Page 15 of Boss Daddy's Girl

I sit up and look around, and it's obvious he's left. I don't know what to think. Did he regret everything? Was it a mistake? Did he feel trapped by the one-bed situation and have to bolt?

I get up, my body sore and tired, my eyes feeling like they've got sand in them. I go to the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror. My hair is a mess, my lips are puffy, and I have a hickey on my neck.

A hickey.

God, I'm an idiot.

I get in the shower and scrub myself raw, wishing I could do the same to my emotions. I tell myself that Drake probably has women all over the world waiting for him to call and that I should just forget last night ever happened. The least he could have done was wait for me to wake up or tell me himself that he was leaving.

Would I feel any differently if he had still been sleeping by my side when I woke up? Would I regret anything then?

It's a sobering thought to realize that, no, I wouldn't regret it. Because even with him being gone, I still don't. I wanted Drake and took the chance that was offered to me. And if his enthusiasm last night was any indication, he wanted me too just as badly.

Things might be a little screwed up now or a lot—time will tell. But I'm not going to live with regrets, either.

Slowly, the sinking feeling I woke up with fades, replaced by something warm and even a little bit happy. I can't avoid the fallout of what Drake and I have done, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the memory of it. And who knows, maybe he'll be cool about it, and our work relationship won't have to change.

Even if it breaks my heart a little to know that my employer is all Drake will ever be to me. Last night taught me a lot of things about myself, but the most staggering one is that I don't just want to jump Drake Evan's bones—I want him in every way. He's important to me, and I care about him deeply. I want that to be mutual so badly that it hurts.

Getting out of the shower, I dry off and wrap one of the hotel's fluffy white robes around me before exiting the bathroom. As soon as I open the door, I'm greeted by the scent of coffee andthe sight of Drake sitting on the edge of the bed with what looks like breakfast.

"Morning, sunshine," he greets, standing to bring me a steaming cardboard cup. "Sleep well?"

I blush, but thankfully, the heat of the shower has already turned my skin pink, so hopefully, he can't tell. "Uh, yeah. I did."

"Good. We've got a busy day according to the schedule you've sent me no less than five times, so I figured I could feed you before we got started."

Confusion and the urge to touch him war with each other, but I end up just taking the cup from his hand and following him to the small dining table in the other part of the suite. He unrolls the paper bag and pulls out a small spread of bagels and cream cheese, a fruit bowl, and two small carafes of orange juice and milk.

It's not much, but it's thoughtful and definitely more than I expected. He must have seen the surprise on my face because he grins, taking the seat across from me.

"I'm not totally useless, you know. I can get takeout breakfast."

"It's just surprising, is all." I sit down and pick up one of the bagels. "Thank you for getting me coffee, too. I'm going to need it today."

He snorts, taking a bite of his own bagel. "Tell me about it. The itinerary you sent me is insane. I've had to rearrange everything and delegate half of it to the sales team."

I flush and shrug. "It's the job. You have to go to all of these things, Drake. I know it's annoying, but you're the star of theshow here, and you need to do what you can to make sure Dragon Ascent's brand stays relevant."

He grunts in agreement, biting into his bagel. Drake often eats with a single-minded intent, and this morning is no different. I keep waiting for him to mention last night or reach across the table to take my hand—anything to acknowledge that something huge has changed between us.

But he doesn't. This feels like any other morning with Drake Evans, my boss. It hurts, even if I know it shouldn't. He never made me any promises or even said anything to insinuate that our relationship is different now.

We finish breakfast, and Drake dusts his hands off, telling me, "Better go change unless you're working in just a robe today." He gives me a lopsided smirk. "I wouldn't complain, but I know how much you like to keep things professional."

It's as close to a mention of our previous night's activities as I will get. Shooting him an eye roll to cover up how shaken I still am by everything, I do as I'm told and go get ready for the day. It's going to be busy enough that I shouldn't even have time to think about Drake's dark head between my legs and the feeling of falling asleep in his arms. At least, I hope so.

Downstairs,the convention is in full swing.

The part of the hotel designated as a convention center is huge and new, and the event planners have gone all out. There are dozens of booths set up in the main lobby, each with its own color scheme and carefully curated theme. Several climbingwalls have been set up along the sides of the room, and as Drake and I walk through, everyone is trying to get his attention. It's nothing new, and he handles it like a pro.

Drake looks fantastic in a suit, but today, he's dressed in the gear that fits him most naturally. He looks every inch the record-breaking climber, decked out from head to toe in Dragon Ascent gear.

Knowing that I will be walking all day but still wanting to impress the man next to me despite my reservations, I'm wearing a black pencil skirt and a silky cream blouse. My heels are low but strappy. I sigh, mentally preparing for the day ahead.

During a lull in the crowd, Drake reaches over and wraps one of my blond curls around his fingers. "You should wear your hair down more often."

His words send a flush through my body. I reach up to touch my hair, tucking it behind my ear self-consciously. "I, uh..."

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