Page 25 of Flirting with my Billionaire Boss

That night, as the moon reflects off the water, I sit on the deck by myself. I can’t help but think of Callie and how it felt to have her lips pressing against mine. Hopefully, it won’t be a problem that we work together. At least I seem to have gotten my parents off my back about dating Jenni.

“Mind if I join you?” Callie asks.

“Not at all.”

She steps next to me at the railing. “It’s a beautiful night.”

“Yes, it is,” I say.

She wrinkles her nose. “Why do you smell like my perfume?”

I sniff myself. “I think you’re just smelling yourself. Because I would have no reason to smell like your perfume.” Shoot. I thought I’d scrubbed all of the scent off me, but it must still be lingering.

“No. You definitely smell like my perfume. I would know,” she insists.

“Well, maybe I snuck into your room and sprayed it on myself,” I say. It sounds ridiculous enough that maybe she’ll realize that and stop asking me about it.

“That would be weird,” she says.

“Exactly. You should hear yourself. It’s a weird thing to accuse someone of smelling like you.”

She scrunches her forehead in confusion. “I’m just going to change the subject now.”

Good. The conversation is stressing me out.

“Do you think we made a mistake last night?”

“You mean the kissing?” I shake my head. “No way. That could never be a mistake.” I thought it would be bad talking about the perfume fiasco, but this is even worse.

“You know, the boss-employee thing? It might get us into trouble.”

“In trouble with who? The other people in the office? We’re hardly ever there. You’ve only been there twice, and we don’t have to tell them we’re a thing.”

“And are we a thing?” she asks. “Or were you just kissing me for the fun of it with no strings attached?”

Whoa. This conversation got real serious real fast. “I don’t know. The last relationship I had didn’t go so well.”

“What happened? I hope you don’t mind me asking,” Callie says.

“Her name is Ripley. She was using me for my money and sneaking around with a guy from my grounds maintenance team. I found them making out in my stables, right on my property. They didn’t even have the decency to go someplace else. I broke up with her right away, and she had the audacity to ask me for money before she left. That was when I realized it was all about the cash for her. I’d paid off her student loans.”

“Is that why your parents are pushing you to be with a girl from your own social status?”

“Probably. I hadn’t really thought about that. I’m sure they just want to protect me. We’re always a target for people trying to use us for our money or steal something expensive from us.”

“And Jenni already has her own money. It would make sense. They wouldn't have to worry about someone just being in it for the wealth.”

“I’m sure you’re right. But now I have problems trusting again. So for now, I don’t want this to get too serious too fast.”

“So you’re saying that because I’m not rich like you, I must be a money-hungry woman out to use you and then cheat on you?”

“It doesn’t sound so great when you put it like that,” I say.

“I can’t believe you’d think so little of me,” Callie says. “I think I’m going to go to bed now.” She turns and walks away.

“Callie, wait!”

But she just keeps on going. I’ve officially ruined everything.

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