Page 78 of Dear Grumpy Boss

She stuck her lip out, and it was all I could do not to bite it. “You’re very annoying and grumpy.”

“I’ve had an extremely frustrating few hours. Please don’t add to it.”

Her pout instantly morphed into concern. “What’s up? Is there anything I can do?”

“No.” I brushed my hand over her arm. “Nothing other than sticking with me on this trip even when I’m acting like your grumpy boss.”

Her eyes danced with amusement. “I’m used to that, so I can do that.”

The ride back to the hotel should have taken two hours. Instead, it lasted a hundred years. Elise tried to engage Marisol in conversation, but she didn’t bite. Instead, she brought up vacations she and I had taken, restaurants we’d dined in, made blunt insinuations about what we normally got up to on my trips to California.

I caught Elise giggling softly, trying to cover it up with her hand. That was the only reason I didn’t burst into flames and lose my shit on Marisol. Elise wasn’t bothered, so I contained myself and turned up the music, putting an end to further inane chatter.

Marisol was conveniently parked near the hotel. I dropped her at her car, telling her I’d see her in the morning, and drove away, sighing with relief.

“We’re going to dinner,” I told Elise.

“Are we? I’m pretty tired.”

I sent a glare her way. “Shut up.”

She laughed softly. “Not likely.”

I reached across the car, sliding my fingers into my new favorite place at the crease of her thigh.

“Thank Christ for that.”

Once we ordered, Elise relaxed into the back cushion of her bench, glancing around the diner. A small, soft smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

“What?” I groused.

Her gaze shot to mine. “Are you grumping at me already?”

“No.” I raked my fingers through my hair. “Yes. I don’t like not knowing why you’re smiling.”

That made her laugh. “If you must know, I was thinking this place isn’t very like you.”

I leaned forward, clasping my hands on the table. “You don’t like it?”

I’d brought her to the diner I’d invited her to last night. It wasn’t anything special to look at, but the food was more than decent, and it was the kind of place no one would bother us.

“No, I do. I’m surprised you do, is all.” She cupped her mouth to whisper to me. “I don’t think they have any Michelin stars, West.”

West.

Heat surged through my veins. She only called me West when I was fucking her. Hearing it outside the bedroom ignited a Pavlovian response. It took me a few seconds to convince my body now wasn’t the time or place to bend her over and slide into her.

“You don’t think much of me, do you?”

A rush of pink heated her cheeks. “That isn’t true. I was kidding. I don’t think you’re a snob, far from it. But you have to admit you’re used to the finer things in life. I see the suits you wear every day. And you live in a penthouse. Don’t pretend you’re just an average Joe.”

“You’re not wrong. I do like luxury and won’t deny it, but that’s not the only thing I can appreciate. If it were, I would have missed out on a lot. I would have walked right by this diner without coming in and that would have been a shame. This place makes one of the best huevos rancheros I’ve ever had.”

“You’ll have to give me a taste.”

“I will give you anything you want, Elise.”

Her teeth dug into the corner of her bottom lip, and the pink in her cheeks intensified. She looked younger, sweeter. The blood that had been lodged in my cock flowed directly to my thrumming heart. There had never been a day I hadn’t cared about her. Even when she was living in another state for three years, I kept track of her.

---