Page 69 of Playboy Boss

He asked it as if he already knew the answer. The heat of embarrassment made her kick her leg from under the sheets.

“It’s more of a shortage, but I’m fine now.” Lie. The truth was harder to say.

“If you’re fine, why are you catering? I know it’s not really just to help Tara.”

“As soon as I make enough, I’ll buy back the brooch and quit moonlighting. Or daylighting.” An awkward, forced laugh came out of her. Who the hell was she? What was she trying to prove?

His lips grazed her shoulder, stirring her desire for him again. Scottie wanted to focus on their desire and not how much she struggled financially.

Against her skin, he said, “Let me buy back the brooch for you.”

Every muscle froze, except her heart. It beat three-fold. This seemed too familiar. Quickly, she turned to face him with a rising anger that she didn’t know was there waiting under the surface. “No.”

“Why?” He seemed amused at her reaction, and it pissed her off.

“Because this is my problem. I need to take responsibility.” Honesty felt great. But there was more she needed to say.

His eyes were intense on her, but she wasn’t going to back down from his request. “How much?”

“Stop, Konrad. I’m not Anisette or Tamsin. Or Pil—”

“No, you stop, Scottie.” He furrowed his brow, his own anger coming forth—as it should. She’d dealt an unfair blow that he didn’t deserve.

Panic seized her at the look in his eyes. He might walk away. “Why would you want to buy it back for me anyway?”

Konrad sat up, swinging his legs off the bed. Not looking back at her, he said, “Because I can.”

Of course. He could do anything he wanted. Have anything he wanted.

“Well, I can’t allow it,” she said. She sat up too, her emotions roiling about. “I mean, what are we to each other anyway?” And there it was, the real question that spurred all the frustration inside her. Why did she need something definitive from him? Why couldn’t she just do as she’d said and enjoy what unfolded with him?

He sighed, his head falling back for a moment. “The fact that you’re here in my bed should say what we are.”

But she didn’t know what that meant. How many women did he have in his bed before her? She was inconveniently reminded of who he was: a player. But things were different now, and she might be pushing him too far. This situation was new to her. She didn’t know how to be with someone, didn’t know how to make someone want to stay.

“I’ve never had any other woman in my bed before. But I want you in my bed. I like you, Scottie. I want to see where this goes.”

Her heart slowed, his words rolling in her mind. Truth was, she believed him. She didn’t feel like just another on his list. And she was completely screwing it up.

“I’m sorry.” She crawled across the big bed, embracing him from behind. “I feel like I’m in a whirlwind.”

“Me too, Schatzi.”

She kissed his shoulders, the back of his neck, and ran her palms down his biceps.

“I’m bad at this.” Her heart throbbed. God, she was so bad, so inexperienced. Her dad should have stuck around, taught her how to relate to men. Clearly, her mother had been a terrible teacher and example.

“You’re not the only one.” His voice was low. And sad.

He maneuvered her until he was on his back and she straddled him. With his guidance, he was inside her again and she rode him slowly unto the early hours of Monday morning.

****

At seven in the morning, Scottie woke to Konrad singing in the shower. In German. With a laugh on her kiss-swollen lips, she tossed back sheets and slipped off the bed that had been their haven. And though she’d had little to no sleep, she felt more refreshed than she ever had.

She padded across the still-dark master bedroom and into the attached bathroom. The size of the room captivated her again, though she’d been in it several times throughout the night. Her whole duplex could fit inside Konrad’s master suite. Bare feet to moist tiles, she waded through the stream-filled room.

Konrad’s voice grew louder and sharper with each German word, and she couldn’t help but giggle at his voracity for the lyrics he belted out.

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