Page 54 of Anything To Be With You

"I apologise, Daniella. I should not have said those things."

"But you mean them, right?" I don’t know why I’m hung up on what he said. Maybe because it makes me feel powerful knowing I have that kind of impact on him.

"I do, but I should’ve kept them to myself."

I reach out and place a hand on his chest, his peck flexes under his charcoal vest. I’m going to kick myself for what I’m about to ask but I really, really need to know. "What kind of dirty things do you want to do to me?"

I look up at him, his ice blue eyes darken with heat. Luke takes another step forward, crowding me until my legs hit the couch and I’m forced to sit. He positions his body over mine, resting his hands on the back of the couch and dropping his forehead on mine.

"That’s something I’m not comfortable talking about with you." He answers.

"Why?"

His eyes close and he sucks in a sharp breath. "Because I want to show you, not tell you."

My whole-body flushes, it feels like someone set me on fire. I tilt my chin just enough that I can feel his breath on my lips. What would he do if I closed the gap and kissed him? Would he devour me? Or would he be gentle?

He shakes his head and straightens, holding his hand out to me. I take it and stand, straightening my skirt before following him over to his desk and cleaning up the papers. Luke sits behind his desk as I organize it for him. I take his mug and refill it in the staff room, placing it in front of him.

"Will that be everything, Mr. Archer?" I ask, hand on the doorknob.

"Yes, Daniella."

I nod once and step out, shutting the door behind me.

"For the love, Mason. Just make yourself a sandwich." I rub my forehead.

"With what?" Mason grunts.

I curse my son under my breath. "Are you kidding me? Nanny has a fridge full of lunch meats, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. Make something."

"Can’t you come over and do it?" he whines.

"Goodbye, Mason." I hang up and rub my temples.

It’s only one-thirty in the afternoon and he has called me eighteen times for some of the stupidest shit. This one being the dumbest. It’s as if Mom leaving him alone for the day has messed with his brain and he can’t function without her.

I spin myself in my chair. Luke hasn’t asked me to do anything for him yet, and I’m bored as hell.

My desk phone rings. "Lucas Archer’s office."

"You have a visitor," Carrie sings into the phone.

"Who?" I glance towards the front of the office, but I don’t see anyone I know.

"No idea. She refuses to give me her name."

She?

"I’ll be right there." I hang up and head towards Carrie’s desk. Maybe it’s Erin. She has been known to randomly show up at my place of employment. But she would’ve said her name was Queen kickass or something equally stupid.

Carrie points to the chair across from her desk.

Son of a bitch.

"Hello, Helen." I gripe.

Helen rises gracefully, her pantsuit looking crisp. "Daniella. Nice to see you," she says, expressionless.

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