Page 87 of Boss Me

I rubbed my chest, hoping I could slow my racing heart. “Promise?”

“I promise. It’ll be smooth flying until California.”

I breathed out. In. “And then?”

“Maybe a bump or two on the way down.” He kissed the top of my head. “But we’ll be fine.”

“I love you, Cooper.” I turned my face up to him.

He kissed me, a reassuring press of his lips. But he didn’t say it back. That was okay. For now.

The steward cleared his throat. “More juice?”

“Please.” Cooper kissed me again, a little more tenderly.

The steward swept my glass off the table and left.

“You just kissed me in front of a Synergy employee, you know,” I murmured against his lips.

“Did I?” The corner of his mouth quirked up. “You’d better get used to me kissing you everywhere.”

“Everywhere, Mr. Fallon?” My lips felt numb and loose.

“Everywhere.” He bent his head and pressed a sucking kiss just below my jaw.

I shuddered. “I could get used to that.”

30

COOPER

We were running late because I’d forgotten about the dog.

I hadn’t actually forgotten about him; he was with us the entire flight. With the help of one of Sara’s friends, a veterinarian, I’d scrambled for shots and papers to get Coco into the U.S. The trouble and adding another favor to my ledger with Sara had all been worth it for the radiant look on Ben’s face when he snuggled into the airplane seat with Coco.

After Ben fell asleep on my shoulder, Coco jumped up, half on the seat and half on Ben, and gave me a baleful look I’d never seen on him. Those brown eyes never left me, not even to close in sleep, until we landed in San Francisco.

That was when I realized we needed a separate car. For the dog. Because we might be a progressive company, but we didn’t allow dogs in the office.

The car never made it because of the snarl of San Francisco traffic, so we drove with Coco to the office.

When Ben sat on one of the chartreuse chairs in the lobby, Coco plunked down at his feet. “Don’t worry about us,” Ben said. “We’ll wait for you here.” He had his phone out, ready to text his sister or one of his many friends at Synergy.

“Why don’t you just go—” I cleared my throat. I wanted to say home. My home. But Ben had slept through the flight, and we hadn’t had time to work through our living arrangements. I eyed the dog. Maybe he would be an asset in those negotiations. Did his sister’s apartment complex allow dogs? Of course, it would be just my luck if Ben wasn’t ready to move in with me and I somehow got custody of a dog I didn’t want.

“We’ll wait. I’ll see if Marlee can come down here.”

“All right. I’ll text you if I’m going to be a while.” Weston had been short on details of our meeting. I shouldn’t have been surprised. He always held his cards close. His ego was even bigger than mine.

Upstairs, I went straight to Weston’s office on the sunny side of the office at the opposite end of the floor from Jackson. I didn’t have time to pop into Jackson’s office even if I wanted to.

Did I want to? Since we’d talked, it didn’t seem so terrible. Until I remembered what Ben thought I should confess.

I’d worry about that later when I wasn’t late for a meeting with the CEO.

Julie looked up from her screen. Glancing at the clock, she tightened her lips. “He’s expecting you.”

I hated being late. But there was nothing I could do about it. So I rapped on the door, turned the handle, and walked in.

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