Page 29 of Starting Over with Her Billionaire Boss

She knew this was playing with fire. Her attraction to Mr. Westerhouse was growing stronger than she’d ever meant to let it. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe she would end up hurt. But for now, she wanted to be near him, just for a little while. Even if it meant a little heartache in the morning.

He paused. “Are you sure about that?” His voice was low, a mix of surprise and something else Kinsley couldn’t figure out. “There’s no pressure, Kins. I’m fine with the pull-out.”

Mmm… I bet you are,she thought to herself.“I’m sure!” Kinsley hopped off the chair, ignoring the image that word brought to mind. “I’m going to go throw some pajamas on if that’s okay.”

“Of course.” Mr. Westerhouse walked to the bed, sitting on the edge as he watched her cautiously.

Kinsley went into the private bathroom and changed—silky pink bottoms with a matching top. While it wasn’t overtly sexy, the way it caressed her body was divine. With the support of a pleasant champagne buzz, Kinsley felt more confident to flaunt it. If her boss could take his shirt off in front of her, she should wear this.

She knew exactly what she was doing as she paused in front of the mirror, running a hand over the silk on her thighs. What it would be like to hold onto him, put her hands against his chest, or even—dare she admit it even to herself—feel his hard abs pinned against her breasts.

Was she about to find out? Could she say those words, dare to make the first move? Could he?

It wasn’t the biggest bed. At most, he would be only an arm’s length away from being able to feel her for himself.

It took a very long time for Kinsley to stop that train of thought and open the door again.

Daegan hadn’t quite expectedthis. Was she crazy?Tipsy.Daegan saw how her gaze had traced the contours of his chest when he’d peeled off his shirt. If she was at all nervous, he would have never let her go through with it. But instead, he’d seen the eager, hungry look in her eyes. It only made him want Kinsley more.

A thrill rushed through him, but it was instantly followed by a wave of doubt. This was a step across a line Daegan had carefully drawn and strictly maintained. Yet, when she looked at him like that, he couldn’t resist stepping closer.

Daegan couldn’t deny it anymore. He wanted her. He wanted to know what her body felt like pressed against his, if her breath would gasp against his skin as he pleased her. But this would come with consequences, whispered warnings he couldn’t afford to ignore. Was it worth the risk? Yet how could he say no with her so close, with those fiery eyes challenging him to bridge the gap?

This was a recipe for disaster—she was his personal assistant, and the owner of the last house he needed. But it felt like his jet had become the Garden of Eden. Daegan, like Adam, was left standing on the precipice of a choice that could unravel everything. The forbidden fruit dangled before him, ripe and tantalizing. But unlike Adam, Daegan wondered if he’d regretnottaking a bite.

The room seemed to shrink around him, air thick with anticipation. Daegan’s pulse quickened as he removed his pants to wear just his boxers to bed, as he always did. But his normal nightly routine did not involve sleeping next to his personal assistant.

Was it worth risking everything—friendship, sanity, perhaps even his heart—for a night tangled in the sheets? Was it worth risking his company? Or the future prosperity of the town he called home?

He rolled over in the bed just in time to see Kinsley stagger out of the bathroom. Daegan was used to having control—situations, people, himself. Yet with Kinsley standing there, defiant in her silky pajamas, his control was tenuous at best. He should brush this off, insist she take the bed, and stay firmly in control of the situation. He needed to stand up and do exactly that.

But silk was clinging to her like a second skin, accentuating every curve from her breasts to her thighs. “You look stunning,” he blurted out, his voice cracking through the small bit of self-control he was trying to maintain.

He wished he could take it back; perhaps the noise from the engines was too loud for Kinsley to hear him. But the look in her eyes told him it was too late.

“Thanks.” Kinsley smiled and bent down to toss her outfit into her carry-on. Her silky top slipped up her torso, showing a little extra skin. Daegan certainly wouldn’t mind spending hours kissing her soft flesh, exploring all that was hidden.

He always had been proud of his ability to admire a woman’s beauty and then turn away, disinterested and unphased. But he couldn’t take his eyes off of Kinsley. Heat surged through him as he felt himself harden in his boxers. For now, the bedding would act as a barrier. But even without it, he would have no shame showing Kinsley what she did to him.

After all, he was a man with wants and needs. For far too long, he had forbidden himself from feeling a woman’s touch. And why? Because he didn’t want distractions from his business? But up here at forty-two thousand feet, what could he possibly be distracted from? The world outside of the jet ironically stood still.

Kinsley slowly walked toward the bed, the silky fabric of her pajamas whispering against her skin. Each step drew his gaze like a magnet. He wasn’t afraid of being caught. He almost hoped she would.

Every instinct screamed for him to close the distance, to let go of the control he had clung to for so long. Each breath felt like a step closer to a line he knew he shouldn’t cross, but with her so close, it was becoming impossible to stop.

“Do you always look at a woman like that?” Kinsley teased.

“Do you always look this tempting at bedtime?” he asked back, his voice teasing, his eyes locked on hers.

“They’re just pajamas.” She gave a playful smile, letting the moment linger. “But I guess they do the trick.” There was a teasing note in her voice and a sparkle in her eyes. His breath caught as she sat on the edge of the bed. Wiggling herself under the sheet, she turned toward him.

“Are you always this much of a tease?” he asked, propping himself up on his elbow.

“I’m trying to becomfy,” she articulated, pulling the blankets up to her neck.

The low hum of the jet engines filled the suite, a constant reminder of how far removed they were from the rest of the world. Her sweet perfume lingered in the air, mixing with the faint scent of champagne. The combination was intoxicating. Every breath he took seemed to bring Kinsley closer.

The cabin lights were dimmed, casting a warm, golden glow over the room. Every shadow and curve felt more intimate.The silk sheets beneath him were impossibly smooth and cool against his skin. They made the bed stand out in sharp contrast to the heat radiating between them.

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