Office Grump An Enemies to Lovers Romance - Nicole Snow Page 0,124
in the lab without safety goggles.”
“Why?” Jordan asks.
“Liability reasons,” Grant says with a benevolent smile in the boy’s direction. “If you get hurt in a chem lab wearing goggles, the insurance policy covers it. If not, the shareholders do, and they get mighty upset about that.”
He goes behind the door and comes back with goggles for each of us. “You interested in pharmaceuticals, son?”
“Yeah. Sort of.” Jordan nods, more eager than I’ve ever seen him, but trying to play it cool.
“I’m going to get helmet hair,” I groan, pulling the goggles over my face. The rubber strap in the back bunches up my hair.
“So tragic.” Mag puts his goggles on. “You’re cute as hell with helmet hair.”
Heaven help me, I blush.
“Gag,” Jordan whispers.
Mag laughs and we all follow Grant into the lab. He points out the different chemicals in the lab and what drugs they’re used in before explaining the bewildering production process. He doesn’t flinch when Jordan bombards him with questions.
Grant points to a cabinet of vials filled with bright liquids. “Those are used in chemotherapies. The only reason they aren’t fatal is because each one gets mixed one part to a hundred with more neutral compounds.”
“So if I just grabbed a bottle—” Jordan starts.
“If it got on your skin, it would likely do damage similar to carpet burns. If you ingested it, you’d die. So you’d be wise to keep your hands to yourself.”
“Wow,” Jordan says, and it’s his turn to blush. He’s quiet for a minute. “Do you have anything to, like, wake a person up from a coma?”
We both freeze.
Grant frowns, looking at Mag for an explanation, but he doesn’t give one.
“Hmm, we have a couple drugs to induce—put people into—comas, but nothing that reverses the process. With our drugs, when you stop administering them, they’ll often wake right up. Intravenous anti-inflammatories can sometimes help with brain swelling caused by non-medically induced comas...”
I’m not listening. I just step forward with Mag’s hand on my shoulder, and hug the kid until it hurts.
“She’s getting everything she needs. I promise.”
“Listen to Sabrina,” Mag whispers, roughing up Jordan’s hair.
After a few moments, Jordan says in a very quiet voice, “Thanks, you guys. I mean—not just for today, but for taking care of Mom.”
My heart breaks a little before I pull it back together.
Mag looks over, only for a second, before smiling at his younger brother. “No problem. That’s what families do.”
22
On the Desk (Magnus)
Brina’s nimble fingers clack away on her keyboard on the other side of my desk, a thoughtful look on her face.
On the scale of sweetheart to siren, she’s a perfect ten dick tease when she’s entranced with her work, innocent and oblivious to how bad I want to disrupt her.
I keep glancing at her over my laptop, wondering when she’ll look at me.
No luck.
She’s that focused, and it’s fucking sexy as blazes just like everything she does.
It’s a cool night in March, just past dusk with the stars beginning to shine through Chicago’s light pollution. The days are getting longer.
Jordan’s sleeping over at his friend’s place since it’s Friday night, leaving us a chance to work late on our old stomping grounds. Hugo was the last person in the office, and he left over an hour ago.
That means we’re alone. A rarity and a reminder.
Months ago, I made her a promise, and my cock pulses so hard I almost pass out when it hits my brain.
I’m a man of my word, and an electric tingle flares through me.
Tonight’s the night.
After what feels like an age, Brina looks up from her laptop with a smile like the sun.
“Okay, I just submitted the report. Unless there’s something else you’re working on, I think we’re finished.”
I shake my head.
“We’re not done. Close your damn computer and come here.”
She snaps her laptop shut and slides off the chair obediently, then stands next to my desk. There’s a sly smile on her face, like she’s trying to figure out what I’m up to, but she’s game for mischief.
I stand, straightening to my full length, undoing my tie as I walk around to her side, closing in on her.
My movement backs her up. Her plump ass to die for brushes the edge of my desk.
She’s cornered now, and her wide eyes tell me she has no idea how hard I’m about to fuck her through the floor.
That’s okay, sweetheart.
You’ll find out soon enough.
“Mag?” she whispers.
Stalking over, I seal a finger against her lips, harder than diamond with the heat of her breath