Misadventures with the Boss (Misadventures #12)(24)

“Always.” Judy nodded, and I gave Piper a significant look as I rose from my seat.

“You’re sure this can’t wait?” Piper asked pointedly, but I gave her a single shake of the head. “I hate to waste everyone’s time.”

“It can’t.”

Without so much as another glance in her direction, I stepped from the room and led the way to my office, holding my door open and motioning for her to step inside.

When she followed, I clicked the door closed behind us and drew the blinds to ensure nobody would be able to see what happened next—and I had a few ideas of how I was hoping it might go.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.

“I think I’ve made myself clear,” I shot back, already feeling better just being close to her than I had all weekend. “You had the weekend to decide, and now I want an answer.”

“So you decided to crash my meeting?” She shook her head. “You’re incredible.”

“But you like it. So tell me, what’s it going to be?”

“I should say no.” She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes.

“You should, which means you don’t want to.”

She was silent for a long moment, her gaze trained on the floor, but then she met my eyes again. “Look, I’m not going to deny there’s something here. Some…chemistry or something.”

“Good start.” I shrugged.

“And I enjoy being with you in a physical way.” Her pink cheeks burned brightly, but rather than commenting, I smiled at her, encouraging her to continue.

“So, I’m interested in continuing our…arrangement. On one condition.”

“And what’s that?” I asked, a fresh wave of triumph sweeping over me.

“I want to be monogamous.”

“You what?” I blinked.

In all the affairs I’d had, of course women had asked me this before, but I had always out-and-out refused. For a man like me—with so many business trips and so little time for enjoyment—I’d never liked the idea of limiting my options.

“You heard me. While we’re in our arrangement, I don’t want you sleeping with other women.” Her chest heaved, and her lively eyes were snapping fire.

“Look, if this is about safety, I always wear a condom. I don’t see what the problem here is. We had a good time, and—”

“I don’t want to be screwing you and sending flowers to other women. It’s awkward and weird,” she shot back.

“I thought we agreed on this being casual,” I cautioned.

“We did.” She nodded. “But I want to only be with each other. The same would go for me, of course.”

“And if I say no?” I challenged.

“Then the deal is off. I’ll see other people. You’ll see other people.”

I considered this. The idea of watching her come and go in front of my desk, some random man picking her up and taking her out. Some other man inside her…

“What if you were monogamous and—”

She cut me off with a laugh. “Ha! Nope. Both of us or nothing.”

I clenched my fist but gave her a solemn single nod.

“Fine, then. We have a deal. But if you check your calendar, I think you’ll also find we both have an appointment to keep, and I don’t like to be kept waiting.”

It was out of character. Totally nuts, whatever this thing we were doing was.

But fuck, I couldn’t wait to start.





Chapter Eleven





Piper





“You don’t think someone will notice us leaving together?” I asked hesitantly.

Of course, I knew by now that not only had this thought never occurred to him, but even if it had, it wouldn’t have made the slightest difference in his plans. Around here, he had rule of the roost, and if he wanted to sleep with his assistant, there was nothing anyone or anything could do to stop him.

I, on the other hand, didn’t exactly feel like walking past the herds of whispering secretaries every day on my lunch break, and I certainly didn’t need anyone thinking I kept my job because I was sleeping with the boss.

Maybe he was the ruler of everything around here, but when it came to this arrangement?

He was going to play by my rules.

As I stared at his Greek God face, I found myself wavering.

Okay, so I was going to try to get him to play by my rules.

“And if they do?” he asked, his eyebrows raised.

“Look, you said we weren’t going to do this on business time.”

“We’re not. Your lunch hour is yours to do with as you please. Unless, of course, you’d rather not.” His luscious mouth tipped up in a mocking grin.

He knew my answer as well as I did. I wanted to go. Wanted him. Even if it was the worst idea in the world.

And now, with his mahogany desk between us serving as a vivid reminder of all the ways he could work my body into throes of ecstasy…

“Fine,” I found myself saying, despite my reservations. “I’ll leave for my lunch break,” I said, lowering my voice. “In ten minutes, you can leave too and then meet me in the bar at the hotel.”