Page 50 of Seducing the Billionaire

Archer stands, his brows knitting. “Is everything okay? Does Serena need help?”

“She’s fine,” I assure him, sensing he’s about ready to vault over that desk and search for her. I guess it’s weird that I would look for him. “I just wanted to get your opinion on, um… sleeves.”

His head tilts slightly. “Sleeves?”

Really? That’s the only thing I could come up with? “Yeah. What kind of sleeves should Serena’s wedding dress have?”

“I’ve never thought twice about sleeves,” he says slowly. “I have no opinion.”

I clasp my hands together in front of me. “Great. Good to know. I’ll leave you guys to it.”

I avoid Connor’s eye as I return to the bedroom, hoping he didn’t notice the heat licking my cheeks. This is what I get for being nosy.

I resist all urges to find out what Connor and Archer are up to for the remainder of my time there, focusing instead on taking Serena’s measurements and coming up with a schedule for working on the dress. It’s not like I have anything else to do with my free time, so at least I should be able to finish it in a few weeks if I spend a few hours on it every night.

I make my goodbyes to Serena with promises to keep her updated on how the dress is coming along and head toward the door, speed walking past the office. God, how am I supposed to seduce him if I don’t even know what to say to him? How do I recover from him walking away from me like that this morning?

I’m out and halfway to the elevator, when a soft, “Emma,” sounds from behind me.

My eyes shut, feet stopping. “Yes?” I glance back over my shoulder as Connor steps out of the apartment, face serious as he approaches me.

“Archer didn’t tell me you’d be here tonight,” he says. “Just so you don’t think I’m, I don’t know, stalking you or something.”

“No, I thought you were avoiding me.” The words slip out accidentally, but I don’t regret them. I didn’t fully realize how irritated I was till just this moment.

He sticks his hands in his pockets, biting his bottom lip as he looks down at his shoes. “Yeah, you’re right. I was. And I’m sorry. That wasn’t fair to you.”

Wow. A man who owns up to his mistakes? My annoyance melts away. “No, I was the one who kissed you. It was my fault.”

He peeks up at me, a ghost of a smile on his face. “Let’s agree we were both at fault. We both… wanted it.”

My heart thuds at the sensual look in his eye, gone almost as quick as it was there when he blinks and straightens his head, going back into professional mode. “I just wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier.”

“You don’t have to apologize. I liked what we did.”

He blows out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re not making this easy, you know?”

Oh, I’m perfectly aware of that. And while I admire how noble he’s being, how principled, it doesn’t exactly agree with my plans. “Connor.” I step closer, secretly loving the way his eyes widen slightly, the sharp inhale he takes as I get nearer. “You said you didn’t want to take advantage of me. But you’re not. You’ve never asked for anything I wasn’t willing to give already.”

“I’m your boss,” he whispers. “And I’ve never wanted to be that awful cliche of the guy who sleeps with his hot assistant.”

A grin flirts over my lips. “You think I’m hot?”

He points a finger at me. “That was the wrong part of that sentence to focus on.”

I take his outstretched hand, intertwining my fingers with his. “We haven’t slept together. We haven’t done anything wrong. We’re two consenting adults.”

He doesn’t drop my hand like I thought he might. If anything, he seems to hold it tighter. I use that as a sign to continue, to convince him. If I can only get him to kiss me again…

“I don’t expect anything of you,” I tell him. “Not at work. Not money. Not favors. I just like being with you.” And that last part is the truth. I really do like him, separate from anything my Dad tasked of me. Even if Connor never ends up buying Montague Media, if Dad cuts me off, I wouldn’t regret getting closer to Connor. He’s more than I ever expected to find when taking this job.

Something dark flickers in his gaze. “Are you trying to torture me?”

I swallow, belly curling at the low need in his voice. “I’m being honest.” As honest as I can be.

He blinks, shaking his head slightly. “I thought we agreed to keep things professional.”

No,hesaid that. I never agreed. “Are you saying you only think of me professionally?”

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