Page 62 of The Billionaire Boss and the Barista

“In light of what?”

“Well, Garrett doesn’t just own the building and the finance company on the top floor. He also owns controlling interest inDe Olla.”

Emma’s stupid brain processed the information with the speed of a sloth.

She was quiet for so long, Kyle became concerned. Crouching, he waved his hand in her face. “Are you okay?”

“No. I’m not.” Emma buried her hands in her hair. “I live with myboss.”

And this morning, she’d woken up with his hand squeezing her breast.

Chapter Twenty-Five

GARRETT

His pacing was threatening to wear a groove in the hardwood floor. This morning had been a disaster.

Sure, it had started good. Fantastic, in fact. That hazy minute where he’d been in between sleep and waking had been surreal, a stolen moment from another timeline. The life he hadn’t gotten a chance to live.

But that voluptuous warmth, the rich softness of Emma’s skin had gone to his head. Both of them.

Hard as a rock and half-asleep, he’d taken things he had no right to claim. Emma had bolted, making an excuse and running out the door two hours early for her shift at the coffee kiosk.

What she should have done is crack him one over the head.

And there he went again, thinking about his dick. At least he hadn’t said it aloud.

Could you stick a foot in your brain? He should just punch himself in the groin and save Emma the trouble.

His downward spiral was interrupted by the kitten. Garrett had been vaguely aware the beast had been following in his wake, claws scraping the floor’s finish. The little shit thought it was a game.

He’d spent the entire day on edge, drafting and erasing texts toEmma. In the end, he’d decided to wait to speak to her until she got home.

That should have been a half hour ago. Garrett knew that because Hector had sent him her schedule yesterday. Garrett didn’t even have to ask for it anymore.

Fifteen minutes later, he lost the battle with his patience. He ordered his driver to take him to the waterfront.

He jumped out when he spotted Emma sitting on a bench, facing the water.

Wordlessly, he sat down next to her. All his worst fears about that morning were confirmed when she didn’t turn around. Emma refused to look at him.

Garrett sucked in a deep breath, his carefully prepared speech gone, completely forgotten at the sight of her.

“Emma, I know I fucked up this morning. But you don’t have to be afraid to come home. What happened was an accident. I took some Benadryl last night and it knocked me on my ass. It won’t ever happen again. Even if the antihistamines render me unconscious, I’ll make sure to go to my room. And if I don’t make it and end up sleeping on the floor halfway, just leave me there.”

The joke fell flat. Emma kept her eyes on the water. He glanced in the same direction and was startled to see the end of a sunset so spectacular it belonged in a movie.

But it paled in comparison to Emma. The golden glow transformed her caramel skin into a fiery bronze. She was a golden goddess, but one warm and alive.

It physically hurt not to touch her. And it made his heart hurt that he couldn’t tell her that. But enough boundaries had been crossed today.

Emma twisted to face him. The confusion and hurt in her eyes damn near killed him. “Is it true that you ownDe Olla?”

Okay, a linehadbeen crossed. Just not the one he thought. And Emma was just realizing it now.

“Was this news?” he asked, unable to hide his surprise.

Her mouth droppedopen. “It’s true?”

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