Page 105 of A Bossy Proposal

West

Iwake up to the sound of Amelia’s laughter, a sound that’s become my favorite soundtrack in my mornings. She’s already out of bed, wrapped in my shirt, her hair a messy halo around her face.

“Come back to bed,” I groan, reaching for her. “I’m not done with you yet.”

She giggles again, dodging my grasp. “West, I can’t. It’s only my second day back at work. I don’t want to be late.”

“I’m the boss.”

She glances over her shoulder and smiles.

I prop myself up on my elbows, watching her move around the room. The past week has been a slice of heaven, just the two of us in this apartment, forgetting about the world outside.

News is, Giovanni Vincenzo is in Italy, and the weight on Amelia’s shoulders seems to have lifted.

“You know, we could always call in sick,” I suggest, wiggling my eyebrows. “I’m sure the company would survive without us for one more day.”

Amelia rolls her eyes, but I catch the smile tugging at her lips. “Nice try, Mr. Davenport. But some of us actually like our jobs. My boss is kinda hot.”

I chuckle, finally dragging myself out of bed. I wrap my arms around her from behind, nuzzling into her neck. “Can you blame me for wanting to keep you all to myself?”

She leans back into me, her body relaxing. “It’s been nice, hasn’t it? This past week...”

“More than nice,” I murmur against her skin. “It’s been perfect.”

Amelia turns in my arms, her eyes meeting mine. There’s a vulnerability there that I rarely see anymore. “I never thought I could have this,” she whispers. “Someone to wake up to, someone who knows everything about me and still wants me.”

I cup her cheeks in my hands, my heart swelling with so much love for this woman. “And you deserve all of this and more. I’m just glad I get to be the one to give it to you.”

She rises on her tiptoes, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “Thank you, West. For everything.”

“I’ve got a surprise for you later,” I say, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively. “And another one after that.”

Amelia’s face lights up. “Oh really? Care to share?”

I can’t help but grin at Amelia’s curiosity. Her eyes sparkle, and I decide to tease her a little more, enjoying this little game. “Nope. You’ll have to wait and see.”

She narrows her eyes. “You know I hate surprises, West. Come on, tell me!”

Before I can react, she pounces, her fingers finding my ribs. I burst into laughter, trying to squirm away from her tickling.

“Stop!” I gasp between laughs.

She doesn’t relent, her fingers dancing along my sides until I land on my back on the bed. She straddles my hips. “Not until you spill!”

In one swift move, I grab her wrists and flip us over, pinning her to the bed. Her hair fans out on the pillow, and her chest heaves with breathless giggles. I lean down, capturing her lips in a deep kiss that silences her laughter.

When I pull back, her eyes are dark with desire. “Please, West,” she whispers. “Tell me what the surprise is.”

I chuckle, brushing my nose against hers. “It’s only dinner, princess. The rest...well, you’ll just have to wait and see.”

Amelia pouts, but I can see the excitement dancing in her eyes. “Fine, keep your secrets. But it better be worth the wait.”

I kiss her again, softer this time. “Trust me, it will be.”

I adjust my tie as the helicopter touches down on the helipad in the Hamptons. Amelia’s eyes are wide, her hair whipping around her face in the wind from the rotors.

“West, this is incredible!” she shouts over the noise.

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