Page 83 of Forbidden You

When my feet trot me into the boardroom, I am met by a dozen curious gazes of all KPI’s editors, and I offer them a tight smile as I glance around the room to find out where I should sit. Bodi is sitting on the head of the rectangle table and the only empty chair that’s left is on the other side. I move to take a seat, but hold still when Bodi raises his hand.

“Hold on, Kayla. Rachel, can you switch with her?” He looks at Rachel sitting beside him, and an awkward feeling washes my body. Rachel gives him a confused look, seeming a bit stunned by his request.

“But I always sit here?”

“I know, but I want Kayla to take notes.”

“And she can’t do that over there?”

Bodi’s face darkens, looking sexy yet intimidating as fuck, and I swallow away the dryness in my mouth as I shift on my feet.

“No,” he rumbles. “She can’t.”

Rachel holds his gaze with a glare, then gets up with a pissed look aimed my way. I offer her an apologetic smile, mouthing a sorry, and she meets it with one of her own, though it doesn’t match the anger in her eyes.

Not the way to make friends, Kayla.

A little uncomfortable, I sit down next to Bodi and catch him giving me a side glance before he opens the meeting. I write everything down as he gives every editor the chance to update him about their ongoing projects and releases. With each editor, his stance seems to grow more irritated, not happy with what they come back with.

He clears his throat. “Come on, people. I want more than this.”

“More what?” Rachel questions with a stern look.

“These all sound like fun and potentially good sales, but I want a new bestseller. The next Dan Brown, a new Fifty Shades of Grey. Anything that is relatable enough for a big crowd but shows some originality.”

“What about that script I gave you?” Rachel frowns, and I’m assuming she’s talking about the manuscript from her friend that Bodi told me about.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you, but it was boring. The plot was too easy, and I only finished it because it was your friend.”

Rachel’s face falls when Bodi blurts out the words in a harsh tone, and I feel sorry for her. She seems like she loves her work, but right now she looks like she wants to disappear into the floor while the rest of the staff shifts in their seats. No one dares to speak up, and my free hand falls under the table before resting on Bodi’s leg.

It’s unable to be seen by anyone else, but his eyes briefly find mine while I watch how he swallows hard. I’m overstepping, trust me, I’m aware. But my intuition is telling me that his frustration is not going to spur anyone to share anything with him.

“Anyone?” he barks through the room.

I squeeze his leg and his head turns toward me.

“Calm down,” I mouth, trying to make him aware of his stance.

He breathes out loudly, then drops his hand under the table. I square my shoulders, clenching my jaw when he grips my hand and places it on the hard-on that’s pushing through his jeans.

What the fuck, that arrogant dick?!

Literally.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a little frustrated.” He keeps my hand tightly pressed against his groin as he keeps talking, never missing a beat. “KPI is the leader in publishing right now, and I wish to keep it that way.”

He’s frustrated, no shit. I, however, am feeling all kinds of different shit.

Horrified.

Turned on.

Giddy.

Uncomfortable.

Horny.

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