Page 18 of Royal Pain

Very private.

What in the hell had happened in a few short minutes?

My thoughts drifted to my social media accounts. I’d just posted pictures of the strippers.

Uh-oh.

Maybe that’s why he was pissed.

It was a private elevator. He used a card, sliding it in an unmarked console. When the door opened, he led me inside, half tossing me against the back wall. As soon as he pressed a button, he crowded my space.

His nostrils were flared, his brow furrowed.

But he was by far the sexiest man I’d ever laid eyes on. Damn it.

“Don’t you know there are consequences for everything you do in life?” he asked in his usual sultry voice.

“I think that depends on what we’re talking about.” I wasn’t going to be the one to mention the possible infraction to him. Possible? Who was I kidding? I knew pictures weren’t supposed to be taken and uploaded anywhere.

He smirked and planted one hand on the elevator wall. As he lowered his head just like he’d done right before kissing me, I sucked in my breath. The kiss itself had been amazing, a moment I’d call magical.

Now this.

Oh, he was still sexy but as he nuzzled against one side of my neck and the other, even sniffing in an exaggerated manner, I knew I was in some kind of trouble.

I was trembling, which I didn’t want him to know.

But the closer he came, the heat from his body explosive, I was about ready to lose my cool.

But he kept the pressure on, acting as if he had every right in the world to… sniff me.

Damn him for being so sexy.

I did my best to hold my own, including keeping my head held high, but I was thoroughly intoxicated by his aftershave, my entire system humming from vibrations.

As soon as the elevator door opened, he grabbed me by the arm, leading me into the hallway. Not like a lover would, fingers intertwined, but like I was a bad child being led to the punishment room. I shuddered from the thought.

“I demand you tell me what the hell is going on,” I said, as if I had any right to demand anything.

He said nothing as he walked me to the end of the hallway, but I’d be damned if the man wasn’t enjoying me being uncomfortable. Of course he owned the place, but what gave him the right to treat any guest this way?

He used the same keycard as before, black in color. I was certain the executives all had one. When the door was open, he pushed me inside. Gently, but that wasn’t the point. He closed the door behind us and I heard the click of the lock.

The man didn’t want us to be disturbed. It was another uh-oh moment. He remained absolutely quiet, which of course boosted the horrific anticipation, moving behind his desk to his computer. I stood a few feet away, my arms folded across my chest, my head cocked, and with my hip jutted out, I had attitude.

After powering up his computer, he lifted his gaze. His very heated gaze. There was no doubt the look was admonishing me. But I refused to back down. Nope. Not this girl. I remained exactly where I was, glaring at him with all the venom I could muster.

Yet I was shaking inside.

It was odd to feel like a bad little girl. My father had been stern when I was growing up but neither he nor my mother had been required to punish me but every so often. I’d played by the rules. I’d enjoyed family time. My idea of rebellion had been to stay up way past my bedtime reading. Oh, I was a bad girl all the way.

His fingers were flying and I was just about to go insane when he turned the laptop around to face me.

I barely glanced at the screen, still doing my best to keep my distance.

“Evangeline. Tell me what this is,” he commanded in his very deep voice.

I didn’t budge. Didn’t look.

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