Page 24 of Playboy Boss

Chapter Eight

Scottie knew she was pushing it with Konrad. He was her boss. Her boss. Even if her temporary boss. A-Plus Temporaries wouldn’t like how she acted in their name. She was their representative, and she’d been so unprofessional. She should be fired.

She was so moved by him, though. Wasn’t that enough justification for her behavior?

Konrad parked his ridiculously gorgeous Mercedes along the side of a long metal building on a massive lot at the edge of east downtown. A huge sign at the wired fence read Korr Properties. She didn’t even want to begin to think about how rich Konrad was.

To her surprise, the building on the inside wasn’t as industrial and drab as a typical warehouse would be. It was steel and stone and very chic. No question why there was a bidding war for the warehouse.

“Wow. This is actually beautiful.” Scottie felt tiny in the immense room.

His sigh tickled her ears, made her tingle. “It is.” He turned to her for a moment. “I like beautiful things.”

Konrad winked, making her insides tremble. God, how could she stay professional when he did things like that? When he irked her in so many ways and aroused her in others? But, she’d seen him with other employees, like the way he’d been with Sandy the receptionist. It was his personality. After three days, it was absurd that Scottie fought this battle inside herself. What would it be like after working three months for Konrad? If she lasted that long…

They walked the length of the building, covering every inch of the property. The grandeur of it took her breath away. Once they were back outside, they surveyed the lot, which contrasted with the pure art of the interior. The property was properly situated among other nearby warehouses and manufacturing plants, which were nothing like Konrad’s building. Lost in her thoughts of Konrad and the style she’d seen emerge in all that he owned, she stared at his profile. He looked out into the lot, sunglasses on his face. Everything about him was perfectly proportioned. Everything about him was aesthetic, like the gorgeous art he had in all his offices. In that moment, he wasn’t the playboy boss, he was something to admire.

Suddenly, he turned, seemingly becoming aware of her staring, musing. He took off his sunglasses, meeting her gaze that didn’t falter, though it should have. His blue to her hazel, their eyes fused in some understanding that evaded her. But, dear God, she wanted him to lean down and kiss her more than she wanted anything else, despite what she knew about him.

She gasped, caught in her emotions. “Why did you bring me here?”

A languid and provocative curl formed over his lips. “I wanted you to see what drives me.”

Somehow, with some energy reserve she had deep inside, she forced her eyes from him and back to the expanse of the gravelly lot. “Selling property?”

“Seeing my name on something big like this.”

Their eyes met again. Was he making a point? To himself? To others?

“Well, there is no mistaking who owns this, that’s for sure.”Knowing fully the power this man had over everything in his life made her breathless.

She couldn’t help but wonder: what else did he want to own? A ripple moved through her body, concentrating at the apex of her thighs. Though against everything she believed, she wanted to be owned by him, even if for just the seconds they stood there together.

In a soft voice, he said, “No, there isn’t.”

Under the weight of his stare, she felt feather light. Like she was floating over the gravelly ground. He moved in on her, and she gulped down hard. Oh God.

His hand came up, brushing against her cheek. She didn’t step back. Breath puffed between her lips. This was it. He was going to kiss her.

But then he pulled his hand back, his index finger pointed. “Make a wish.”

Discombobulated and intoxicated with being so close to him, she didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t really understand what he said at first. “What?”

“It’s an eyelash.” His smile made her weak. With the slow and languid seduction he always possessed, he licked his bottom lip. “Make a wish.”

Reality came fast, and the notion that he would kiss her was over. “Oh.”

He furrowed his brow. “Don’t you have a wish?”

Yes. And it was not going to happen. “Of course.”

“Then blow.”

Her eyes snapped to his, her body alive with wanting him. God, she wanted to blow. And she wanted to do more stupid things with this man. With this boss of hers. But then he dropped his hand, his gaze steady on hers. Without thinking, and completely forgetting who they were to each other, she lifted on her toes and pressed her mouth against his. His arms circled her immediately, drawing her closer into his large body. She moaned, taking his lip between hers. When his tongue met hers, she pushed away.

Oh God no.

Embarrassment made her hot enough to combust. She turned away from him. No way could she look into his eyes.

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