Read Online Ready to Bear by Ivy Sinclair - Free Book Online Page A

recommendation to relax, her feet propelled her toward them.
    “No way. The 49ers all the way,” Alex was saying as Thea arrived in the doorway. She pulled off to the side so that they couldn’t see her.
    “Are you kidding me? The 49ers have sucked for years,” Billy replied.
    “This is their year,” Alex said confidently. His mouth was full, and Thea made a note to talk to him about his table manners later. “Did you see that first round draft pick? Man, he’s going to be awesome.”
    “Minnesota has all the right moves this year,” Billy replied. “Just you wait and see.”
    She thought that Alex’s sandwich might be bigger than his head. Billy moved expertly around the kitchen following Alex’s directions as her brother told him where to find certain things. The kitchen itself was probably larger than most restaurant kitchens in Copper City. It was more than a little ridiculous with the massive kitchen island topped with the finest granite from some far flung region of the world. The commercial grade appliances shone with shiny metal surfaces that were scrubbed immaculate twice weekly by the cleaning staff. No matter how many times she tried to tell Eric that they could clean up after themselves, he insisted on hiring outside help.
    Thea had reluctantly accepted it only because he got her with the logic that she needed to spend as much time as possible focusing on her job if she wanted to start her own business someday. Whatever time and energy she had left should go to Alex, not toward cleaning up the penthouse. Thea had to grudgingly agree with him on that point.
    Eric had kept his word so far. Even though she had to do some of the shit work that came along with being his assistant, like picking up his dry cleaning and helping him avoid a million unwanted phone calls, he also was giving her a first rate close-up view of what it was like to run a multi-billion dollar company. He had already hinted at giving her a crack at a position running one of his product divisions if she wanted to, but she didn’t want to build a career inside Eric’s company. Her dream was to found and run her own.
    She smiled a little bit to herself and leaned her forehead against the door frame as she watched Billy and Alex interact. It had been too long since Alex had any kind of normal male role model in his life. Their parents were busy spending their retirement traveling all over the world. Eric was far from what Thea would consider suitable role model material outside of the board room. It made her wonder even more about the man who seemed so at ease in her kitchen.
    “Why don’t you come in and join us instead of lurking out there?” Billy asked.
    Thea was certain that in the entire time she had been standing there, he hadn’t looked in her direction. Yet he knew she was there. She cursed silently. Shifter noses. Got her every time.
    She stepped into the room and made her way to the island. She pulled out a stool and settled herself onto it just as Billy pushed a teacup in her direction. Thea gratefully took it and swallowed her first sip. She almost choked.
    “Apparently you and Sophie are using the same playbook,” she said as he looked at her in alarm. Then he had the grace to look embarrassed.
    “You have a pretty sensitive palate. I didn’t put enough in there that you should even be able to taste it,” Billy said. He held up a bottle of whiskey that Thea hadn’t seen before.
    “I’ve been told I have the palate of a world-class sommelier,” Thea said. She didn’t go into why she had developed it that way. “Plus, I don’t drink whiskey that often. Two shots already tonight is too many.”
    “Loosen up a little,” Alex said under his breath.
    Thea wanted to snap at him, but she realized that would be unfair. His surly tone and teenage attitude weren’t what she was upset about. It had taken her too long to get there, but now she was emotionally unsteady and upset over what happened. Suddenly, she felt