Page 21 of Playboy Boss

Her voice softened. “I want that, too.”

“Please don’t take this personally. I think you’re smashing. Truly. I’ve had amazing fun with you, but we don’t want the same thing anymore. You clearly want a commitment, and I think you should have your heart’s desires.”

“And I can’t be your desire?” Tamsin’s urgency made his stomach flip.

Damn. This was hard. “Not the way you want.”

Konrad had never heard himself speak so openly before. He’d never had a breakup talk like that. The discomfort was unavoidable, but something deeper within felt satisfied. “Look, I know you think you want me, but you don’t. There are plenty of blokes who would love to have a go with you. I just don’t want a go with anyone. I need to be free.”

The words seemed right, but the feeling wasn’t anymore. He wanted a go with someone. He wanted to feel what it was like to connect on a deeper level, to feel out of control for someone. Like what Fabian had with Antonia.

Tamsin was rendered speechless, which was a first.

“Tamsin, love,” he said, his voice steady. “I really think you’ll thank me later.”

She didn’t respond. The only response was the silent line. She’d hung up. She didn’t even say goodbye, but Konrad knew it was goodbye.

He took five extra minutes staring out into the Houston sky after his conversation. He’d felt empty inside. No way could he deny he wasn’t affected. In the past, he’d dumped women and had felt exhilarated, ready to meet another. Because there was always another. Women were everywhere, ready to fall into his bed. But he didn’t feel exhilarated and ready to meet another. Quite the opposite. Instead, he wondered what he would do with Anisette and Pilar.

Twenty minutes later, he tapped on Scottie’s cube wall.

“You’re late,” she said, her mouth curled in a smirk.

“I can be late. I’m the boss.” He winked.

She shook her head in disapproval. “Do as I say, not as I do, huh?”

Bold. His excitement bubbled up inside. She moved him more than he ever could have expected. “And when did I say that, Miss Roberts?”

She pursed her lips together, repressing a smile. “Fine. You didn’t say that.”

Blood coursed through his veins at lightning speed. Without fail, his attraction to her grew every second. “Now that we’ve settled that, come on.” He turned from her cube, his eyelids closing for a second.

Konrad honestly didn’t know if she followed him until he’d reached the lobby and stopped at Susan’s desk. Then he realized Scottie was so close behind him he could feel her heat, smell her sweet perfume.

“We’re going out for a bit.”

Susan’s gaze slid from Konrad’s to Scottie’s and then back to Konrad. “Oh?”

“I’m taking Scottie to the EaDo property this morning. We’ll be back after lunch.” A minor detail he didn’t mention to Scottie.

Susan narrowed her eyes but quickly became distracted by an incoming call. He waved to her and turned to Scottie.

“Off we go.”

Ten minutes later, he held open the passenger side door of his coupe for her. Scottie slipped in.

“This is your car?” She looked like she’d sucked on a lemon.

He chuckled. “Do you not like it?”

She glanced inside, her gaze moving over all his upgraded features and custom finishes. She snorted low. “What’s not to like?”

He closed the door to the car but wanted to throw open the door to her life. Who was she? Where was she from? Why had she reacted to him the way she had?

Once he’d settled into the driver’s seat where he belonged, he turned on the engine, reveling in the sound. The beauty of the machine woke up for him as he commanded. His cars were his unabated love. Escaping in them, down the road to anywhere, was a regular joy. Konrad had a total of four cars, but Scottie didn’t need to know that. Yet.

Scottie crossed her arms as well as her legs. Gazing out the passenger window, she didn’t give him a single clue as to what was on her mind. At times, she’d been too hard to read, even when they were face-to-face. He needed to know, did she like him? Did she trust him, even if just a little? They’d met only days ago, but their close proximity made him feel they’d been acquainted longer.

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