Page 28 of Claimed By the Boss

He tickles under my chin. “Because you’re the only one small enough to lie down on this one comfortably.”

“True. Your decorator was shortsighted.” I sit up and move the tablet I was using to the coffee table. “How much time do you usually spend here?”

“Not much.” His shoulders lift, and I admire the way his bathrobe perfectly frames his chest. He finished his shower an hour ago but seems in no hurry to dress for the day. “It’s farther from my businesses, so I stay in town most of the time.”

Over the last week, Nolan and I have spent more time getting to know each other, and I’ve learned that, besides the nightclubs, he also owns several apartment complexes, buildings with business rental space, and two hotels.

I pull my knees up onto the couch and wrap my arms around them, my bare toes wiggling between the cushions. “We could move to the townhouse.”

His cool green eyes study me. “The family estate has more security. I like knowing you’re safe when I’m gone.”

My eyes drop. I have no desire to run away from Nolan again, and the more distance from Gino, the better. But I also want Nolan to trust me, and I hate that I’m impeding his work. “I would stay inside.”

A finger under my chin draws my gaze back to his. “There are some things I’m dealing with right now. Once they’re resolved, we’ll move to the townhouse.”

My focus shifts to his knuckles, where fresh scabs and bruises add layers to the ones healing from when he took care of Rich. On more than one night, I pretend not to notice that he comes home with bloodstains on his clothes.

“Have you found anything interesting?” He leans forward to grab the tablet and peruse the job listings.

He’s been helping me search for online jobs with project-oriented income instead of hours worked. The Rockford name appears on several of the applications he points me toward, which is another thing I pretend not to notice.

“There are a few data entry positions I qualify for.” I scoot closer, and his arm encircles me. “The pay is enough to cover my university courses and books.”

His thumb strokes my hip. “You’re good with data.”

My cheeks warm at the praise. In addition to car sex, I discovered Nolan’s passion for detailed spreadsheets when I gave him my first presentation on how I plan to return to school without leaving home or taking money from him.

Those pie charts had him tossing me on his desk with my legs wrapped around his shoulders. Since then, I’ve been working on a new presentation that I hope will be equally satisfying.

As he reads a job requirement, my gaze shifts to his bare chest, inches from my face as I nestle under his arm, and his tattoo catches my eye. Though I’ve seen it up close several times now, it still captivates me.

I nudge his bathrobe aside to admire the clock with gears design. Its sharp black lines resemble a company logo, but not the one for Rockford Holdings. “Does this have a meaning?”

He glances down at me and smiles. “It’s a metaphor, of sorts, about being part of a whole. Clocks need all types of pieces to work.”

I trace the minute hand. “Did it hurt?”

“Yes, but don’t tell my brothers.” He tosses the tablet back on the coffee table. “It was a rite of passage. Very manly.”

He’s told me about growing up with extended relatives. He has two older brothers, but with his cousins added in, it’s more like he has five older brothers, with two younger brothers. I can’t imagine having such a large family.

I flatten my hand over his pec and feel his steady heartbeat. “Does everyone have the same tattoo?”

“Everyone in the core family.” The alarm on his cell phone vibrates, and he sighs. “I need to leave. While I’m gone, your homework is to find a couch that we can lie on together.”

Worry fills me as I take in the expensive furniture in the room. “Is there a catalog I should choose from?”

He kisses the top of my head. “Just pick something you like.”

After he dresses and kisses me goodbye, he leaves, taking a piece of me with him.

The more I relax into my new life, the deeper my feelings for Nolan grow, and it scares me. No matter how often I repeat that this could all be temporary, my stupid heart won’t listen.

Ready to bury myself in my new project until Nolan returns, I pad into the office.

I’ve only just dived into my files, though, when the sound of the lock clicking breaks the silence.

Pulse skipping, I hurry back to the entrance. “Did you forget…”

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