Page 146 of Guarded King

“We’re done here.” I pull the door open and step aside.

With a huff, she stands and approaches. Pausing in front of me, she rests a hand on my arm. “See you at the funeral, darling.”

I stiffen at her touch, but before I can pull away, she’s gone, sweeping past Chloe’s desk.

Chloe meets my gaze but only for an instant before ducking her head and focusing on her computer screen. The distance swirling between us over the past few days echoes in her silence. It pains me, knowing how it must have looked when Katherineleft. And it hurts even more, knowing there’s a chance it’s made Chloe feel insecure.

“Can I see you in my office?”

Her eyes slide back to mine, and she offers a stiff smile. “Of course.” With an air of perfect professionalism, she stands, picks up her notepad, and walks toward me.

I don’t step aside as she passes, so her shoulder brushes against me.

I suppress a smile at the slight upward tilt of her chin. I don’t want her hurting, but I also can’t deny that I like the idea of her being jealous—as long as I get the chance to reassure her.

I close the door behind her and lock it

At the sound of the click, she whirls around, mouth parted in surprise. “What are you doing?”

I stalk toward her. She clutches her notepad to her stomach, her hands tightening around it.

With two fingers beneath her chin, I angle her face up to mine. “Tell me what you’re feeling.”

She swallows audibly. “I’m not feeling anything.”

I stroke my thumb along her jaw. “I don’t think that’s true. You just saw my ex-wife walk out of my office, touch me, call me darling. I know how I’d feel if the tables were turned.”

She takes a deep breath, pulls her shoulders back, and meets my gaze head-on. “I hate that I can’t go with you to the funeral but your ex-wife is allowed to be there. She gets to support you publicly. She’s allowed to touch you and call you darling where anyone can see.” Though her voice remains steady, the slight tremble of her lower lip gives her away.

Fuck. I close my eyes for a beat, the weight of what I’ve put her through settling heavily in my chest.

She’s right. Katherine gets to do all of those things and she doesn’t. It kills me that I’m putting her in this situation.

“It’s perception. That’s all. And it won’t be forever, sweetheart. I promise.”

“I know.” She lets out a shaky sigh. “That doesn’t make it any easier. I want to be there for you. It hurts that I can’t.” Deflating, she focuses on the space between us. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be making this harder for you.”

“That’s the last thing you’re doing.” I grip the back of her neck, pulling her closer until her eyes are on me again. “You haven’t made anything worse since the day you walked into this building. I want you there with me too. I’ll figure out a way to make it happen, okay?”

She searches my face, and the glimmer of doubt I see in hers sends a hard rock of guilt rolling around my gut. That doubt is my fault.

I kiss her, hard. Her notepad falls to the floor between us, forgotten, as she wraps her arms around me and kisses me back.

Despite my earlier conviction to not indulge my need for her, I can’t stop myself from lifting her and settling her into my chair.

Gasping, she clutches the leather armrests. “What are you doing?”

“I need to taste you again.” I drop to my knees. “Keep quiet and let me make you feel good.”

I push her skirt up to her hips, then shove her thighs apart, savoring her sharp inhalation. She’s wearing one of the pretty pairs of panties I bought her to replace the ones I ruined the night I fucked her here—and the ones I’ve ruined since then.

I yank the fabric to the side, revealing her mouthwatering pussy.

“Roman,” she hisses. “I thought you didn’t want to?—”

I slide my tongue along her soft skin and her words cut off. With a flick to her clit, I repeat the motion. I can’t take my time with her the way I want, but I have no doubt I can get her off in less than five minutes.

I bury my head between her legs, her taste bursting over me as I suck her clit into my mouth.

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