Page 37 of Playboy Boss

Chapter Fourteen

Scottie was stone-cold sober. And she felt every conflicting emotion known to man. She stared at Konrad, his face flushed. She was thankful his eyes were downcast. She didn’t want to read them. What could they possibly say? When he stood up, not a word out of his mouth, and bent over to lift his boxer briefs over his hips, Scottie knew exactly what he was thinking. She was just another conquest to him. After all, what else could she be?

“Well…” His voice was coarse and disconnected. “This certainly wasn’t what I expected.”

“Expected?” Her voice cracked. She hated how emotional she sounded.

He looked up, catching her gaze. She became aware of how naked she was.

“Intended.” His eyebrows furrowed. The man looked like he was in absolute pain. Not what she expected from a player.

But what did she expect? What was her intention after their capricious lust had passed? Because it was lust that made her so irresponsible, not just then but also at the EaDo property. She looked down at her fingernails, chipped and in need of a manicure. Not that she ever paid for manicures.

“I didn’t intend this either.”

She stood, gathering her clothes and reassembling her outfit without looking at Konrad again. She couldn’t. The lump in her throat wouldn’t let her. You can walk away from this. No big deal. Life proved to her men don’t stick around. This shouldn’t have been so devastating to her. But he’d only been the second man she’d ever been with, and it was devastating.

The silence was torture. She wanted him to say something, but at the same time, she didn’t. No words were necessary. But all of them were. What did she want? Assurance? Of what? That he wanted her? Or that she was indeed just another notch on his bedpost?

Without looking at him, she walked through his office, Konrad calling her name. She refused to turn and didn’t take a single breath. She bent over to retrieve her wallet and her purse, which had fallen to the ground. On the way up, she straightened her spine, shoulders back. Be strong. She’d had to learn to be strong where men were concerned her whole life, especially in regards to her heart.

“Scottie, stop,” he demanded, his accent strong. She didn’t face him. “We should talk about this.”

Her eyes closed tight. “I have to go.”

“I want to talk about this.” His hand warmed her shoulder. She wondered if he’d dressed or if he was still half naked.

Scottie needed to get out of there, needed to be as far away from Konrad as she could. “I-I can’t.” She dashed out, her shoulder missing his touch on the way out.

Her heart pounded the whole way to her car and to her duplex. Every second of the night replayed in her mind on a loop. Over and over, she tortured herself. She throbbed deep down, still raw from his touch. From his penetration. She whimpered in remembrance.

This is so bad.

Scottie considered staying in her car. She considered driving to her father, though she didn’t know where he was, and telling him what she really felt about him. Someone else needed to hear her lament, scream, cry.

Could Konrad be different? No, he couldn’t be. She’d seen the proof. She’d been his accomplice in breaking hearts.

Oh God. She dropped her forehead to the steering wheel.

The whole night could have passed without her moving from the driveway, but the chime of her cell phone brought her to reality. Her stomach tightened. Konrad? She was afraid to check her phone. Too many minutes passed by, and she still didn’t answer it. When a hard knock at her window scared the living shit of out her, she jerked her head to the left, her mouth open, her heart blasting inside her chest.

Tara stood, holding her cell phone, a pissed-off look on her face.

Reluctantly, Scottie opened the door and got out to face the music. “Hey.”

“Really?” Tara didn’t seem to be in the mood.

Scottie ran her fingers through her knotted hair. “I know you’re mad.”

Tara laughed, not in humor. It might have been what kept her from assaulting Scottie. Her eyes turned up to the dark sky, her sigh long and steady. “You’re not giving me a lot of options, Scottie.”

Scottie let loose her own long sigh. “I know.” She felt like complete shit. This wasn’t how she envisioned her life after college. She should be in a career by now, not scrounging to pay rent, putting others in bad positions.

“What am I supposed to do? My catering business is slow-going. I don’t have money to support you too, Scott.”

“I know.” Scottie hated herself more. She needed to do better, say something better than I know. “You’re right. I can leave.” Living in her Nissan for a couple days might be doable. She could go home for a couple of days, though she hated the idea of being in the same apartment with her mom’s newest boyfriend.

Tara shook her head. “I don’t want to kick you out. I want you to pay me for rent on time every month.”

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