Room One Hundred and Twenty Nine (Club Sin: Seattle Session 2)

Chapter 1

Haruko

I have a crush on my bosses. All three of them. I have three bosses and for some fucked up reason, they all have to be handsome and nice.

Parker Kincaid. Nicholas Bateman. Elijah King.

Three men who have no business looking so good. And they all look good in different ways.

Parker is that boy next door kind of guy. Sweet, kind, with soft eyes and a charming smile. Parker’s the guy your dad likes, but would kick out of the house if he ever found out what you do in the bedroom. I can see it in his eyes. He has a kinky side. For sure.

He makes a lot of jokes with sexual innuendos, and while I laugh, I secretly get turned on, thinking he might be serious. Like when he made a joke about the length of a contract being as long as his dick. Sure, it might be inappropriate for a boss to make jokes like that, but Parker is different. He’s not creepy and knows when to joke around.

Nicholas has a similar vibe to Parker, but in an “older man” sense. If Parker is a golden retriever, then Nicholas is a German Shepard. Serious and playful. He’s my softball coach as well as my boss and I’ve seen the way he goes from dominant to easy going, depending on the situation. He’s got floppy dark hair that hangs over his forehead, deep chocolate eyes and a wicked smile that makes panties drop to the floor.

Then there’s Elijah. If he’s a dog, he’s a Saint Bernard. Big and grumpy. Makes me want to curl into his broad chest and snuggle. He’s stern and most of the time, he’s got a scowl on his face. I don’t see him much, which is probably good since I’m hanging on by a thread.

I want all three men to take me on a daily basis. But I’m friends with one of them. One is my boss. And I think one might not like me.

Elijah is my dad’s best friend, so he sees me as his friend’s kid. Thankfully, he didn’t recognize me at the interview, which means I didn’t get hired as a favor. I talked about my mom instead, not naming her, but I told them she is a real estate agent and she’s taken me on the job with her sometimes. It’s not the same thing as they do here, but I wanted them to know I’d learned something about the business.

Whatever me or my resume said, I got the job. I was so happy. I had just gotten out of college and was looking for literally anything. Any job. I wanted to start paying off student loans and really adulting. My parents seem to think of me as a child, but now, at twenty-four, having a house, bills, insurance and a job, they finally think of me as a grown woman.

I can’t believe that I got a job working for a multi-billion dollar company, but I won’t question my luck.

Parker comes out of his office, scratching his head, pulling at his neck as he frowns at the paper he’s holding.

“What’s wrong, Parker?” I ask.

He lifts his head and smiles. “Nothing,” he says.

I sigh. “Now don’t do that. I’m the assistant. Maybe I can help.”

He leans against my desk. His cologne hits me, and it makes my mouth water.

“I don’t know. How good are you at convincing someone to sell us their building?” He hands me the paper, and it’s the history of a building here in Seattle. It was built in the 1950s as a hotel. It hasn’t been touched since the 90s when the hotel shut down. Raymond Diamond bought it and so far, he’s done nothing to it. But given how many renovations and the money coming into that part of the city, it could be worth something.

“He’s not budging?” I ask, returning the paper.

“Unfortunately, no. I suspect he feels he could do something with that old hotel, but I’m not sure he has the resources to do it. I don’t think he’s a money guy. He wants to make something special.”

“What if you offer to collaborate on the building with him in exchange for partial ownership rights?”

Parker cocks his head to the side, his blue eyes lighting up. “I could try,” he says. “Thanks for the idea. I’ll talk about it with Nicholas and Elijah. See if they go for it. You know those guys, they’re not fans of negotiating. Especially Elijah.”

I nod my head, knowing full well what he’s talking about.

Thankfully, between the three guys, negotiations happen. Because without negotiation, there can be no successful business.

Parker gives me a wink and heads to Elijah’s office.

God, he’s pretty. I sigh, leaning against my fist. I scan his body, his broad shoulders, short dirty blond hair cropped close to his head, and a very nice ass. I once saw him come to the office from the gym and he was all sweaty with a tight T-shirt. It was so hot. I’ve never wanted to lick someone so bad.

That night, I imagined him fucking me against the wall of his office. His back muscles working, his butt clenching, his hands gripping me, his lips everywhere…

Something dings and I’m pulled from my daydream as Nicholas comes out of the elevator. He’s wearing a light blue dress shirt, a loose tie and slacks. He’s carrying a takeout bag from the restaurant down the street. Pulling out a sandwich, he hands it to me and says, “Pastrami on rye?”

I take it with a nod.

“Where are the other two?” he asks, noticing Parker’s office door open.

“They’re in Elijah's office.”

“Awesome. Well, I hope you enjoy your sandwich.” Before he leaves, he says, “I noticed you’re off next week. Got any plans?”

Daydreaming about the men I can’t have.

