His brother shook his head. "He won't see it any other way, but he will treat us with respect and more than likely give you the money."
"I don't want a gift," he said.
Ryan shrugged. "You might not have a say. Derrick's pretty damn in control of what he wants and when he wants it. No isn't in his vocabulary. Well, except for Court," he snickered.
Sean smirked. "True. I don't know how she deals with that man."
"She's lucky to have him," Ryan noted.
"Agreed."
Sean pulled on his fleece, picked up his bag, and both men leisurely left the locker room. They took the elevator to the ground floor and headed towards the VA Hospital employee parking garage. Sean stepped through the double doors that led to the garage and was hit in the chest by a ball of coal black hair and thin limbs in a navy business suit. Before he could reach out and grasp her, she flew back and landed hard on her ass. Papers from folders skimmed across the concrete floor. She landed so damn hard Sean and Ryan winced.
"Good lord," Ryan said from behind him.
Sean reached down to help the poor girl up. "Are you all right?"
That's when he was struck by lightning. A set of ocean blue eyes looked up at him, frazzled and confused. Lined with black lashes, they hit him straight in the gut.
"Jesus," Ryan whispered.
With his hand outstretched, Sean stood struck stupid, unable to find his voice.
Flawless, milky skin contrasted dramatically with her inky hair. Like a porcelain doll.
She reached up and placed her dainty hand into his. Engulfing her palm, he helped her off the ground. Ryan dutifully chased dancing papers around the garage.
"Sorry." Her voice was soft and delicate. If he hadn't been paying attention, he might not have heard her.
Pulling free of his grasp, her natural warmth left him. An odd feeling of loss briefly washed over him. He watched her brush off her hands and her backside, then pull her jacket into place. Cinched at the waist, that suit highlighted her hourglass figure. It didn't matter how exhausted he was, his body stirred at the sight.
Ryan approached with a stack of skewed papers. "Sorry, they're probably out of order."
"Thank you," she said, again her voice barely audible.
"You're welcome," Ryan said, handing her the papers. "Ryan Millen."
Sean couldn't miss how she zeroed in on his brother's lips. She blushed. "Beth Connors."
"The guy next to me who's lost his voice is my brother, Sean," his dumbass brother said.
Finally Sean shook off his momentary stupidity and rolled his eyes. He stuck out his hand. "Sean Millen. Sorry to meet you like this, Beth."
She turned his direction and zeroed in on his mouth. Her tiny, pink tongue darted out and wet her full lips. Sean could have sworn his dick punched through his sweats. How fucking embarrassing.
Once again, her soft hand ended up in his, but this time her grasp was firm as she finally looked him in the eyes.
"Hello," she said softly. "I better get inside. I'm already fifteen minutes late."
"Nice to meet you, Beth," he said. "Maybe we'll see each other again around the hospital."
She nodded then quickly scooted around him and Ryan and rushed off. He watched her, mesmerized. Her high heeled pumps clicked off the concrete and stone floors, and her hips swayed just enough to make a man drool as she hurried away.
"Man, if you don't go after that, I will," Ryan said. His brother stood just as struck as he was.
"Nope, mine first," Sean claimed dibs.
"Wonder where she works. I've never seen her before," Ryan mused.
They both turned and went to Sean's practical SUV.
"It's an enormous hospital, Ry. There are probably plenty of beautiful women we haven't met," he noted.
Ryan burst out laughing. "Yeah, right. If we don't find them, then tend to seek us out, brother. Our rep precedes us in both hospitals."
And Sean hated that. He knew Ryan loathed it as well, but what could either one of them do? They each hadn't found a woman they were willing to settle down with, as well as one who would be willing to live with their brother-in-law. Many years ago, Sean and Ryan vowed they'd stick together through thick and thin. As they'd grown older, they'd somehow managed to bond even closer to each other. They'd never be able to move out from the house they shared without it affecting both of them. So they needed to find women who were willing to share their daily lives with each other.
