aura drew her to him in a different, somewhat exciting and scary way. Her fingers itched to dive into Lunn’s shoulder-length hair. Would it be as soft as it looked?

If only she could have both of them. Her rational side said that was impossible, but her heart longed for the two of them. Tomorrow was a new day, a day full of Gaven and maybe even Lunn. Jumping up from her chair, she grabbed up the special doll her mom had given her and danced merrily around her hotel room.

Being near them was enough for now. As she twirled past the window, she thought she saw a shadowed figure looking into her room. A chill slithered up her spine. She held the doll closer and received a small amount of comfort. Holding onto Gaven or Lunn would have been a lot more comforting. With nimble fingers, she quickly closed the curtain.

Nervously, she looked around the room and then laughed at herself. Every since she’d left her father’s house, she had felt like someone was watching her. Shaking her head, she decided she was just imagining it. Who would follow her? She wasn’t a superstar, just a silly young woman alone for the first time in her life. In time she would get used to being on her own. She ran her finger over the spot her mother had last kissed the doll and put it back on the nightstand next to her two favorite bears.

Her papa would tell her to keep her phone on her, make sure the door was locked, and remember the fighting moves he’d taught her. The thought of him brought a ghost of a smile to her lips. Although she knew she needed to grow up, she missed him. A part of her always would.

With a shaky sigh, she plopped down on the bed and looked at the TV. Noise was what she needed to chase away the spooky feeling that surrounded her. Scanning the room for the remote, she spotted it on the table next to her glass of iced soda. Deciding to practice her inherited family gift, she murmured, “Magic that hovers all around, please place my drink and the remote in my hand.” She held her breath as both items started moving toward her.

Yes, yes, yes
. She’d done it.

As the items drew near, she reached out her hands. To her utter dismay, the remote moved up and over the glass and was dropped into her soda before the glass lowered into her outstretched hands. She quickly pulled the remote out of the soda and wondered what she’d done wrong.

She had to be the worst enchantress in her family history. Only a few family members had been gifted with the blessing—or curse, as it would seem in her case. It had been over eighty years since anyone in her family had been born with violet eyes. Her eye color was supposed to be proof that the family gift was still alive, but with nobody to teach her, she was failing miserably at her gift. That was one reason she didn’t use it in front of others, and of course she didn’t want to openly be called a witch. She shuddered at the thought of being killed or experimented on just because she had a small amount of power that she couldn’t even control.

Oliver Russell Russalino, one of her ancestors, had married Lily Camile White about six hundred years ago. Lily was an enchantress with dark hair and violet eyes, according to family records. Oliver was madly in love with her. Many thought she’d put a spell on him, but if the family records were correct, an enchantress from their family couldn’t place a spell on his or her destined love. Her heart cried out for Gaven and Lunn to be her destined loves. Old Man Time was the only one who knew for sure, and he was a tight-lipped bastard. If she’d had a mentor, she probably could have cast a spell to find out if they belonged to her.

After manually turning on the TV, she cleaned up her soda mess. She wished one of her enchanted relatives would have passed down a handbook of spells. The last reported one had died in the crossfire of a burglary thirty-five years ago. Annabella and her husband didn’t have a chance at all. Cameras showed them walking into the jewelry store and being shot one step inside the threshold. With her mentor dead, Katarina had a hard road ahead of her. If she ever got any spells right, she’d have to start a secret family handbook. There was no sense in letting any future enchanted descendants struggle like she was.

Glancing at the remote drying on a towel, she doubted she’d ever have any spells to pass on. Most of the witches and their spouses in her family lived for around one hundred and twenty-some-odd years. With a shake of her head, she wished Annabella had lived. Going it alone was painful and depressing.

* * * *

Gaven saw her pull into the parking lot the next morning and wanted to curse the fact that she was fifteen minutes early. Why couldn’t she be fifteen minutes late? Then he could have fired her and started on a plan to seduce her. With those well-rounded hips, she was a perfect match for him. He loved to thrust into a curvy-licious woman. The sound of an aroused female moaning and grinding into him never failed to excite him. He longed to hear all the sweet sounds Katarina would make as she was being made love to. Was she a screamer, or did she shudder and purr?

As she walked in the pub, he had to push down the need to whisk her up in his arms and take her straight to bed. He crossed his fingers behind his back and hoped she would suck at the manager’s job.

The twinkle in her eyes when she spotted him almost made him forget to breathe. She had an unsettling effect on his heart, but his libido didn’t seem to notice. With each step she took, his dick twitched.
Down boy, I haven’t fired her yet.
Letting a smile cross his face, he greeted her, “Hello, Katarina. You ready to get started?”

“Ready and willing, Mr. Walker.”

At her words, he barely held back a groan. Taming his wild mind around her was going to be pure hell. “Call me Gaven, please. Let’s go up to my office, and I’ll run you through a typical day here.”

Or I could run my fingers through your glorious hair as I kiss your neck and bury my hard cock into your pretty pussy.
He took a cleansing breath and willed himself to act professional. At least until he could fire her.

Nine hours later he was afraid she may be good at her job. She was catching on like a pro. No matter what was thrown at her, she handled it well.

The chemistry between them was off the charts. Every time they brushed against each other as they worked side by side during the lunch rush, he felt a zap of energy arc between them. That was new and disturbing for him. It was also unfortunate for him because she seemed to be perfect for the manager’s job.

Gaven didn’t like her!

