14
Piper
What the hell? That was one of the Durands? Why did my first impression have to be of a drooling school girl? I mean could I have been any more slutty?
“So that was Marcus?” I tried to be casual about it as I cleaned up the broken glass after having bandaged my finger.
Darren held the trash can out for me. “Yes, one of the six members of the Durand family.”
I swallowed. “Ah, so there’s six of them. Gotcha. Are they all so…” I waved the dust pan in the air. “Hot as hell?”
Darren stared at me for a long moment.
“What?” I gaped at him. “I have eyes. I’m not going to pretend they don’t exist just because I work for them.”
Shaking his head, Darren sat the trash can down. “Listen, Piper. Do your job and try not to break anything. That’s all that matters. As far as I’m concerned, the Durands could look like a pack of rats. It would not change how I do my job and nor should it affect yours.”
I bobbed my head. “Yeah, got it. Do my job. Thanks.” I continued to clean up the mess, my mind wondering what the other Durands would look like. If they looked anything like Marcus or Darren did then I was going to be in very big trouble.
“How long have you worked for the Durands?” I dumped the dust pan full of glass pieces into the trash can.
Darren glanced off to the side. “I’ve been with the Durands for as long as I can remember. Gretchen as well. And if you’re lucky…” he turned his gaze onto me, an intense look in his eyes, “You’ll be with us for a long time.”
“Uh…” My eyes darted from one side to the other trying to look anywhere but at Darren. The guy might be hot as fuck but he was creepy as all get out. “Alright, well, I’m going to go take my lunch break and then get to work on the laundry. So…yeah.” I walked away not making eye contact with him the whole way out.
I kind of hoped that Marcus would be in the kitchen when I arrived. Sadly, it was only Gretchen. She was nice enough and knew how to make some good eggs. However, she wasn’t a tall stoic guy with biceps for days and eyes that would have you drowning in the deep dark orbs.
“Piper,” Gretchen greeted me as I came in. “How has your morning been?”
I sat down at the island and laced my fingers on the counter. “Alright, I did break a few things. Cut my finger.” I held up said finger. “And drooled all over one of the bosses.”
Gretchen chuckled. “Well, I don’t blame you. If I didn’t see them as one of my own I wouldn’t have minded taking a tumble or two with the twins.”
My brows shot to my hair line. “T…twins? There’s twins?”
Stepping over to the fridge, Gretchen winked at me as she opened the door. “Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed dear. Just take them one at a time. That’s how I’d do it. Then…you know…when you’re ready you can see if you can handle them all at once.” She stared off into the distance and sighed dreamily.
For some reason I felt like she wasn’t talking about what I thought she was talking about anymore.
“Anyway,” Gretchen snapped out of her daze. “Would you like a sandwich?”
“Oh,” I jumped up from my seat. “I can do that. You don’t have to make me anything.”
“Nonsense.” Gretchen waved me off, pulling a few packages from the fridge. “The boys rarely let me cook for them. Always so busy you know,” she explained with a knowing look. “It’s nice to have another woman around the place.”
“Oh?” My brows rose. “Do the Durands not have girlfriends? Boyfriends?” I tried to be casual about it but the smirk on Gretchen’s lips told me I didn’t do a very good job of it.
Gretchen put together my sandwich with a secretive smile. “No, not that I know of. What do you think, Darren?”
My head turned to the side as Darren stepped into the room and over to the fridge.
“What do I think of what?”
“Are the Durands seeing anyone?” Gretchen repeated her smile no longer held back.
Curiously, Darren’s shoulders stiffened at the question. He closed the fridge without getting anything and spun around. His gaze hardened on Gretchen who’s grin didn’t even flinch at the daggers he was shooting in her direction. Then he promptly walked out the back kitchen door.
Gretchen sat my plate in front of me. I grabbed the sandwich and asked, “What’s his problem?”