Ryan grasped the nape of his neck and hauled him into the side of his body. "Let's get you home. You look awful."
Sean snorted. "Thanks."
"That's what I'm here for." Ryan grinned.
He returned the same grin. How could he not? He loved the hell out his younger brother. Ryan's non-serious nature kept him in check. If he didn't have Ryan, he might lose himself in his sober personality.
2
As Beth rushed to the elevators that would take her to the administrative floors of the VA hospital, she silently berated herself for making an ass out of herself. Of course she would literally bounce off one of the two hottest bachelors in the city. Oh, she'd never met or seen them before, but the Millen men's reputation of swoon worthiness was well known. Clearly this rumor rang true.
Stabbing the button at the elevator, she balanced the paperwork in her hands. She cursed under her breath at the time it would take her to put the mess back in order.
When the doors opened, Beth rushed inside and hit the top floor button. She'd already been running late this morning because of a phone call from her father checking up on her. She often forgot to call in every other day, and her parents worried when she didn't. She couldn't blame them.
At the fifth floor, the doors opened, and three men stepped inside dressed in suits. She recognized them as the VP, Director of Operations, and Head of Security. All three slimes. She focused on the floor, not making eye contact. Part of her felt ashamed she no longer had the confidence to meet people in the eyes, but it was better that way.
The elevator ride seemed painstakingly slow. Glances from the three jerks over their shoulders didn't go unnoticed through her peripheral vision. Some day she might get past those leers. She just wished it would happen soon.
When the elevator jerked to a stop and the doors opened, they all filed out and headed opposite directions. Beth hurried down the hall to her tiny cubicle. As soon as she slid into her space, she slammed the pile of papers on the desk and logged onto the computer to clock in. Once punched into the system, she breathed a sigh of relief and slumped down in her worn office chair. Another day, another dollar.
At noon, Beth slinked out of the building and down the block to the restaurant to get a chicken salad to take back to the office. She was secretly addicted to the menu item. The vinaigrette dressing tasted so good she was positive she moaned aloud with every bite.
After picking up the order she placed online, she rushed back to her cubicle and ate at her desk. Alone. The great part about eating by herself, her mind got to wander back to the man candy that was Sean and Ryan Millen. While she carefully prepared her salad, those sapphire blue eyes of Sean's assaulted her mind. She'd never come across a man with that eye color. The man's chest had been hard as a rock, hence her bouncing off him like she hit the side of the brick building. How old was he? He looked to be in his thirties. He couldn't be older than that. His warm hand had felt fantastic wrapped around her tiny, normally cold hand. She'd bet he was a cuddler. A small snort escaped her nose.
She'd love to ask around but didn't have any friends or acquaintances at the hospital to try to gossip with and find out any info. Oh well, that would be for the best anyway. Not like she was interested or he was. She wouldn't be able to go out with him. Which was a depressing thought. She sighed and sank back into her chair, instantly losing her appetite. Tears formed, and her breath hitched. Unable to stop the droplet that escaped her eye and tried to slide down her cheeks, a swipe of her face, she pushed the salad aside and hid behind her hands. How lonely she'd become. How much she desired to be able to have a Sean Millen in her life, but that was asking too much from the universe. One favor a lifetime, right? She already cashed that in four years ago.
Less than a minute she allowed herself to wallow in self misery. She couldn't afford another period of depression. Or therapy. Closing her eyes, she willed her dark thoughts away. Time to get back to work. She needed to earn money for that necessary new computer and house program.
3
For the first time in what felt like months, Sean felt rested and revived. His three days off benefited him greatly. Except for one thing. Beth. That girl riddled all of his thoughts his entire time off. He didn't know what the hell he was thinking. She couldn't be near thirty years old. That age difference should have him leaving her in the parking garage, but it didn't. Nope. All he envisioned were those ocean blue eyes gazing up at him in utter bafflement.