Page 20 of Claimed By the Boss

Warmth rushes through me at the reminder of how pregnancy will change my body, followed by uncertainty. “Am I a prisoner here?”

He tickles the fine hairs on the back of my neck. “Do you want to leave?”

My breath catches, and I resist the urge to arch into his touch.

When I finally settled on the couch earlier, I realized there was no reason to escape my luxurious prison. I’d be a damn fool to give this up and return to the mold-infested single room I rent with the grimy mattress on the floor.

Staying here also means I’m out of Gino’s reach, which gives me time to find a new job and come up with the money I owe him.

If Nolan lets me stay here that long.

I take his other hand to clean those wounds and dab his bruised, scraped knuckles with the damp towel. “What happens after the baby’s born?”

A rumble comes from him, vibrating through the room and echoing in my chest. He takes the cloth from me to set it aside. The scent of his cologne surrounds me, a mix of spice and wood, leaving a trail of warmth in its wake.

My empty hands drop to my lap, fidgeting with the hem of the oversized nightshirt I wear, the fabric fine and more expensive than anything I’ve ever owned. “What if it turns out I’m not pregnant?”

The pink smoothie appears in front of me. “Drink.”

Confused but obedient, I dip my chin and catch the straw between my lips. With a light suck, strawberry-banana sweetness bursts on my tongue. It melted while sitting on the coffee table, turning more into a juice than a slushie, but it still tastes good, and I take a bigger sip.

Approval rumbles from him, reminding me of all the times that sound traveled through my body as Nolan pinned me down in bed, my senses flooded with pleasure.

Heat spreads in my hips, making me squirm, and I tug my shirt forward to hide my growing erection. He hasn’t even touched me, but need slicks my channel. I want to be back under him, our bare skin sliding against each other, his body buried deep inside mine.

Desire quickens my pulse, and my hands cover his around the cup, my gaze lifting to meet his as I suck on the straw.

His pupils dilate, and his nostrils flare as he takes in my scent. “Are you trying to seduce me, sweet boy?”

Embarrassed that I was so transparent, I look away. “No, I…”

A finger under my chin pulls my focus back to him. “You can seduce me, Leo.”

My pulse races beneath the intensity of his stare. “How?”

Leaning past me, he sets the smoothie on the table. Warmth radiates from his body, his arm brushing against mine, and his voice fills my ear. “You want me to teach you?”

Breath catching, I nod.

His lips skim across my cheek. “Open your mouth, and let me taste the strawberries on your tongue.”

9

My pulse races as Nolan’s lips claim mine, his tongue sweeping in, sending tingles through my body.

I lean into the embrace, reveling in the pineapple-coconut flavor that lingers in his mouth, the way the short bristles of his five o’clock shadow chafe my skin, and the heady scent of his pheromones rising to surround me.

Desire curls in my stomach, and I press a hand over the front of my nightshirt to ease the ache of my erection. It’s too embarrassing for a simple kiss to bring me this much pleasure, but everything about Nolan overwhelms me, turning me into a puddle of want at his feet.

“Mmm, sweet.” He straightens and leans against the couch, spreading his arms across the back. “It’s too bad you want nothing from me when I’m in such a generous mood right now.”

Panting, I stare up at him in confusion. “I don’t… I thought you…”

“This is when you tell me what you want me to do to you, Leo.” He spreads his knees wide, making the bulge in the front of his slacks obvious. “Be brave. Ask for anything, and I’ll do it.”

Hands trembling, I hesitate before placing them on his thighs. “I want to touch you.”

At his rumble of encouragement, my palms slide higher. Strong muscles bunch beneath the material, and his eyelids drop to half-mast as he watches me.

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