Page 15 of My Forbidden Boss

Now I’ve eaten, David tells me about Blue Sky. Discusses my tasks for the next day. Tells me I’ll be on my own because Andrea has personal business to take care of. The conversation is fluid as I ask him questions. I’m intrigued by Blue Sky, what he does and excited with what he wants me to do. I’ve never had a job like this. Had never thought to rise beyond waitressing at Bob’s Burgers. With the lack of education, being the poorest of the poor in small town USA and caring for my disabled mother, I don’t have a lot of options.

“Did Max Bourke scare you?” David asks, crashing through the food coma that lulled me into a false sense of security.

“What?” My head snaps up.

“At the gala. Say the word and I’ll put him in his place. I don’t tolerate bullying of my employees. Even ones who have only worked for me for a day,” David says, his voice all sharp blades of steel.

The fullness in my stomach turns into a rolling boulder. I sit straight, willing myself to ignore the nausea rising up my throat. David curses. “You’re safe with me, Adeline. I’ll make a call to him tomorrow.”

“No, please. Don’t…” A call from David will only make things worse for me. Sometimes bullies don’t stand down. Not when there’s a billion dollar building project up for grabs. Not when Max Bourke has a handhold against his biggest competitor, giving him a huge advantage. Not when it comes to protecting Mom. Not when I’m the one committing corporate espionage and there’s no way I have the funds to protect myself if I’m put on trial.

David’s not stupid. Not by a long shot. If he doesn’t suspect anything now, it will only be a matter of time.

I notch my chin before he can talk. “I don’t expect anyone to fight my battles.”

I never brought home any of the stuff that happened to me at school, or Bob’s. It’s hard enough for Mom without listening to my day. So I keep it to myself. Keep it locked away from her. She’d freak if she knew what I was really doing here. I’m not on the sight-seeing holiday she thinks I’ve taken.

The moment stretches and I’m on the brink of fidgeting when he says. “No. You don’t, do you?”

David signals for the check. The waiter returns with a box and dinner is over. I’m relieved and a new mix of emotions flutters through me, twisting and fighting for prominence. David makes me put his coat back on before we step outside and I sink into the material that holds his scent.

He guides me to his car but I don’t get in. I absolutely don’t want him to see where I live. If he left his car on the sidewalk, there’d be no promise it would be there when he came back that part of the city is so bad.

“I’ll walk from here,” I say, setting a polite smile on my mouth.

He spears me with another long look, as though he decides if he’ll let me go or not. His expression is blistering, but I’ve stood my ground against bullies all my life. I’ll withstand a look like that any day over the hate-filled venom I’ve received.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Eight sharp,” I say and go to walk away.

“Wait.” I stop because his voice is whip sharp. He thrusts the box into my hands. It’s warm and smells delicious. “Try the spaghetti. It really is good.”

I gasp, looking up at him because he ordered this especially for me, but he’s hailing a cab. It pulls up all gleaming yellow and too expensive and I step away. I’m never going to afford a ride when David shoves a card into my hand. “It’s a company card. Use this for the cab fare. Bring some breakfast for both of us tomorrow. We have a busy day and I don’t want my latest employee fainting because she only eats noodles.”

He ushers me into the cab and I peer at him through the window as the cab pulls into traffic. He watches until I can’t see him anymore. The name on the card flashes beneath the streetlights. It’s his name on the card. He’s given me his personal credit card.

I could do anything with this. Buy anything. Go anywhere. It’s a green pass out of this hole I’m in.

The card burns in my hand. I’ve only worked for him one day, but it’s obvious he doesn’t treat Andrea anywhere near how he treats me. The staff he saw during the day is met with formal rigidity. He has high expectations. Boundaries. Barriers.

I’ve crossed them all in less than a day and a huge part of myself, the stupid part, likes it.

Chapter 6

David

I sling my sweat soaked clothes into the basket in the bathroom, step under the warm spray and sigh. I don’t get the relief I want. The adrenaline I pounded out on the treadmill streams through my veins and nothing will smooth it out but the cause of my 5 am ten-mile run.

I fist my swollen cock, slide my fingers down my rigid shaft, thinking of her full lips, smooth cheeks, ocean-blue eyes and the defensive notch of her chin. I know to look for the tell now and wonder what had happened in her life to develop the tick.

She’s tougher than the average woman.

Hell, she’s tougher than the average teen — which is what she is.

A teen. The same age as Steph. They could be besties. BFFs forever or some shit.

I don’t want Adeline to be my daughter’s friend. I don’t want to think anything about Adeline that classifies her age.

The only way I want Adeline is naked in my bed beneath me as I pound into her warm, wet, willing body.

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