Page 57 of Beauty and the Boss Man

Chapter Twenty-three

Romy

“Are you sure you’re not nervous?” I ask Aiden for about the fourth time. “You’ll be standing up in front of all those people.”

Aiden looks down at me as we stand shoulder to shoulder in the elevator. “Romy, do you want me to be nervous? Because I wasn’t, but you’re making it sound terrifying.”

I lay my hand on my chest, gesturing to myself. “I’m just saying that if it were me, I’d be nervous talking to a room full of people like that.”

His shoulders shrug as he shoves his hands in his pockets. “I guess it would be different if it were a topic I knew nothing about, but I’m talking about my business--the most important thing in the world to me. If I’m comfortable talking about anything, it’s that.”

Why does it slightly hurt my feelings that he called his business the most important thing in his life?

Because I’m insane. That’s why.

This man and I don’t have an actual relationship. We have a —well, I don’t know what we have.

A Florida Fling?

An ocean-side orgasm party?

A seven-day sexcapade?

My lips crease tightly as I try to stifle my laughter at how funny I am inside my own head.

Aiden notices. “What’s so funny?”

“Uh, nothing. Just thinking about that whole picturing everyone in their underwear thing,” I lie.

He turns toward me, so his large body is against mine. His presence is one that demands to be felt.

When he leans down to whisper, I get goosebumps everywhere. “Trust me, Romy, you’re the only one I’ll be picturing in her underwear.” Leaning in even closer, he adds, “Maybe even nothing at all.”

I feel like I’m about to melt into a puddle at this man’s feet, so I decide to return the favor.

My tongue pokes out and glides along my bottom lip as my eyes flick up at him. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m not wearing any underwear again, huh?”

He forms a fist and brings it to his mouth, biting his knuckles.

He lets out a low growl before saying, “I swear if we weren’t so pressed for time, I’d take you back upstairs and have you hike up that dress and sit on my face.”

“There’s always later,” I tease.

“And believe me, you are on the menu later,” he promises.

Damn, this man has me coming apart without even touching me.

The elevator doors open, and we try to exit as though we weren’t mere seconds away from ripping each other’s clothes off.

Side-by-side, we walk to the conference hall. Outside the door, there’s a sign that reads:

HOW TO GET YOUR BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND

And Aiden is listed under one of the guest speakers.

When we walk in, the room is still filling up as groups of people stand around and talk amongst themselves.

We head toward the front of the room, where the podium sits upon a slightly raised stage.

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