Page 4 of Stranded for Christmas with my Boss

“It looks like you’re ready to claw your way out of here.”

Alyssa shakes her head and looks away from me, staring at the doors that refuse to open. “There’s not much else to do in here besides look around.”

She’s nervous. I can hear the slightest tremor in her voice when she makes her little, sharp comments. That’s where her agitation must be coming from.

I check the time on my watch and faintly curse beneath my breath. “We’ll have to push the meeting. Damn it…I can’t afford this.”

“I can do that when we get out of here,” Alyssa tells me as she turns back to me, crossing her arms over her chest and straightening up. “I can do anything you need me to.”

Ah, I see. It looks like I struck a nerve or two earlier by mentioning the typical work environment. I’m only being straight with her.

We’re a company full of people who believe in the product and are determined to make it bigger and better than ever before. This isn’t some temporary gig that people use to boost their resumes. Soul Flames has become one ofthecompanies that people want to work at.

So, the people here work hard, and if someone isn’t willing to match the pace, someone else certainly will. In return for all the hard work they do, my employees are well taken care of and compensated.

Now, I just have to see what category she falls into: the ones who can hang, or the ones who don’t care to.

“Is that right?” I ask her as I angle my body to face her.

Alyssa doesn’t back up or even lean away. She holds her ground and offers me a smile that’s most likely sarcastic. “Of course, sir.”

Heat sparks within me as our eyes meet. She’s close enough that I can smell whatever sweet-scented product she put in her hair, mingling with something that reminds me of strawberries. Damn, she even smells edible.

“Does that include getting rid of that attitude of yours?” I question her as I tilt my head.

Alyssa’s smile wavers. Got her. She breathes in slowly through her nose and tucks her hair away from her face. “I apologize. This whole situation is…stressful.”

I step closer to her, prompting her to lift her chin to hold my gaze. I should just tell her to breathe and that someone will be here soon, but something about that sarcastic smile flipped a switch. Deep down, she wants to challenge me, but she cares about the job too much to give herself free rein.

I don’t want her to hold back. Hell, we’re stuck in this damn elevator for who knows how long. We may as well give each other a little bit of entertainment.

“Can you handle that? Because this job can be stressful at times.”

Alyssa’s face twitches, her shoulders stiffening. I want to hear whatever sharp comments she’s fighting tooth and nail to keep to herself. “As long as we’re not getting stuck in elevators every day, I’ll be just fine.”

Good answer. She’s quick on her feet and not easily deterred, which are certainly traits I need my executive assistant to have. Her witty attitude is admittedly pretty sexy too.

“Time will tell, right?” I say as the corner of my mouth turns up ever so slightly. “If you can keep your cool now, you’ll probably be able to hang in there.”

Alyssa steps closer to me and holds a hand up, her fingertips hovering mere inches from my chest. “Did I do something to make you have such little faith in me?”

I wrap my fingers around her hand and lower it, leaning a few inches closer as her eyes widen in surprise. I don’t even expect my own move, but we’re way too close to each other. Now she’s that much harder to resist. “I don’t want to get attached to such a nice view if you’re just going to choke and leave.”

Alyssa’s jaw drops in shock, her eyes sharpening. “Excuse me?”

“Is this too much for you to handle?” I ask, nudging her closer and closer to the line. To the breaking point. “Do I need to stop?”

Alyssa pulls her hand away from mine. Hell, I expect her to slap me in the face, but she grabs the lapel of my suit instead and jerks me forward. She leans up on her toes, crashing her lips against mine in a heated kiss that knocks the breath out of my lungs.

Fire lights within me, sparking my next movements as I bury my hand in her hair. I pull her closer with a firm grip, my free hand cupping her warm cheek as her body presses flush against mine.

Alyssa lets out a breathy moan as I take over, melting against me as our kiss intensifies. I hope she wasn’t expecting just a peck. I don’t kiss like that.

My thumb rests on her chin, tilting her head just right as our lips part. Just feeling the soft push of her tongue against mine makes aroused heat pulse through me. She tastes sweet and hot, making me wonder how good she tastes between her thighs.

As if I’m not already getting hard enough from kissing her. Thoughts like that don’t help.

Alyssa slides her hands up my arms, her fingers tracing the curves of my biceps. Her body presses against mine, needy and soft.

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