Page 72 of Taming the Boss

Then she started to read in a soft, clear voice, showing him the colorful illustrations on each page as she flipped them. She’d made it through about half of the story when I reached over to nudge her knee. “Your audience is out.”

“You’re not. Want me to keep reading for you?” She grinned at me before setting aside the book on the nightstand and shifting to settle Owen more securely against his pillow. She tucked him in carefully then she made sure to arrange his fish, his giraffe, and his Care Bear around him before she held her finger to her mouth and crept to the door.

I followed, looking back at him as a pang hit my chest. He was so cute.

Had my mom ever tucked me in? I didn’t remember that she had. My father, either. My nanny had been slightly more caring, occasionally offering a story, but I’d started reading my own stories early enough. I’d even read some to my sister, after she’d come along.

No wonder I didn’t have a clue what to do with kids. Thank God for Maddie.

We headed back down the hall to my room, but instead of resuming where we left off, she mentioned she had to go get her duffel and she’d be right back.

I changed into my pajamas and climbed into bed, not wanting to seem overeager. The time with Owen and the easy nature of the penguin story had killed my erection, which was probably just as well. I didn’t want to force her to make decisions she wasn’t ready for.

In the meantime, I’d just close my eyes for a minute while I waited for her.

Chapter 18

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Right now, Rea, I’m talking to you.” I kept my voice low as I dug through my duffel where I’d left it in the living room. Where was my night shorts set? I knew I’d packed it. I’d just taken several days worth of clothes, so it wasn’t as if I had so much stuff to dig through.

“You know what I mean. My dad said you’re basically living with him now? I mean, you don’t even know this man. You’ve spent, what, a few days with him?”

“Yeah. I worked at Brooks’ Greenery tonight because he had too many employees out sick, and I didn’t want to leave him in the lurch.”

“When were you going to call me back, huh? I figured it wasn’t even worth trying you now, but I couldn’t trust that you’d return my call in a timely fashion. You better start talking.”

At her impatience, I laughed and dragged my duffel up on the couch so I could search through it without bending over. “It’s all really new, Rea. I’m not keeping stuff from you, I just didn’t know what to say. I don’t want you to worry, but I know you will.”

“You bet your behind, I will. This is not like you in any way. What is he holding over you? Money? Sexual favors?”

I bit my lip and looked around, making sure the man in question had not come downstairs while I dug fruitlessly through my clothes. He was as quiet as a cat sometimes. Or more quiet than my cat. “He gives me many Os. I’ll say that.” Her shocked gasp had me moving the phone away from my face.

“Already?”

“Look, we aren’t getting married.” A vivid flashback of that morning in the shower filled my head, but I ruthlessly battled it back. “I’m just helping him with his cute son and we’re making meals and going shopping for sneakers and stuff.” Days we didn’t speak at all aside. “Very normal things. He’s just insanely hot and gives me Os like it’s his job. I’m not refusing them. Do I look stupid?”

“No, you look like not my Maddie anymore though.”

“I’m still your Maddie. I’m still your best friend. I just…well, I like sex. And it’s been a damn long time since I had any, notable or otherwise.” I looked around again and lowered my voice even more. “And this dude has stamina. He’s not like the boys we knew, Rea.”

“He’s too old for you.”

I sighed. “He’s not even 33.”

“What does he even want with you?”

I tried to keep the smirk out of my voice. “What all males want. We haven’t done anything freaky yet, I swear.” Well, minus the whole no protection thing, and then tonight, his wandering toward my forbidden zone, but he hadn’t done anything too intense. Other than a little pressure back there, it had been all strictly pleasure.

Not that Rea would see it that way. She’d assume he was indoctrinating me into a torrid new lifestyle or something. True, he’d seemed very controlling at first, but he seemed to kind of be backing off on that part.

Or I was choosing to believe he was softening, which basically amounted to the same thing.

“Look, I’m more open-minded than you are.”

“You’re more open-minded than you should be! Doesn’t any of this scare you? You don’t know this man, yet you’re already basically living with him.”

“I can leave at any time. I’m not chained here. Everything is of my own free will. Just chill out, Rea, okay? Are you going to the fireworks tomorrow?”

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