Page 32 of Beauty and the Bosshole

He stops me. “Don’t even finish. It’s too soon and you need some time.”

He climbs out from underneath me and stands next to the bed, gazing at my body as if he’s never going to get his fill. “I’m going to run you a bath, and then we’re going to check out Vegas.”

“But...” I start, and he’s shaking his head.

“Nope, I promised I’d show you Vegas, and that’s what we’ll do.”

I watch him disappear into the bathroom and then hear the water running. I climb out of bed and pick up his shirt on the back of the chair. I slide it over my head and pull it down my body just as he steps back into the room.

He stops, staring at me, and his dick twitches between his legs. “I like you in my shirt, Ava.”

I pull at the hem that barely covers my thighs and he comes over to me. He runs his thumb across my lower lip and looks remorseful. “I think I got carried away when I nipped at your lips, baby.”

I shrug because all I know is that everything he did felt good to me.

He walks me to the bathroom and pats me on the butt with a gentle caress. “Take a bath, baby. Take as long as you need.”

I want to ask him to stay, but I don’t.

When he leaves, I strip again and then sit down in the heated water. I moan as the tub continues to fill. With my head laid back, I think back on the events of this morning. There are so many things I’m thinking and wondering about—like how did this even happen?—but all I can do is focus on how he’s made me feel instead of my lack of responsibility. I’ve been married for less than twenty-four hours, and I’ve had unprotected sex, not caring that I could get pregnant by my boss.

I’m not sure how long I lie here, but it’s long enough for my fingers and toes to turn to prunes. With a sigh, I get out of the bathtub, wrap my body in a towel, and then go out into the bedroom to search for clothes. As I’m rummaging through my suitcase, I hear Reese talking. When I hear my name, I move to the door, thinking that he’s calling for me.

The closer I get to the door that leads to the living area, and he continues to talk, I realize he’s on the phone. I should mind my own business and go back to what I was doing, but that’s not who I am. I’m too curious for that so I stand quietly at the door and listen.

“Declan, listen, I got it all under control.”

There’s silence and I wish I could hear what Declan is saying. I’m holding my breath, waiting for more, when Reese says, “Yes, I know how hard it is to find a beautiful plus-sized model.”

There’s a turning in my stomach, and I know what it is. It’s my gut talking and I never ignore it. Not anymore. I’ve screwed up many times by ignoring my gut and I’ve learned my lesson. Something’s not right.

“Declan, you’re worried for nothing. I have it all taken care of. Ava won’t back out… not now.”

The world starts to spin and I put one hand on the wall to keep from falling over. When one hand is not enough, I put my other hand there too and take a deep breath. My towel drops to the floor, and I can barely focus on anything. I feel like I’m going to be sick. I sit down on the carpeted floor and lean my head against the wall. I’m sure I’m a sight. I’m naked, sitting on the floor in a weird angle, but I can’t force myself to care.

Did my boss marry me so I would model for his ad campaign? I want to deny it. There’s no way he’d go to such lengths, but just as quick, I know he’s a businessman before anything else. He loves his company and would do anything for it. If he feels the ad campaign needs a plus-sized model, he would make sure it had one. Even marry one to make it happen.

I hear him blow out a breath. “While I have you on here, I might as well tell you. I married Ava.”

More silence, and I’m holding my breath. He didn’t sound pleased about it at all.

“Yes, that Ava. My assistant.”

With impatience, he answers, “Yes, the model hired for tomorrow.”

The sick feeling returns, but as I hear Reese getting off the phone, I know I don’t want to be discovered here. I struggle to my feet, leaving the towel on the floor, and then run to the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind me.

I sit down, still naked, on the edge of the bathtub and put my head in my hands. Earlier, it wasn’t so earth-shattering, but now it has a whole new meaning.

I married my boss and lost my virginity to him. Why? So I’d model his stupid sex toys? There has to be more to it than that. I stand up and look in the mirror and see the devastation evident on my face. I’m pale as a ghost and my eyes are wide and lifeless. The marks on my neck remind me of our lovemaking, and I cringe at the way I gave myself to him wholeheartedly.

Reese Donavan is a terrific actor because he had me believing this was real.Fuck, I’m a fool.

Chapter Eleven

Reese

I press the button to hang up on my friend. Declan, as usual, turned a simple discussion into a drawn-out argument, making me question why I even bothered to answer his call. I let out a frustrated groan, tossing my phone onto the hotel bed with a bit more force than necessary. My cock grows impossibly hard, reminding me of what’s waiting behind the bathroom door.

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