“Hey, Jessie.” Phoenix’s voice pu
lled her from her thoughts. He stood in the doorway, shamelessly showing his entire naked body. His cock was rising. “Get in here. You want to get back to your work fast. One shower for two is faster than two showers for two.”
“When I first met you, I thought you were the serious brother.”
“With everyone but you, I am. Now, get your hot little body in here. I promise to get you nice and clean.”
She knew she shouldn’t, but he made her feel more wanted than she knew possible. What the hell, the mine isn’t going anywhere.
“Yes, sir.” She sent him a mock salute and headed into the bathroom for what she expected would take longer than two showers.
Chapter Five
Jessie walked beside Phoenix to the Wilde Mine’s on-site offices. She’d been to the company’s in-town suites with their marble floors and mahogany furniture. What a fiasco.
The receptionist there, an elderly woman named Edna, had promised that Austin Wilde would be with Jessie shortly. The woman had ushered her to a conference room with a huge table with twelve leather chairs, then left. Several hours later and still no Austin, Edna had informed her that the eldest Wilde brother was at the mine and wouldn’t be returning.
After learning about the on-site offices from Edna, she’d tried, and failed, to arrange a meeting with Austin. Selby, his secretary, had said he was working in town and to try there. This went on for days. Jessie wasn’t a fool and knew the two women had been sending her on a goose chase.
Phoenix told her the suites in town were for show, unlike the ones they were about to enter. Austin worked almost exclusively at the mine from his office there.
“Angel, this could get ugly. You ready to meet my brother?” Phoenix asked.
“Beyond ready.”
Several of the miners looked at them with curiosity, but none spoke to them. A couple of them frowned at Phoenix, but he acted as if he didn’t notice. Jessie felt like the most hated woman in Nevada, and she bet that Phoenix looked like Judas to these men.
When she and Phoenix stepped up to the office of Austin Wilde, Selby sat at a desk by the big oak door. The woman was a tiny thing with long, blonde hair. She shot Phoenix a big, toothy grin. “Good to see you.”
He frowned. “Cut the crap, Selby. Where is Austin?”
“In town.”
“Bullshit.”
Selby shook her head. “I know you and Dallas don’t come off your family’s ranch very often to visit us, but you should understand that kind of language is inappropriate here, Phoenix.” The woman turned to her. “Ms. Greene. How may I help you?”
Phoenix slapped his hand down on the desk, and the secretary jerked her head back around, facing him. “Austin is on his dinner break, right?”
The woman answered nervously, “Yes, but—”
Phoenix grabbed Jessie’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Selby picked up the phone.
Phoenix cursed, “Damn it! Don’t even think about it.”
She hesitated, holding the phone’s receiver in her hand. He glared at her, and she put the handset back in the cradle.
Jessie liked how Phoenix’s commanding demeanor and tone had the woman snapping to obey. She doubted even she could resist him if he ever spoke to her that way. He put his arm around her, placing his hand on her hip. Jessie felt a bit of moisture in her panties.
“You ready?” Phoenix asked.
Selby’s eyes crinkled up, and her lips turned into a jealous frown.
Jessie knew she shouldn’t be happy with being touched by Phoenix and the young woman’s response, but she was. In fact, she was thrilled. “I am.” She’d never been good at keeping secrets anyway.
It took them five minutes to find Austin Wilde’s location. The place looked like a men’s locker room. The man who’d been avoiding her for days sat on a bench alone, reading some papers while munching on a sandwich. As she and Phoenix stepped into the room, Austin looked up. Like his other brothers, he was incredibly handsome. He wore a black shirt and jeans. Jessie spotted what looked to her like depth and fierceness in his dark eyes. His goatee made his features even more comely. He stood up, revealing a six-foot-three stature.