Katarina had been working for him for a month, and all he’d been was nice to her. Nice was not what she wanted from him. She couldn’t get the image of a couple of laughing, cotton-top sons playing tricks on a dark-brown-haired daughter with violet eyes out of her mind. The violet-eyed daughter couldn’t be right, but that’s what entered her mind. Her arms ached to embrace the children.

Before she could cuddle her children, she had to get naked with Gaven and Lunn. She was sure Gaven was the one holding them all up with his rules or his lack of true interest in her. Sorrow blanketed the air around her. He must not feel the same chemistry for her that she felt for him. After releasing a puff of air, she took a bite of her burger then glanced at the stairway that led to his office.

Doug, the bartender, sidled up to her. “You’re doing a good job.”

A small smile curled her lips. “Thanks, I like this place.” Her eyes darted up to Gaven’s office.

Doug whistled. “Give that one up.”

Her brows drew together. “Give what up?”

Doug’s eyes cut to Gaven’s office. “Him. He never dates his employees.”

She groaned in mortification. “Was I that obvious?”

“The eyes are the windows to the soul.”

With a sardonic tone and a twist of her lips, she replied, “So what you’re saying is that I need to put up some thick curtains.”

Nodding his head sympathetically, he patted her on the shoulder. “That would be a good idea.” He paused then added, “If it makes you feel better, I know he thinks you are very attractive. But right now he needs a manager more than a lover. Plus, that man is no fool. Your value is way higher than two nights in his bed.”

As Doug went to help a customer, she went back to eating and pondering this new piece of information.

Gaven came down the stairs, talking to someone on the phone. He was so intent on his conversation that he didn’t see her. She watched as he bent down behind the bar then stood studying a new employee application. Turning, he headed back to the stairs. He laughed at something the other person said then responded, “That’s the last thing you have to worry about with me. You know I never touch virgins, and I never touch my employees. Your daughter is safe working here.”

Her heart sank as she watched him go into his office. Fretting, she worried her fingers over the sleeve of her shirt. Would he turn her down if he thought her to be a novice in the bedroom? Neither of the partners she’d been with had sparked a fire in her. Sex had felt good, but not great. That was why after only one round of boring sex with each of them, she’d never done it again. Her heart just wasn’t in it with either of them. She couldn’t help but think being with Gaven or Lunn would be the best experience of her life. With a sad sigh, she pushed her plate away.

Why did she have to love Gaven? Of course, that she worked for him was another hurdle to leap. On the bright side, Doug did say Gaven thought she was attractive. But was she attractive enough for him to break one of his rules? If he was one of her destined loves, he’d come around. She just didn’t know how much longer she could wait. She needed him and Lunn. Her heart longed for them.

With a glance at the clock, she realized it was almost ten. The day had been a busy one, so she had taken a late dinner break. A loud noise not far behind her made her look back then jump up from her seat. A tipsy customer in the pub had just fallen down. Doug had cut him off an hour ago, which made her think one of his friends must have smuggled in some alcohol. Three of the four men had glazed eyes. Thankfully their designated driver looked as sober as a preacher on Sunday morning.

Moving to the fallen man, she knelt beside him as his friends laughed uncontrollably. “Are you all right?”

He blinked twice then smiled. “I will be if you’ll kiss my hurts away.”

“Funny.” Deep down she didn’t think so, but he was a customer, and she had to be nice.

“Aw, come on, hot stuff. You could make me feel better in no time.” He stretched his arm out to touch her shoulder.

She backed out of reach then grabbed his hand. “Time to get you up.”

One of his friends called out in a slurred voice, “I’m guessing he’s already up.”

His two drunken buddies burst out laughing.

She thanked her lucky stars that most of the time the customers didn’t party this hard. The man shifted and started getting up. She pulled his hand, guiding him to his feet.

“Why don’t you sit down for awhile? Get your balance back while your friend goes and gets his car.”

He swayed, but didn’t fall. “I’m not ready to leave. You haven’t kissed my boo-boos yet.” His words were so blurred she could barely make them out.

With a harrumph, she glanced at Doug and saw that he was busy with a customer. She looked around for the waiter-bouncer and found that he was gone. This was an issue she was going to have to address. At least one strong man needed to be handy at all times. She longed to cast a spell that would freeze everyone on the property until she could find the bouncer and get her rising anger under control. Too bad she wasn’t able to do that. Maybe one day. Looking back on tonight would be darn good incentive for figuring that spell out.

One of his laughing friends stopped long enough to sputter, “Yeah, kiss his ass and make it all better.” That got them going again. Booming laughter filled the pub.

Great.

“Yeah, darling, kiss my ass and make it better.”

He reached out to touch her, so she swatted his hand away and then turned to the designated driver. “I need you to get your friends out of here. You are all welcome to come back on another day.”

The up-until-now-silent drunken friend spoke up, “You can’t kick us out. We have rights.”

“Damn straight,” said the man still standing next to her.

A spell came to mind, but she didn’t dare utter it. In her angry state she’d probably kill them all, or nothing would happen and she’d look like a fool. Keeping her voice calmer than she felt, Katarina responded, “I understand that you have rights, but as the manager of this establishment I have the right to ask anyone to leave that is starting to get out of hand.” Giving all three of the men her best
you better do as I say
look, she continued. “You three are getting out of hand, so it’s time for you to leave.”

The man standing next to her grabbed her wrist and pulled her around to look at him. “I’m not going anywhere until I get my kiss.”

She pulled her wrist free. “It’s past time for you to leave.” Katarina gave him a hard look. “Don’t test me.” In her peripheral vision she noticed a few of the customers staring and others whispering. She didn’t want to be part of a scene, but it looked like the men wanted one.