Page 22 of Stranded for Christmas with my Boss

Alyssa lifts her eyes to mine, but no words leave her.

Honestly, what is there to say after that? I crossed a line, and she pulled me the rest of the way.

“I’ll let you get back to it,” I say, managing to find something to say. I unlock my office door and walk around my desk to sit down, figuring I can hide behind my desk until my erection fully goes away.

Alyssa slides off my desk and fixes her skirt, wobbling a little during her first few steps. She straightens up as her hands glide up to her waist, perfectly accentuating the curves of her figure. She should probably get out of here before I lock the door again.

“Sir.”

A hint of a smirk lines my lips as I watch her walk out of my office. She drives me so damn crazy, and as nerve-wracking as that is, it’s a rush unlike anything else.

But adrenaline always wears off, leaving behind the slow, cold pace of reality. And all the possible consequences that it promises to bring me if I keep stepping out of line.

Chapter eleven

Alyssa

It takes me thirty whole minutes to finally cool down after leaving Jensen’s office.

Thirty minutes.

My legs felt like Jell-O for ten minutes! But that’s just the kind of effect that he has on me. No other person can make me feel hot to the touch for half an hour after making me fall apart with one hand.

It felt impossible, yet the boundaries Jensen blurred seemed to draw me in like a moth to a flame. Every line he crossed left me teetering on the edge, torn between the intoxicating pull of his touch and the gnawing guilt that twisted in my gut. I would be upset with him if I weren’t doing the same thing, and I’m not usually the type to get myself into risky situations like these.

I take the elevator from the lobby back up to the top floor after running an errand down the street, my nose stinging from the cold looming outside. Today isn’t even over yet, and it has already felt so long and busy. I’m ready to curl up on the couch with my new sugar cookie-scented candle burning and a Christmas movie on the television.

A tired sigh drifts from me before the elevator doors slide open, allowing me to step out and walk down the hallway that leads toward Jensen’s office. Warmth ignites low in my stomach, threatening to seep lower as I get closer and closer to where he is. Part of me wants to go back inside and continue what we started.

Why does he have to be so tantalizing?

Why can’t I just be impartial to him like I was with the other guy? The same guy that Jensen seemedsojealous of for some reason. If I’m honest with myself, it was kind of hot seeing him so worked up about that, but it was also confusing.

Why did he care so much about me “flirting” with another guy? Like I told him, he isn’t my boyfriend. He’s just my boss.

Then, I let him kiss me and once again rock my world. I just can’t stay consistent around him.

I only make it halfway down the hallway when my phone starts buzzing in my hand, making me pause. I check the screen and frown, seeing my mom’s name pop up. She knows that I’m at work, so there is no way that she’s calling me about something that isn’t important.

Anxiety stabs into my chest as I hit the answer button and press the phone against my ear. “Mom?”

“I’m sorry to be bothering you while you’re at work, honey, but your dad and I were just in a car accident.”

My eyes grow wide and my heart clenches painfully, as if the very breath has been knocked out of me. “Wait, what? Are you okay? Please tell me you’re okay,” I whisper, the fear rising in my throat. “What happened?”

My mom lets out a shaky breath, the sound of police sirens shrieking in the background. “This guy ran a red light and pulled out in front of us. We didn’t have time to stop.”

My heart thunders against my ribs, a relentless beat that echoes the panic surging through me. Every step toward theelevator feels like wading through quicksand, my mind spiraling with worst-case scenarios. “I’m coming to you. Text me where you’re at.”

“Oh, no, honey. You’re at work. There’s nothing you can do here.”

“I’m coming. Please, text me where I can find you,” I say. “I love you.”

Jensen steps out of his office and looks in my direction, his eyes catching mine.

I need to go. My parents need me.

As Jensen starts to head in my direction, I whirl around and rush to the elevator, hitting the down button until the doors finally slide open. I step inside and take a weak breath, hoping with everything that I have that my parents will be okay.

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