Page 22 of My Forbidden Boss

David helps me from his desk. I straighten my skirt, run my fingers through my hair and hope I can walk on legs that will keep me upright. He runs his thumb along my swollen bottom lip and growls. “What you do to me, Adeline.”

I shiver as delicious heat races up my spine. This isn’t the end of what we’re doing. That one kiss from David will never be enough. That I’ll take whatever he has to give before I’m discarded.

Because one way or another I will be.

I have no doubt.

Too young. Too poor. Too guilty.

Another knock sounds, this time hesitant. I have to let Sophie in.

“I’ll get that,” I say, glad that I can go because I’m not sure how long I can keep the guilt from showing.

David catches my wrist before I can walk away. “Come to dinner with me tonight.”

“I…” I don’t know what to say. It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s because I’ve never been asked out before and I don’t know how to accept.

“Please, I…I want to get to know you,” David says.

My mouth curves into a smile I can’t stop and I watch the tension loosen from David’s shoulders. “Okay.”

He nods, straightens his shirt and runs a hand through his hair. “Good. You’d better let Sophie in before she sends me an invoice for waiting around.”

I hide my smile and an electric tingle races through me as I open the door to see the startled face of a beautiful blonde dressed in an impeccable business suit.

“Sophie. Apologies for the delay. Please come in,” David says.

Sophie’s gaze slides from me to David. I don’t know what she thinks but she’s not stupid. “Would you like some coffee?” I ask, in case she’s putting two and two together.

She smiles and small lines fan from the corner of her eyes. “That would be lovely. White. No sugar. Thank you…?”

“This is Adeline. My new personal assistant,” David says.

I hope the flush riding up my chest isn’t too noticeable.

“Where is Andrea? She’s normally glued to your side,” Sophie says.

“Attending to a personal matter. She’ll be away for a few days,” David says.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Adeline. I’m sure I’ll be hearing from you more often than not, as I’m David’s solicitor.” She holds out her hand and I shake it. I look for the tell that will let me know she’s only being professional. That she’s really above shaking my hand, but there is none. No power play here folks.

“Nice to meet you too. I’ll be back in a second with your coffee,” I say.

“Thank you, Adeline,” she says.

I close the door behind me, race to the bathroom and lock myself in a stall. I put the lid down and sag onto the toilet, touching my swollen lips to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming. That David really kissed me.

That really happened.

My god, David kissed me and I kissed him back and it was the best thing to happen in my shitty life. Multicolor sparks explode from a place I thought was dead. My life, gray and endless, has erupted in bubbles of glowing sparks but I’ll have to keep all to myself.

To be sealed with super glue and kept under lock and key forever kind of secret.

No one can find out.

Least of all my father.

To Max this will be the good news he needs and he won’t think twice about using me for it. This is a convenience to him he’ll twist and use to his own advantage. Just ask his daughter to sleep with the enemy so he can win a billion-dollar property deal. Lie back, spread your legs, do this for your mother, but he’s already using her against me. That’s some warped shit, but I don’t put it past him.

---