Boss I Love to Hate: An Office Romance(51)

“Everything makes sense now. Those late-night meetings that surprisingly increased right before he dumped me.” She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. “How could he? After all I put into our relationship. After I introduced him to my parents and after I swore to my dad, who has guy radar, that Jeff was a good one.” Her hands were clenched at her sides. “How could I have been so stupid?” She pointed back at the reception hall. “That new girl, my replacement, isn’t even his type. Fine, if you’re going to upgrade, but to someone totally not his type? Who does that?” She swiped at her tears streaming down her face. “I wonder what they have in common. Bunny sex? We had great bunny sex.”

Sex with Jeff was the last thing I wanted to hear about.

I took a step toward her, pulling her in by the elbows. “Stop.”

This was worse than seeing Sarah or Mary cry. I didn’t know why, but it was. Maybe because I hadn’t seen Sonia cry before, and my Sonia was strong and sassy and unbreakable.

“He didn’t deserve you.” My hand moved up to cup her face, my thumb brushing away her tears. “I wish you could see what I see.” I leaned in closer, taking in the scent that was signature to only Sonia, the scent of sweetness, wholeness, and honesty. “She’s not smarter than you or even remotely more beautiful. She can’t hold a candle to you, Sonia. And you know I never bullshit about anything.”

We stood there for a beat until she placed her hand on top of my mine on her cheek and let out a small, shaky breath.

When I heard a noise, I lifted my head to see that Jeff had rushed through the doors, and I didn’t think. I simply reacted. I wouldn’t let him win. I couldn’t let him see how he’d affected her, and I knew she wouldn’t want that either. Sonia had too much pride.

So, I leaned down to press my lips against hers. I heard her intake of breath before our lips met, but me? I thought I’d stopped breathing altogether because I wasn’t expecting the shock of her kiss.

Undeniable heat, uncontrollable lust, and one hundred percent desire—unlike the pretend kisses I’d planted on this woman before. I hadn’t expected her lips to be so soft, so delectable, a contrast to the friction of heat fused between our lips. I hadn’t expected her to taste like strawberries, even when she had just had a Long Island iced tea. But, most of all, I hadn’t expected to be so aroused.

When she didn’t stop me, my other hand moved to her waist, bringing her closer, flush against me. My lips moved over hers, and when she kissed me back, I flicked my tongue, outlining the seam of her lips. She didn’t fight me, and a moan escaped from the back of my throat, a sound I didn’t recognize. I bit her bottom lip and angled closer, almost bending her backward. She tasted exquisite, like a sweet wine, and I couldn’t stop.

I didn’t want to stop.





Sonia

Holy mother-freaking crap. Who knew if it was the liquor or my moodiness or even revenge that had me kissing Brad? All I knew was that this kiss, his kiss, was beyond magnificent. His lips were like magic, as though he had been born a kisser. As though he’d gone to school for it, studied it, perfected it, and now, women everywhere stood in line to get a taste.

The movement of his lips over my top and bottom lip was soft but urgent, lulling me into a stupid kissing stupor. Maybe it was all the practice he’d had before me, or maybe it was just raw, natural talent.

His mouth moved against mine in uninhibited want and need and pure, unadulterated lust, and I gripped him harder, more desperately, clutching his arms, pulling him closer. I deeply inhaled his masculine scent, filling my senses, making me dizzy and light-headed.

I can’t believe I’m kissing Brad—my boss. And, as soon as that thought filtered through my head, it was as though I’d been doused with a bucket of ice water, and slowly, I pulled back.

Our eyes locked, and he leaned in again for another kiss until I put a hand on his chest.

What the hell did I just let happen?

I pressed one shaky palm to the hollow of my neck. My heart was beating a mile a minute, my breaths coming in short, broken puffs, as though I’d just run a marathon.

This is crazy. Crazy, crazy, crazy!

And Charles, his brother, was going to kill me, kill me, kill me.

And Brad was going to fire me, fire me, fire me.

“What was that?” I asked, not expecting him to answer.

He blinked as though he were just as dazed and confused. Then, he stepped back and ran one shaky hand through his dark locks. “I don’t know.” He eyed me for a nanosecond and stepped into me even though we were already toe-to-toe.

I didn’t know how to get us back to our normal when I couldn’t even get a solid thought through my head because all I could think about was that kiss and his lips—his magical, talented lips.

Then, Brad pulled at the edge of his suit and straightened, and the boss man was back. “Jeff was there.”

“Where?” My eyes perused the area, looking everywhere behind me.

A few people had congregated around the garden, and by the looks on their faces, we had caught their attention.

“He was here, and I knew you wouldn’t want him to see you crying.”

“Oh,” was all I could say. “Thank you.”

Brad laughed deeply. “No. Thank you,” he said with a devilish smirk gracing his lips.