Page 42 of The Boss's Hideaway Baby

“Damn. Thanks.”

He comes over and sets it on my desk. “You… doing okay?”

“Fine, just busy,” I reply, forcing a smile as I stare at the paperwork scattered across my desk. But Corey knows me too well; he raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced.

“Look, man.” He stuffs his hands into his pocket and twists his lips. “I know you’re not one to wear your heart on your sleeve, but you can’t ignore what you’re feeling. It doesn’t matter if you’ve always been this way — maybe it’s time for a change.”

“Corey, I appreciate your concern, but…” I trail off, shaking my head. “This is the way it has to be. And besides, I was honest with her about not wanting a relationship.”

“Being honest doesn’t mean it’s the right decision,” he counters, crossing his arms. “Sometimes, honesty can be a shield we use to protect ourselves from getting hurt.”

I sigh, tapping my fingers on the desk. “I can’t afford distractions, okay? I’ve got a deal to finalize and?—”

“Life isn’t all about work, Nathan,” he interrupts gently. “You’re allowed to have feelings. And you’re allowed to act on them.”

He leaves me with those words hanging in the air, and I’m left alone once more in my office. As much as I try to focus on the tasks at hand, Maria’s face keeps appearing in my mind, her perfect smile on replay.

And this is it, I realize. For the rest of my life, I’ll be haunted by what we shared.

Unless, somehow, I find a way to forget.

CHAPTER 16

MARIA

Rushing down the hallway, my arms full of files, I stumble over a crack in the floor. My whole body pitches forward, and though I manage to stay standing, the papers fly everywhere.

“Damn it.” I drop to my knees to gather the scattered documents.

“Here, let me help you.” The familiar voice makes me freeze.

Nathan, seemingly having appeared out of nowhere, bends down to pick up some of the files. We reach for the same paper at the same time, our fingers brushing against each other. My heart flutters as our eyes lock.

Damn. I thought my feelings would be gone by now. We’ve been back in New York for over a month, and here I am, still crushing on him.

What the heck is wrong with me?

“Uh, thanks.” Heat rises in my cheeks, and I hate that he can see me blushing. Even though we’re done and in the past, surely he still sees what he does to me.

Nathan seems just as flustered as me, quickly stepping away and leaving after handing me the remaining files. I sigh, wishing things could go back to the way they were before. Before the gala. Before Montauk. Before I ever tasted his lips.

But as much as I tried to ignore it, I can’t deny that my feelings for him haven’t gone anywhere. If anything, they might even be getting stronger.

“Ooh, what was that all about?” Emily’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

I glance at my coworker, noticing the mischievous glint in her eyes. Emily’s always been the office gossip, relentlessly eager to dig up dirt on everyone. The last thing I need is for her to suspect that there’s something going on between me and Nathan. If my work reputation becomes marred, it’ll be hard to find another job whenever I do eventually leave this one.

“Nothing,” I reply defensively, clutching the files to my chest. “We were just picking up some papers.”

“Come on, Maria. It’s obvious that Nathan is hot for you.” She nudges me playfully, and my face burns again.

Nathan? Hot for me?

No. That doesn’t make any sense. She must have interpreted his disdain for attraction. Nathan has made it clear that he wants nothing to do with me unless it involves picking up his dry cleaning or ordering coffees for his business meetings.

“Really, it’s not like that,” I insist, hoping to put an end to the topic. The last thing I want is for anyone to find out what happened between us. If word gets out that I slept with my boss, it could ruin my career. I’ve worked hard to become a high-profile assistant, and the thought of losing everything because of one night is terrifying.

“All right, if you say so.” Emily shrugs, not sounding at all convinced. “But just remember, if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

---