Page 21 of Triple Protection
"You're right. Of course you wouldn't care. You're the best woman in the entire world. What would it take for you to forgive me?" I grin at her.
She leans forward, between the two front seats, before hollowing out her cheeks and tapping one of them with a pretty pink finger. There's nothing I would deny my Babygirl, especially not a kiss. I close the gap between us and lay the sweetest, softest, longest kiss on her cheek I can. That is until Alex clears his throat and my girl pulls back with a gasp, having been completely lost in the moment. I turn to face the front again so she can't see my smile, and adjust my pants.
Chapter sixteen
Angela
Angela
We ride in comfortable silence the rest of the way to Her Secret's Headquarters. I second-guess my reaction to Brick's amputation, but I feel a strange sort of protectiveness over him. The strong, silent type. The nerdy bookworm. The now, apparently, combat veteran with complex PTSD and fear of being touched.
I knew about the crash, of course, but the boys quickly explain the rest of the story. They'd lost a handful of marines and thought they were going to lose Brick as well.
Luckily, the quick-thinking work by the field medics meant he survived, but his leg was the sacrifice. This only makes me more protective of him. He is a good guy, and I hate the thought that he spent one day of his life feeling 'less than' because of the sacrifices he made protecting this country. He should be proud of it. I'm proud of him.
My mind wanders back, not to his prosthetic, but the acres of hard, strong muscles that make up his chest. The smattering of soft body hair between his pecs and below his navel. The deep V the peeked at me above his towel and pointed to...
Nope! Not going there. These are employees! Professionals! I shouldn't...won'tcross that line. I can look and appreciate their beautiful bodies. They work hard to stay in top physical shape. But thinking about them sexually is where I draw the line. They are, without a doubt, stunning men. Physically and personally. Liam with his panty-dropping crooked smile and runner's body. Alex with his deep, broody bad-boy vibe and hair I want to run my fingers through. And Brick. I internally swoon at Brick. Seriously, who doesn't love a mountain of a man, with a bookish nerdy side, whose still waters run deep?
But I can't cross that line. What if I broke out my battery-operated boyfriend while thinking about one of them? And then had to sit across the table from them at breakfast the next day? I'd implode.
Which one would I think about? All three of them? One at a time? I don't think I could choose a favorite. I am no stranger to porn or smut, so I would imagine taking them at the same time. And now I'm thinking of fucking all three of my bodyguards. Holy fuck, that is hot. Heat creeps up my neck at the thought, and I shift uncomfortably in my seat.
The SUV is suddenly too small and too hot.
My phone rings with a FaceTime request from Marshal, but I ignore it. We are just pulling up to the facility and I don't want to be rude or leave Heather waiting. My phone vibrates again with just a regular phone call this time and I let out a little annoyed huff. Liam raises his eyebrow in question. I decline the second call. As Alex pulls in and puts the SUV in park, a text message comes in.
Marshal: "Saw your new boyfriends in the background of the latest pics. Not a good look. Call me."
Me: "Just pulled up to Her Secret HQ. Will call you when I'm done."
The second the car stills, I jump out of the backseat. I need fresh air. Being in a tight car together, with their body heat and individual scents, is causing my libido to swing into dangerous territory. I press my hands to my hot cheeks before following Alex into the building.
The front entrance of the warehouse has been transformed into a chic open workspace with personal desks surrounding a sea of drafting tables. A handful of women buzz and chat and work happily. The feel in the room is one of joy and excitement. I instantly smile.
A heavier brunette with short hair looks up and catches our eye. Heather.
I knew her from the dossier Marshal had put together for me. After she reached out about a collaboration, I had Marshal do a check on her. Too many of these companies had an American looking front but were actually backed by foreign companies using slave or child labor. Marshal had done his research, though, and Heather was as genuine as she appeared.
A heavier-set, single mom, she wanted to create a lingerie line that made her feel sexy. After birthing three kids in as many years and letting herself get lost in motherhood, she found herself in a dark place mentally. To help her confidence and to reclaim her strength and power as a woman and not just a mom, she created a line of lingerie that flattered every figure.
She shared her designs with friends and family and soon there was such a demand she created her first handful of pieces before getting a business loan and opening the shop. She had exploded in the last three years and I love her mission - empowering women. Lingerie was sometimes mistakenly seenas something for the other partner, but Heather's vision was one of empowering the wearer. A shield of armor - an "I am woman, hear me roar." And I love that about her. She almost exclusively hires other women and moms.
As she was starting her business, she also struggled with maintaining the balance between her family and her business, so she employs a completely flexible work environment so mothers can earn an income while still being there for their families when it is important.
"Angela!" Heather shouts, waving at us. I smile and give her a fierce hug. She looks at the men behind me with a raised eyebrow.
Embarrassed, I shrug. "Sorry, personal detail. I'll explain later." She wags her eyebrows up and down.
"You won't hear me complain about spending some time in the company of three gorgeous men!" She winks at Alex, who groans. Internally, I laugh. Heather loops her arm through mine.
"I'm so glad you could come all this way!" Heather's bubbly personality is larger than life and I instantly feel at ease with her. She has a motherly charm that comes from having gone through the trenches and coming out the other side stronger, more confident.
Over the next hour we tour her facility and speak with the women that work there. The vibe I get from them all feels exactly how I had hoped it would. The women are happy to work there, passionate about the mission. Everything is made in that warehouse. If they run out, they simply label the item as out of stock instead of cutting corners to make more profit. The cotton is all sourced from Texas and the surrounding states and organic. Not to mention her designs are simply stunning. She shows me some drafts of new items she wants to add to a new line she wants me to help promote. They are drool-worthy.I could imagine them on me and am suddenly extremely excited for our photoshoot in a few weeks.
Heather agrees to connect with Marshal over the logistics of getting fitted and shipping the lingerie up to me and connecting with the photographer she had chosen for the shoot.
We take a picture together, arm in arm, in front of the front door to her shop.