Page 53 of Dear Grumpy Boss

“Your point has been made, I promise.” I swiped my sweaty hands on my stretched-out shirt. “I’d like to go now.”

His eyes narrowed on me, and for a long, drawn-out moment, he didn’t move. Then he held his hand out, my keys in his palm. I snagged them from him, my fingertips grazing his skin. My breath caught, and he glared at me.

“Thanks for not letting me die.”

His glare morphed into a deep scowl. “Go home, Elise.”

That was exactly what I was going to do.

Saoirse blinked at me. “No.”

I nodded, picking up my second glass of wine. “Yes.”

We were on the roof of our building with two bottles of wine and a pile of snacks. I’d just spilled everything that had happened on my hike today.

She shook her head. “Who would have thought being stalked by a mountain lion would be the second most outrageous thing to happen to you today?”

I snorted a laugh. “I can’t believe I made out with Weston. What in the world was I thinking?”

I would have thought I’d dreamed it if not for the hickeys he’d left behind. My breasts were mottled with his marks. Why was that so hot?

“You weren’t. It was one of those ‘oh my god, I almost died, let me jump on this man to reaffirm I’m still alive’ type of thing. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

I gulped down more wine. This recap required a lot. “But it’sWeston.”

Her nod was solemn. “Yeah. I get it. Anything with Weston always means more.” She piled two pieces of cheese on a cracker. “Well, was it good?”

I rolled my eyes and sank down in my lounger. “It was wild. He kissed like he’d die if he didn’t.”

She sighed, sinking down beside me. “Holy shitake, what’s that like?”

“Like…I don’t know, it took me over. I wasn’t Elise. I was this sensual being who wasn’t thinking about my rolls or if he could see my stretch marks. It was me and him, and nothing else mattered outside of our connection.” I slapped my forehead. “Why did I have to kiss him? Now I have to live the rest of my life knowing kissing like that exists.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You never had that with Patrick?”

Guilt swamped me. The answer was easy to give. I’d loved Patrick. I’d worked hard at our relationship, had given it my all. Our sex life had been hot, and he’d taken care of my needs every single time. But no, those out-of-control moments in the back of my SUV had been hotter than the four years I spent with Patrick combined.

“Never. Not once.”

Her shoulders slumped. “Damn. And Weston’s a no-go, huh?”

My mouth twisted, and damn if my eyes didn’t burn a little. “Even if he and I weren’t impossible, I truly think he got caught up in the moment. I’ve seen the women he dates. They’re nothing like me.”

She waved her cracker at me. “Go fuck yourself, Lise. He’d be lucky to have a woman as hot as you.”

“He’s had women ten times hotter. I promise you, he’s not lacking beautiful company. Have you seen him?”

She gave me an incredulous look. “Have you seenyou? Weston is hot, but honestly, honey, you might be hotter. With your tits titting all over the place, that ass, your stunning brown eyes, big puffy lips…come on.”

“I’m a realist, babe. I know I’m attractive.” Saoirse’s eyes flared. Attractive obviously wasn’t good enough for her. “Okay, I’m pretty. But I also know firsthand not everyone is into women with bodies like mine. Look at Patrick.”

“Patrick was hot for you. He was also a dick.”

I sighed. “Yeah, he was both of those things.”

“You said Weston was hard as a rock.”

I took another long pull of my wine. “So hard,” I whispered, flashing back to the feel of him rocking against me.

---