Page 89 of Bossy Hero

He lowers his face to the curve of my neck, running his mouth over my pulse point. The warmth of his breath fanning across my skin sends chills down my spine.

“Maddie, you fucking flew across the country without protection when we’ve got active and credible threats on your family. And you refused to take a guard with you, threatening to end our relationship if I defied you. That left me no choice but to come myself. Which tells me... youwantme to chase you.”

Despite the somewhat flippant words coming out of his seductive mouth, his tone is calm and velvety. His body language remains loose. He peppers kisses against my throat, moving up to my jawline.

He’s not mad. Not even irked.

So why the hell is he bringing this up?

“Alan, perhaps it’s the way you’re touching me that’s got me lightheaded, but I’m struggling to follow this conversation. Why are you talking about this now?”

He brings his face back to mine, rubbing the tips of our noses together. A man that looks rugged like him shouldn’t be this tender. It makes no sense.

His hands roam over my body, from my neck to my shoulders, then curve around my back. He rumbles his response across my lips. “Because I had time to think about it on the plane. For more than fifteen years, I’ve been chasing you. And I think you like it that way.”

I have no good response to that. To be honest, his words ring truer than I’d like to admit.

Same as him, I always assumed my reluctance to commit and go public with our relationship was because I craved being my own person after a lifetime of being someone’s property. But now I’m not so sure.

He might be right about this damn trip too. Did I bait him?

If I’m honest with myself, Iwantedhim to come with me. And that makes no sense because by him coming, he’s all but confirmed everyone’s suspicions about the two of us.

But maybe... just maybe I do want him to give chase. And if so, is that bad?

And perhaps I’m no longer concerned about keeping us a secret.

Why else would I do this?

He yanks me from my deep thoughts, squeezing my ass harder than I grabbed his earlier. “Am I right or wrong, Maddie?”

Trying to distract him, I drop one hand from his shoulder to his waistband and dig the belt from under the loop. “I can’t think clearly when you’re wrapped around me like this, Alan.”

His gaze drops between us toward where I’ve progressed from unbuckling his belt to opening his fly. There’s a challenging glint in his eyes that I find utterly intoxicating. I try to decode what he’s telegraphing but fail. Again, I blame my addled brain on his arousing effect on me.

He licks his lips as he studies me. “What time is your first event or meeting?”

I hold his eye contact, working his erection free without looking down once. “Not until the morning. Do you need to check in with your team?”

“Already did on the way over here. There was an issue, but it’s been handled. Everyone’s safe. Including your kids.”

“Good. So long as they’re safe. Tell me about it later. Get on the bed.”

I give his broad chest a tiny shove. He barely moves.

But that’s Alan—an immovable presence in my life. No matter how much I push him away, he barely falters.

Why do I keep doing it? Why can’t I give him this? Leo might be upset at first, but he’d get over it. Ultimately, he’d probably love for his boss and mentor to be my romantic partner.

So why do I keep resisting?

Once more, I have to forcibly shake off my heavy thoughts. The sight of him lowering to the bed and kicking off his pants yanks me the rest of the way back into the moment. I strip quickly, my desperation for him simultaneously weighing me down and lifting me into the clouds.

My mouth waters when he tugs his shirt over his head, revealing his torso. As soon as I’m naked, I practically levitate to the bed. He reaches for me, easing me on top of him. He scoots us back toward the middle of the mattress, but I’m too impatient to wait.

Straddling him, I wrap my fingers around his cock, stroking and pumping in short, rough strokes. He’s already rock-hard and ready for me. Wasting no time, I line him up with my entrance and sink down on him.

A deep rumble makes his chest vibrate where my hands are resting. He flings his head back onto the mattress, closing his eyes and getting lost in the feel of our joining.

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