Page 25 of Claimed By the Boss

“What are you saying?”

“Be mine,” he said.

Nora stared at him and hesaw he’d shocked her.

“You mean that?” sheasked.

“Yes.” He’d never beensurer of anything in his life.

“But,people are going to talk. They’re going to assume I got my job by sleeping withyou.”

“Nora, I don’t give a fuckwhat people think, and you know what, neither should you. They’re going to cometo their own conclusions.” He couldn’t believe he was attempting to do this.

After listening to Trudy,he’d felt this fear, and that was something he wasn’t used to feeling. All hislife, he had dealt with whatever came at him, especially in the form of hisparents. The very thought of losing Nora and not being able to win her back, orfor her to understand what she meant to him, scared him more than anything elsein the world. This has been eye-opening.

The last few months hadbeen a crazy train, that was for sure. He’d known from the very beginning thatNora was different. She was not like any of the other women he’d been with.

“You’re sure you wantthis?” Nora asked. “Because we can just call it a fling right now, and then itcan all be over.”

“No, this is not a flingand you know it.” He wrapped an arm around her.

He’d been her first lover,and he was going to be her last. Pulling her in close, he stared into her eyesand was totally mesmerized. She had such stark brown eyes, deep in color. Whenhe looked into her eyes, he saw true beauty, and she looked at him as a man.Not a meal ticket.

“Then kiss me,” Nora said.

He stared at her invitinglips and was just about to do that, but the paperwork he had on his deskcouldn’t wait.

“Nora, you need to knowwhat happened and how your aunt and uncle gained power.”

“Shut up, Gabriel, andjust kiss me. That can wait.”

He smiled down at her andtook full possession of her lips, and this time it felt different. Nora had chosenhim. Just as he had chosen her, not for something brief, but for the rest oftheir lives. He didn’t want to ever stop.

Sliding one of his handsup her back, he sunk his fingers into her hair and held onto her. He didn’twant to ever let her go. Nora moaned, and he swallowed it down, moving her backtoward her desk, to press her against it.

“Am I interruptingsomething?” Trudy asked.

Gabriel groaned. He washard as rock, but he still wore his jacket, which would hide how aroused hewas.

“You said you were leavingfor the afternoon,” Gabriel said.

“Well, I was, and I wasattempting to complete some of my chores, and then I wanted to be the first oneto congratulate the two of you. You’re going to make this work, and I know itis going to be great for both of you.” Trudy moved forward, and it was strange,but Gabriel knew his grandfather would also approve, because Trudy did as well.“He’d be so proud of you.”

Gabriel nodded and helooked toward Nora, seeing the confusion on her face. “My grandfather.”

“Oh,” Nora said with asmile.

“And he would have adoredyou,” Trudy said.

This was surreal, but itfelt good.

Trudy had been with himthrough thick and then. Yes, she had always criticized his choices, but she hadnever stopped him from making mistakes.

“Don’t let anything holdeither ofyouback.” Trudy held onto his hand as wellas Nora’s. “You both have this.”

And with that, Trudy lefthis office and he turned toward Nora.

“You’re not scared?” heasked.

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