Page 31 of Boss Daddy

“I don’t want to sound like a city girl, but the idea of living out here in the middle of nowhere with no one around is a little spooky.”

I laugh. “I can promise you you’re safer here than anywhere on the planet. Is the room okay?”

She heads over to the bed and sits down at the foot of it. Her hair and breasts bounce as she lands, and it’s all I can do to not stare.

“Suits me just fine,” she says with a small smile.

The sight of her on a bed puts all kinds of dirty thoughts in my mind. My heart starts beating faster, but I push the urges away. She’s been through enough tonight.

I drop her bags by the bed and step back, giving her space. I gesture around. “It’s all yours. Ensuite bathroom with a large tub too. And needless to say, whatever you want from the kitchen, help yourself. If there’s something you want that I don’t have, just make a list and we can pick it up.”

“God, I’ve missed having my own room,” she says, almost to herself.

Her words hit deeper than they should. The simple need behind them, the longing for something stable, something she can call her own, causes my gut to twist. I want to give her that.

She turns to me, her eyes meeting mine, a vulnerable softness to them. “Thank you, Samuel. You didn’t have to do any of this.”

“Yes, I did. You’re in danger, and it’s within my means to keep you safe. Simple as that. But you’re welcome.”

I hold her gaze, the air between us thickening, pressing in on me. Saying good night hovers on my lips, but that feels like an end and I’m not sure that’s what I want.

She doesn’t look away. Her eyes search mine, and I wonder if she can see the struggle there.

“Get some rest, Erin.”

“You too. Think I’ll hit the shower. Or the tub.”

I force myself to turn away, my feet heavier than they should be. Each step toward the door feels like a fight against gravity, against the pull of something I want too damn much but shouldn’t.

I leave and close the door softly behind me. I take a deep breath, trying to ground myself. She’s just down the hall. Too close yet not close enough.

I step into my room, the weight of the day settling like lead in my muscles. My body aches for the comfort of the bed, for the oblivion of sleep, but my mind is still wide awake, still wired with the need to protect her. I rub a hand over my face, letting out a long breath.

Towels.Damn it. I forgot to tell my housekeeper to restock the guest room.

I sigh, pushing off the door frame. I open the nearby linen closet, scoop out an armful of towels then head in her direction. I nudgethe door open just a crack.

The room’s empty. She must be in the bathroom. I head over to the bed and set down the stack of towels.

“Yo, Erin.” I call out. “I put some towels—”

I turn as I speak, the sentence catching in my throat when I see that the bathroom door’s open just enough to see into the room.

Through the narrow gap, I spot her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She’s topless, her back to me, her arms reaching up to undo her ponytail. The golden light spills over her, casting shadows that highlight the curve of her spine, the smooth expanse of her bare shoulders, and the soft, subtle swell of her hips.

My breath catches, my chest locking up tight. Her dark hair cascades down her shoulders, covering the nape of her neck.

My throat goes dry, my pulse pounding hard enough to shake my ribcage. I’m frozen in place, trapped between the urge to look away and the primal need to drink her in, to let the sight of her brand itself into my mind.

Goddamn, I want her. I can imagine how good her hips would feel in my hands, the way her back would arch as I drove into her, the sounds she’d make.

Fucking hell, I can’t stop staring.

I can see the faint rise and fall of her chest, the muscles in her back shifting as she moves. The smooth curve of her side, the teasing glimpse of her breast.

I swallow hard, trying to control my breathing.

This is a line you’re not going to cross.

---