“Uh, not really. I’m not going anywhere, so I’ll be at the softball game. I might just sleep all week. And read.”

“Of course,” he says, then nods a goodbye before heading to Elijah's office and shutting the door.

His questions felt like something a friend or boyfriend would ask, but I have a feeling it was just about the game. We don’t have the type of relationship that Parker and I have. Everything we talk about is work related. But it’s nice to imagine, just for a second, that it’s because he’s curious about my life. Even at the softball games, we don’t talk about much outside of work. It's work or the game.

I shake my head and get back to work. If I was going to enjoy my time off, I needed to get as much work done as possible. Parker, Nicholas and Elijah do so much, yet they only have one assistant. If you ask me, I think they each need one. I’ve seen them all come out of their office after pulling an all-nighter several times over the past year.

I think they don’t hire more people because they’re control freaks. In their own way, they like doing things themselves, or they want to keep it between the three of them.

Well, it’s their work and their life, so I won’t say anything unless it affects me. I can handle the workload right now. But if it doubles, I’ll definitely have to ask for help. My dad taught me that, as an employee, I have as much of a voice as the boss and I plan to use it if I need to. So far, everything has been good.

My phone dings and it’s my best friend Dani. I pick it up and read her text.

Dani - I got you a date next week!

Haruko - You did what?!

You can’t avoid dating forever. And unless you quit or get fired, you won’t be dating your bosses. Assuming they’ll date someone without a job.

Dani is my best friend, so of course I told her everything. Including my crush on my bosses.

Haruko - Lol. You’re mean. But also, thank you. You’re right. I should go out.

Of course I’m right. I’m always right. You want to hear about him?

Duh

Well, he’s a guy from work. He’s tall with tattoos. He always makes us laugh. I haven’t talked to him much, but he’s single and he asked me if I knew any single women and said you.

What about you? You’re single, too.

I work with him.

And? He’s not your boss.

I know, but he’s just too… young for me. He’s twenty-four. I want a guy in his thirties or forties. And rich.

I’m glad you know what you want.

;)

Got a time and place?

Maggie’s Place at seven on Friday. He’s meeting you there.

Thanks.

Don’t forget to tell me about it. I want all the details. Especially if you get laid.

I thought I was looking for love, not a hookup. Don’t you want to know if I heard cherubs singing? If I got hit by Cupid?

That’s what Hallmark is for. I’m looking for the dirty details.

How’s that slow burn romance treating you?

I thought you loved me. Why would you give me this book? And what does this author have against sex?

Just trust me. It’s worth it.

I gave my best friend one of my favourite slow burn romances. It’s got one sex scene at the end, but the tension building through the whole book makes it worth it. Don’t get me wrong, I do love an instalove, more sex than plot romance, sometimes. But I’m more slow burn or slow burn-ish, make me earn it, kind of romance reader. Meghan Quinn and Mariana Zapata are my faves!

There’s another slow burn with more sex in it I can give her, but I thought I’d go in the opposite direction that Dani usually reads as my first slow burn recommendation to her.

I’m fun like that.

Dani - Fine. But the next book you rec better have more sex or I’ll never forgive you.

Haruko - Don’t worry. It will. It’s funny too.

Anyway, want to get takeout and have a sleepover?

What are we? Twelve?

No. We’re besties! This is what besties do.

Okay. Calm girl. I’ll come over. You get the food. I’ll take whatever.

I put my phone down just as my bosses come from Elijah’s office. Elijah comes out last with a scowl on his face. His dark eyes scan the room and when they land on me, I give him a big smile.

He doesn’t smile back, but gives me a nod instead. Okay, that’s good. It’s better than ignoring me, which he does sometimes.

“Hey, Haruko,” Parker says, “Can you set up a meeting with Raymond Diamond please?”

“Yes, sir,” I say and shoot Mr. Diamond’s assistant an email asking for a meeting.

“We’re going to try your idea,” Parker says, then nods to Elijah. “He’s not a fan, but he was outvoted.”

“I just don’t like the idea of not having control over one of our own buildings,” Elijah grumbles.

“Well, we won’t have a building to do anything with if he doesn’t sell it to us. Just relax. It’s one building,” Nicholas says.

Elijah shakes his head but adds nothing. He says to me, “Well, just let me know when the meeting is.”

“Yes, sir.” I give him a thumbs up.

He grumbles, then goes to his office, shutting the door behind him.

“Don’t mind him,” Parker says. “He just needs to get laid or something.”

Ooh, can I help?

“Well, we’ll let you get back to work,” Nicholas says to me. I give both Nicholas and Parker a nod, they leave to go into their respective offices.

Their scents linger in the air, and I can’t help breathing deep.

They look good. They smell good. They’re great to work with.

Yeah, I have a crush on my bosses. I’m doomed.