Page 11 of Secret Santa

“No, sir,” she said.

Things felt strained between us. There was always a giant elephant in the room, always that charged tension that told me she felt everything I did. I wanted to tell her I’d made a mistake, saying we should forget the wedding ever happened. I wanted to pick up right where we’d left off.

“Danica,” I said softly. “What happened?”

“He’s just a little…” She shook her head. “Nothing happened.” I let out a breath as I watched her.

“Did you bring lunch with you today?” I asked, and she scrunched her brows together.

“Coffee counts, right?” She smirked and I rolled my eyes. I shouldn’t ask her. I knew I shouldn’t, but I was going to anyway.

“Do you want to come to lunch with me, then?” She chewed on her lip, then licked away the hurt once she’d released it from between her teeth.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” she murmured. Yeah, it was a terrible idea, but with each passing second, I cared less and less. So, I pushed. Fuck it.

“Do you ever think about that night?” I asked, and she inhaled sharply. “Do you think about what it felt like to dance with me? Your body against—”

“Aiden,” she breathed, her chest flushing red.

“I think about it every night,” I murmured as I pushed to my feet. Her eyes followed me as I rounded the desk and slowly prowled toward her. I leaned against the desk in front of her, bracing my hands on either side of my hips. “Tell me you don’t think about it.” She sucked on her lip, her eyes still locked with mine.

“I do,” she admitted, her voice barely audible. “But we can’t—”

“Why not?” Reaching out, I twirled a lock of her silky hair around my finger. I knew I was pushing her too far, but something in my head screamed at me to do it. Call it divine intervention.

“It would be inappropriate,” she said, and I smirked.

“You’re telling me you’ve never had a fantasy of fucking an older man? Your boss?” I asked, lifting my brow. Her breath hitched, and she squirmed in her chair. “You don’t have the fantasy of getting fucked on my desk?” Her eyes lowered to the desk, and she pressed her thighs tighter together. “You don’t think about me spreading your legs apart and eating your—”

A knock at the door made my heart jump into my throat, and I pulled my hand back. Her chest heaved as she stared up at me, her full lips parted slightly. Our eyes lingered for another second, then I stood and moved back around my desk.

“Come in,” I called as I sat, my voice strangled. The door immediately opened, and Monica stuck her head in. She gave Danica a look I didn’t like, but I kept my mouth shut. Barely.

“Mr. Lewis called and said he’s running late,” she announced. “He’ll be here at two instead of one.” That’s what she interrupted me for?

“That’s fine,” I said. “Thanks.” My eyes met Danica’s again, but Monica didn’t leave. I huffed out a breath as I turned back to her. “Is there something else?” She pursed her lips into a thin line, then smiled.

“No,” she said, flashing her teeth. She glared at the back of Danica’s head before she disappeared, closing the door behind her.

“I should get back to work.” Danica stood abruptly, and I blinked at her.

“Wait,” I called as I stood.

“Aiden,” she pleaded, and I folded my lips between my teeth at her tone, forcing myself to stop talking. “I won’t sneak around with you. You’re my boss, and that’s it.” I took a deep breath. She was right. I knew she was. Logically, I knew that.

It didn’t make it any easier to accept.

5

DANI

“Mr. Lewis is here,” David announced as he walked into my office. Jon followed him, and I forced a smile onto my face.

My stomach twisted into a tight knot. Knowing we were meeting in Aiden’s office made me feel safer, so I ignored the way Jon leered at me.

“Mr. Rhodes is expecting you,” I said, waving my hand toward his office. “Thanks, David.” He dipped his head as he backed out of the room. Before he disappeared, he made a face at the back of Jon’s head that had me biting my lip to keep from laughing.

I stood, and a wave of dizziness fell over me again. I braced my hand on my desk and breathed through it. I didn’t know why that was happening, but it was annoying me.

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