Page 33 of Forbidden Desire

“You’ve done it before,” I remind him, being well aware of his little journalistic empire he’s been building.

“But this one is important.Moreimportant.”

“Why is that?” I look up at him curiously.

“Because it means the most to you,” he says softly, and in his eyes I see he means it.

The words pierce through the armor I’ve put up and I’m defenseless against them and the way he’s looking at me right now. I realize I’m not going anywhere.

“Okay,” I say in almost a whisper.

“Really?” he asks, sitting up straighter.

“I’ll stay. But what happened on Friday night can’t happen again. You are my boss. I work for you. That’s it. There will be nothing more than that. Do you understand?”

He swallows hard and gives me a solemn nod. “Yes.”

I pull the envelope toward me and stand up, walking out of his office feeling like a fool. I had gone in there so determined to leave, but he somehow convinced me to stay. I try to tell myself I’m staying for the good of the paper, but I’m starting to wonder if there’s another reason.

Chapter 18

Marco

Iwatch as Erica leaves my office, shutting the door behind her and that perfect ass, before letting out a sigh of relief. After she freaked out on Friday night when I tried to kiss her, I knew she would be upset, but I had no idea she would want to quit over it. I feel bad for making a move in the first place, but I couldn’t help it in the back of the limo after our night together.

Though it wasn’t a date, I felt this pull to her, watching her hold her own in conversation with Manhattan’s wealthiest and seeing her reunite with old acquaintances. She fit right in. I remind myself that she comes from this world, being Bryce Gunner’s daughter, but it seems like she hasn’t been a part of it for quite some time. She jumped right in though, and she looked good doing it. She put every other woman in that place to shame, along with the ornately decorated ball itself.

I wonder if she got caught up in the magic of the night too because she almost kissed me back. There was something between us in that limo, something that was reminiscent of our first night together. Nerves, lust, excitement. I felt it all too. Something stopped her, though. I wonder what it was. I wonder what about it was so detrimental that she would want to quit her job.

I press my fingers together as I run through a mental list of what might be holding her back. Maybe she has a boyfriend I don’t know about. This thought just pisses me off as jealousy eats away at me. She could have someone in her life now. It has been a year since the two of us got together. I try not to think of her going home to someone each night because it makes my blood boil, like I have any right to be jealous.

Still, she hasn’t mentioned a boyfriend, and if she has one, I doubt he would be too pleased with her going to a ball with me, looking like that. I did say it was for business. He could be really supportive. I hate that I’m trying to envision what he looks like and what sort of relationship they may have. She’s never mentioned having someone in her life, but it’s not like we talk much, besides business. I realize I know very little about her.

I push the idea of a boyfriend out of my mind, and think that maybe she’s just very professional in her work and doesn’t want to blur the lines. If so, her ethic is admirable, but frustrating. I thought becoming her boss would bring us closer in some way, but it seems like it’s driving an even bigger wedge between us.

Or…she’s still upset at me for what happened. I thought she had accepted my apologies, maybe even believed my excuses, whichwere all true. I never once had the intention of trying to get information from her about the paper to advance my position in acquiring it. I was simply enamored by her. The way she looked. The way she talked. The way she moved. I couldn’t get enough. I found myself to be the least interesting thing next to her, which was why I didn’t say much. And the excuse about a family emergency was very true. Something I’m still dealing with as I make sure my mother gets the best care in the city after her heart attack.

Whatever the reason she pushed me away that night, I am determined to work my way around it.

The next day, I get to the office early and feel anxious, like Erica may have changed her mind and quit. But then I see her walking through the office and I feel a sense of relief. She’s still here and looking as beautiful as ever. I swear, every day, I notice something new about her and each thing just adds to the list of why it’s so hard not to have her.

Yesterday, I noticed the bridge of freckles across her nose and wondered if she had spent time in the sun this past weekend. They’re the perfect sprinkle of a tan constellation that lay just under her green eyes, which I’ve noticed change color depending on the day or her mood. When she’s happy, which is rare around me, they’re light, almost seafoam. When she’s moody, they’re dark like a forest at dusk. I find them intoxicating. Today, I notice the way her breasts are bouncing in that pink chiffon top. As she gets closer, I tear my eyes away and look down at the papers in front of me, pretending I’m not so painfully aware of her presence.

“Oh, Erica,” I say as she’s about to pass my door. “Can you come in here for a sec?”

She stops outside my door, but doesn’t step inside. “Yes?” she asks.

I try to think up something quickly because I really don’t need anything from her at all, except for those green eyes to look at me. They’re emerald today. I wonder what that means.

“I need you to come with me today on a few errands,” I say.

“Okay,” she says, a confused look in her eyes.

“I just want to pick out a couple more things for the new space. It might be nice to have a woman’s eye.”

“The internet company is coming today though, to update our modems.”

“Jessica can handle it.”

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