Page 302 of Savage Bosses

She touches my arm gently, and it’s like a jolt of electricity. "Archer? Did you hear what I said?"

I blink. "No. I got a bit...distracted."

She raises an eyebrow. "Distracted by what, exactly? You were looking right at me," she teases.

I can’t resist telling her the truth. "You. Everything about you is distracting me, Tahani." My voice is thick and urgent.

Her cheeks flush, but she holds my gaze steadily. "How is that possible?"

We stare at each other for a tense moment.

I reach out and take her hand. “Come with me.”

Her lips part slightly before she reaches a hand out to me, keenly aware that taking her boss’s hand at an office outing will be seen by others. “Where are we going?” she asks cautiously.

“Just come with me.” I find a private area in the back room of the bar, a place where we can be away from prying eyes. "You have no idea what you do to me," I say as she removes her hands from mine and leans away as I lean in.

“Mr. Gates…”

“Archer.”

“Archeeeer,” she moans breathily.

She doesn’t move away when our lips finally meet. It’s like striking a match. Pent-up desire explodes as we kiss hungrily and urgently. Nothing else exists but the passion surging between us. Rules and consequences be damned. We have crossed the line, but as I lose myself in her kiss, I know I’ll never look back.

Tahani breaks the kiss first, pulling back slightly to catch her breath. Her cheeks are flushed, eyes bright. "We shouldn't...not here," she whispers. “People will see.”

The heat of her breath warms my skin. I nod, though my body screams in protest. "You're right. But I've wanted to do that for so long. I couldn't resist any longer."

A hint of mischief enters her eyes. "Well, in that case, the night's still young. No need to stop on my account." She giggles.

A thrill shoots through me at the implication. We’re playing with fire, but the promise of more kisses is too tempting to ignore.

I take her hand, interlacing our fingers. "Why don't we get out of here? Maybe grab a drink somewhere more...private and away from our peers?"

"I'd like that." Her voice is low, seductive.

She leaves the room first and heads out of the bar. After a few minutes pass, I slip out of the backroom and walk toward the door.

“Are you leaving so soon?” Grace asks.

I turn to find her following me to the door. “Yes. You have the company card. Make sure the tab is covered.”

“I will do that, Mr. Gates,” she says, lingering by the door as I go outside to meet Tahani.

“Thanks.” I leave out, knowing that Grace is acting strange about me leaving. I can care less about what she’s thinking. The only thing I care about is touching Tahani again.

We find a nearby lounge and enter. The dimly lit, intimate setting amplifies the crackling tension between us. I’m not used to letting my guard down like this. But one look at Tahani's soft smile emboldens me.

"So..." I begin, searching for the right words. "I guess the cat's out of the bag about how I feel."

Tahani chuckles. "I think that kiss speaks volumes."

"I know this is complicated. Your career, my short time here in Birmingham..." I trail off. "It's risky. But some things are worth it, don't you think?"

She reaches across the table, taking my hand in hers. Her thumb gently caresses my skin. “Some things are definitely worth it.”

Desire coils within me at her touch. "I don't know if I can stay professional around you anymore. Especially after..."

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