Page 83 of Dear Grumpy Boss

I smoothed his lapels and brushed imaginary dust from his shoulders. “As you’ve told me many times, and it’s been duly noted. You’ll be spending the day with your ex-girlfriend who wants to ride your dick, and I’ll be watching a bunch of sweaty men climb rocks and assert their manliness. We can take our jealousy out on each other tonight.”

He scoffed, but I saw the hitch of his mouth before he turned away. He’d been sticking to his story that his wariness over me going rock climbing with the men I had interviewed yesterday was out of concern for my safety. Weston Aldrich did not admit to being jealous.

But it was obvious, and we both knew it.

We also knew it was useless. We didn’t belong to each other outside of my hotel room, and this time tomorrow, we wouldn’t even have that.

I grabbed his hand, pulling him back toward me. “Kiss me so I don’t forget about you.”

He took my face in his hands, scowling fiercely. “If you even try to forget about me, I’ll tattoo my name on the inside of your eyelids.”

And then his mouth was on mine, giving me the kind of kiss I’d have to be dead to forget.

I spent the morning and early afternoon going back and forth between taking notes and being awed at the human body’s ability to defy gravity.

Elias, Cameron, and ten other athletic humans in their climbing group were showing off for me, I was sure of it. They scaled sheer rock faces with inch-deep fingerholds like they were Spiderman.

Elias, a guy around my age who was basically a big ball of energy, came over to where I was sitting and watching. He had a nice smile and an easy laugh.

He held his hand out to me. “Come on.”

“Why?”

“You’re going to climb.”

“No, I can’t do that.”

He shook his hand. “Come on. You don’t know if you don’t try.”

He had a point, and since I’d been getting back to trusting and loving my body, I sighed and took his hand. What was the worst that could happen? I’d fall on my ass? If I did, I’d never see any of these people again. Besides, they’d spent a good portion of their time out here falling and brushing themselves off, why couldn’t I?

He took me to a boulder he said was for beginners. It was ten feet tall with a craggy surface. I stared at it, wondering how they expected me to climb it.

A few others from the group came over, pointing out all the spots I should put my fingers and toes as I climbed. Then, they told me to try.

Just like that, I was expected to climb a giant rock.

So I did.

And I fell.

Again and again, my ass collided with the mat on the ground.

Every single time, they cheered for me.

And every single time, I got a little higher.

I was aching, surely bruised, but once I got going, I didn’t consider giving up once.

Cameron snapped pictures of me five feet off the ground and showed me when I dropped down. To my surprise, I’d been smiling like a lunatic.

“You’re a badass,” he proclaimed. “If you had more time here, I’d have you scaling this with your eyes closed.”

Laughing, I swiped sweat from my forehead. “Maybe I’ll come back.”

Elias slid next to Cameron, throwing his arm around his friend. “Did I hear you say something about coming back?”

My eyes widened. “I said maybe. No promises were made. I’ll have to hitch a ride with the CEO, and he’s known for being grumpy.”

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