Beauty and the Boss (Modern Fairytales #1)(24)

Her cheeks heated, because he seemed annoyed at her intrusion. “We’re leaving.”

“What?” He glanced at his watch and shook his head. “No way in hell. I’ve got at least two more hours of work here on my desk, and it’s only five o’clock. Not to mention, you still haven’t gotten me that report you owe me. I told you it would wait, but I didn’t mean forever.” His tone was dismissive, as if having dealt with her, he expected her to leave.

He was sadly mistaken.

The only way she was leaving was with him.

She crossed her arms and tapped her foot, fighting back the irritation rising within her at his tone. He wasn’t making it hard to resist him with that attitude of his, so it really wasn’t fair that she still wanted him.

Sighing, he glanced up again. “What now?”

“The same thing as before.” She tapped her foot faster. “It’s after hours. The ‘boss’ you has to go away, and my ‘fiancé’ needs to come out to play. We have a date.”

That got his attention. He perked up and pushed his chair back. “In that case, come on over. Give me some sugar, darling.”

She shook her head, despite the way her pulse leaped when he grinned at her roguishly and patted his lap. All she could think was: yes please.

After he’d stopped playing by the first-date playbook the other night, things between them had changed. It was like a switch had been turned off inside of him, and he’d become a different man. It had been hard to resist the more controlled version of him.

This version made it impossible.

Forcing herself to stay still and not climb onto his lap to purr louder than her cat, Lucifer, did when she groomed him, she crossed her arms. “Not quite what I had in mind.”

“Pity.” He gave her a darker, even more seductive look that made butterflies take off in her stomach and explode midflight. “What did you have in mind, then?”

“Me.” She crept closer. “You.” Leaning across his desk, she grabbed his tie and tugged him to his feet. The way he watched her, all hot and possessive, made her thighs quiver. “Leaving, together, in front of the whole office. The rest is a secret that you’ll find out about when we get downstairs to our limo.”

He cocked a brow. “You hired a limo?”

“Nah.” She smiled and pulled him out from behind his desk by his tie. He came willingly, a barely leashed wildness emanating from every single muscle in his body. She swallowed hard, thinking that maybe, just maybe, she’d bitten off more than she could chew with Benjamin Gale. “I called your butler, and he told your driver to be waiting for us.”

He gripped her hip, stepping into her personal space while not technically breaking any of the rules she’d laid out. “How did you get William’s number?”

“I’m just that good.” She yanked his tie one last time before letting go, trying her best to ignore the annoying voice inside of her that screamed for her to kiss him. “Now get your coat. We’re leaving this office, hand in hand, so they see us being super cute.”

He adjusted his abused tie, eyeing her. “You’re being bossy. I kind of like it. It’s hot.”

She shot him a flirtatious smile, saying nothing. She was too busy trying to resist him to be witty.

He shrugged into his dark grey pea coat, never tearing his eyes off her, and a smile lit up his face. When he smiled, he chipped away at every defense she had in place against him. Lucky for her, he hadn’t seemed to figure that out yet. “Are we going to get through this date without you running away again, or should I change into sneakers, just in case?”

“You never know.” She walked up to him and held on to his jacket, staring up at him through her lashes. “We’ll see how tonight goes.”

“So this is a test?” Benjamin grinned and gripped her chin, tipping her face up to his. “If so, I intend to pass with flying colors. I don’t like failing.”

“I’m sure you don’t.” His mother had said almost the same exact thing, but she didn’t point that out. “Which is why you’re doomed for disappointment going up against me.”

He came closer. “Have I told you how gorgeous you look today, Maggie? That red blouse really brings out the gray in your eyes.”

Her heart fluttered, and she bit back a smile at his charming flirtation. His hold on her chin burned her skin and made her insides all jittery. She tried to hide that from him. He didn’t need any more ammunition against her. “I don’t have gray eyes.”

“Sure you do.” He tipped her face to his a little more. “But up close, when you smile, or try not to smile like you’re doing right now, there are tiny little specks of blue, too. I plan on seeing those blue specks a lot in our time together. I discovered something about myself the other night. I like making you smile more than I like anything.”

She took a deep breath, holding it in. She had no idea what to say to that. He’d literally rendered her speechless, making her doubt her ability to maintain her businesslike approach to this engagement, and they hadn’t even left his office yet. “Benjamin…”

“Yes?” he asked, reaching out slowly and curling his hand securely around her nape. Then he lowered his head to hers. His lips were so close. Close enough that all it would take was a quick push from her heels, and she’d have what she wanted from him so badly, no matter how hard she tried to deny it. He held himself back, clearly waiting for her to give him a sign if his kiss was welcome or not. And that was the problem—it was. “What is it you need, darling?”