Page 99 of Dear Grumpy Boss

I nodded. “I do. Well, not real-life ones.”

“Of course not,” Weston said dryly.

“It’s kind of creepy someone at your job knows that,” Luca said. “Maybe you should report this to HR, Elise.”

It was almost impossible to hold back my snort, but I managed. “I’ll think about it.”

“It’s probably some idiot desperate for your attention,” Weston said.

I slowly turned my head from Luca to him. Heat flooded between us. “Is it?”

He lowered his chin and opened his mouth to speak when a shriek cut him off. Rebecca was stumbling toward us, Simon and Sam on her heels. I sat back in my chair, the knot in my stomach loosening.

I surpassed my self-appointed limit, finishing my third margarita. It wasn’t my fault, really. The six of us were having fun and talking so much, I got thirsty. And I wasn’t drunk, just floaty and happy.

It was fortunate tomorrow was Saturday. You know, just in case I was actually drunk and needed time to recover.

Right now, I had more pressing matters to attend to. “I’ll be right back. Ladies’ room.”

The restroom was empty when I entered, so I quickly did my business and washed my hands. The moment I opened the door to the bar, Rebecca’s laugh floated above all the other sounds, making me smile.

“Happy?”

I hadn’t noticed Weston leaning against the wall farther down the hall, away from the bar. I sauntered over to him, and when I was near, he hooked his arm around me, drawing me into his chest.

I sighed, finally getting the hug I’d been craving.

“I was ready to murder him, you know,” he murmured.

“What?” I tipped my head back. “Murder who?”

“Sam. When I thought he was your date. It ripped me apart.”

I sucked in a shaky breath. “I’m sorry. I’m not seeing anyone.” I pressed a hand to his cheek, rubbing at the turned-down corner of his mouth with my thumb. “This is hard.”

“I hate it,” he groused.

“Should we stop hanging out so much? It only makes it harder.”

“No.” His arm tightened on me. “I want more of you, not less.”

“West,” I sighed, tucking my face in his throat. “I do too.”

His fingers delved into my hair. His other hand slid from my waist down to my ass, kneading and rubbing, keeping me pressed tight against him. How could something that felt so right be wrong? It was easy to forget why we couldn’t be together when he was holding me like this.

“Look at me, baby,” he murmured softly.

Pulling back from his throat, I opened my eyes. He was right there, dipping down so we were eye to eye. He palmed the back of my head and touched his lips to mine. He was gentle, sweet, pecking lightly at first, then with more firmness, but not too much.

“I can’t, Elise.” He kissed me again, barely taking my bottom lip between his. I clutched at him, dizzy from the soft kisses he was raining all over my mouth.

“Oh shit.”

Our heads whipped around at the same time, finding a wide-eyed Luca staring at us from the end of the hallway.

“Oh shit,” he repeated.

Weston wouldn’t let me pull away. He kept me locked against him, even as he pushed off from the wall.

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