Page 28 of Save Me the Trouble
Her breath caught, and I saw her eyes widen just a fraction. She was trying to keep things professional, to maintain that barrier between us, but I could feel it weakening.
“What changed?”
I leaned in closer, so close I could feel her breath against my skin. The pull between us was magnetic, irresistible.
“You.” The single word hung in the air between us like a bomb attached to a balloon.
We were on the edge of something dangerous, something that could change everything.But maybe I wanted it to change everything.I reached out, my hand hovering just above her cheek, and then my fingers found her skin. I traced the swell of her cheek, the curve of her jaw, and then captured her chin, lifting her face until there was almost nothing between our lips.
I was going to kiss her. I needed to kiss her.Again.
“I want you,” I murmured.
She stared at me for a long second, and then her eyes fluttered shut, a silent surrender to the desire neither of us could ignore. My lips lowered to hers, just barely tasting the familiar softness of her mouth, when a sudden boom of thunder shook the entire room.
The moment shattered, and she jolted away.
Grace blinked, her breath coming in short, quick gasps. “I can’t—not again,” she said, her voice shaky as her eyes darted around, searching for her things. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
My mind raced, watching as she grabbed her bag and scrambled from the room. There was so much I wanted to say, but the words were stuck in my throat. She hesitated at the door, glancing back at me one last time before slipping out.
As the outer door to my office clicked shut behind her, I ran a hand through my hair.What the hell was I doing? I couldn’t keep playing this game, couldn’t keep pretending I was okay with the plan my grandmother had set in motion.
I didn’t need this damn dating profile; I only needed Grace.
And God help me, I was determined to make her mine—no matter what I’d have to risk to do it. Even my heart.
Chapter Eight
Grace
For two weeks, I did exactly what I was supposed to do:my job.I forgot about everything that happened in his office that night. Forgot everything he’d said about me being his weakness. And I forgot how I’d wanted to kiss him again with every fiber of my being. Instead, I filled all those aches with questions that needed answers. Tasks that needed to be completed.
I observed his work interactions. Cataloged hobbies and likes and dislikes. I even went back to his apartment to film all the photographs of his that he had displayed on his walls. And the entire time, I kept things professional. Which is why it was the greatest irony that I now realized by doing my job, I’d still managed to fall for Killian Crown.
I wished I could say it was his good looks or his stack of billions or his charming smile or the heat in his stare that promised a kiss was only the beginning. But it was none of those things.
I started to fall for Killian because during all of those moments, I knew he was sharing a side of him that the rest of the world didn’t get to see.
For the profile,I reminded myself so many times it might as well have been tattooed to the inside of my forehead, and still the way he looked at me every night when we sat on that couch long after the rest of his office went home erased every rational warning.
Two weeks had led to today.
Diane had pushed his profile live this morning. Without notice. Without warning. I’d walked into the office, my hair still damp from my shower after accompanying Killian on an early morning run, only to be met with Diane sitting with one hip propped on my desk.
“Mr. Crown’s profile is live on the server as of this morning. Well done, Grace.”
I’d been in shock. Like she’d just burst a bubble I hadn’t realized had formed around me.
“Thank you,”I’d somehow managed.
And then she frowned, her eyes narrowing like twin daggers leveled at my throat.
“It was ready to go live a week ago.”
Her implication was clear; I’d been the reason for the delay. That there was enough information for the system to start working, but I’d delayed pushing it through because…
“I wanted to make sure it was perfect…after everything.”
