Page 35 of Forbidden Boss (Manhattan Billionaires)

“Oh,” I said, nodding. “Of course.”

Had I just agreed to go see this woman’s vintage designer clothes on her private island in Grenada? It sounded like it! I hoped Rome wasn’t mad about an impromptu trip to the Caribbean.

But it also sounded like it had helped my boss take one step nearer to closing the deal with Wilbur Monk. So that had to be a win-win.

We chatted with the older couple for a few more minutes before an announcement informed us it was almost time for dinner to start.

We all shook hands. When Wilbur grasped mine, he held my palm with one hand and patted it with the other. Glancing at Rome, Wilbur said, “I’m glad to see you embracing the influence of others, Blakely. I wasn’t sure you’d be able to. But Nikki here is proof you’ve got hidden depth.”

Rome inclined his head, then put his hand on my lower back and guided me into the dining room. We found our table and settled into our seats, and then Rome leaned toward me. His breath warmed my ear as he said, “Good work, Jordan.”

I gave him a little grin as I turned to look at him, not realizing just how close his face had been to mine. Our lips nearly brushed, and neither of us moved back.

For one long, breathless moment, I could feel the heat of his skin so close to mine. He’d leaned one hand against my chair and his other elbow on the table, so I was surrounded by him. I met his gaze, heart thundering, wondering if I was imagining things.

Like the heat sparking deep in my core, and its twin burning in his gaze. Or the way his eyes dropped to my lips and darkened. Or the electricity crackling in the scant space between us.

Then, as quickly as it happened, the moment was over. He pulled away and I, flustered, reached for my glass of champagne with a trembling hand. The bubbles danced on my tongue, but the drink tasted more bitter than it had before.

I took a shaky breath, then focused on buttering the piece of bread that a waiter dropped on my side plate with gold-plated tongs. When I glanced over at him, Rome looked entirely unaffected. He’d already turned to talk to someone who stopped at our table, deep in conversation about an upcoming campaign.

And dread crept through my guts—because he wasn’t just my infuriating, arrogant boss anymore. Now he was the man who had made my thighs clench with nothing more than a look. The man who made me want to throw out the rule book, burn my contract, and destroy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just for the chance to taste him.

Which made me a grade-A idiot in a beautiful dress.

I was in so much trouble.

THIRTEEN

NIKKI

The next morning,bright and early, I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. Pawing at my nightstand, I squinted at the screen.

An unlisted number, which meant one thing.

“Hello, Blakely,” I said, flopping onto my back.

“It sounds like I woke you up.”

I rubbed my eyes and huffed. “That’s because you did.”

“It’s nearly nine o’clock in the morning, Jordan. What are you still doing in bed?”

“You had me at that charity gala until after midnight. I didn’t fall asleep until two. I was wired.” Now, the reason I was wired was because my heart pounded every time my boss’s hand touched my elbow or my back, and when I got home, I was so full of nervous energy I ended up scrubbing my kitchen for an hour after stripping my dress and makeup off. But he didn’t have to know that.

When he answered, his voice was gruff. “Well, get up and get ready. I have a lunch meeting with an old client, and I want you there.”

“Dress code?”

“Business casual. The car will pick you up at eleven.”

“Anything I need to know about who we’re meeting?”

“Clara’s sending a dossier through now. Read it and get ready.”

The phone clicked off. I pulled it away from my face to stare at the screen, then stuck my tongue out at it. He didn’t get to wake me up after keeping me out all night, boss me around, then hang up on me.

Although, I guess that was my job now, so he could do whatever he wanted. Groaning, I rolled to the edge of my bed and threw the blankets off. My feet hit the floor, aching from their time in those fabulous heels last night. I stood and stretched my back out, then shuffled to the bathroom to do as I was told.

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