Page 38 of Dating the Boss
“Fuck.” Reed turned to me. “That’s rough. What did you do after that?”
“Called off the wedding and moped around for a month. She begged me to take her back, but once someone betrays me like that, it’s too hard for me to forgive them. It’s one of my flaws, I guess.”
“That’s not a flaw. It’s smart,” Reed said. “I’m the same way. I was with a guy last year who really broke my heart. He ghosted me out of the blue, and I had to hear from a mutual friend weeks later that he ran off with another guy. When things went south with that guy, he came crawling back to me.”
“Did you take him back?”
“Hell no. I didn’t even respond to his messages. That’s howdoneI am with him. He eventually got the hint and stopped trying. He’s just one man out of dozens who’s hurt me. I never learn my lesson. No matter how much I get hurt, I still fall for the wrong men.” Reed turned his face to the sky, exposing his throat, and closed his eyes. Snow flurries caught on the ends of his long lashes. “It’s just like that bird, you know? Everyone always leaves me.”
With my heart constricting in my chest—and my willpower slipping away—I strode forward and cupped his cheek. His eyes opened in shock. I knew it was wrong. So fucking wrong. I shouldn’t be touching him.
“Only a fool would ever leave you,” I said, loving the warmth of his cheek against my palm. That close, I saw swirls of deep green in his hazel eyes. “You’re kind. Smart. And so goddamn beautiful, Reed.”
I had every intention of kissing him despite all the warning bells going off in my brain telling me how horrible of an idea it was.
But in typical Reed fashion, he surprised me.
He rose up on his toes and crushed his mouth to mine. His lips were even softer than they looked. As his fingers tangled in my hair, I slipped an arm around his waist and tugged him closer, deepening the kiss. He tasted like lemon and cream mixed with the woodsy scent of the evergreen trees surrounding us.
Nothing had ever tasted better.
However, my conscience took over, and I gently pulled back.
“We shouldn’t do this,” I panted against his parted lips.
“So why are you still holding me?” he asked, just as breathless, eyes heavy.
“I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of my position as your boss. If you don’t want this, push me away. Tell me no.”
Reed smiled up at me before ghosting his mouth over mine. “To be blunt, I don’t give a fuck if you’re my boss or not, Daniel. I just want you to kiss me again like you mean it.”
That’s all I needed to hear.
I kissed him hard on the mouth, savoring the sound of his soft moans with each pressing of our lips. He locked his hands behind my neck as he stood on his tiptoes. I didn’t know how much time had passed as we kissed in the snow, but soon, the cold became too much.
“I can’t feel my toes,” Reed mumbled, shifting his weight from foot to foot. I wrapped my arms around him and picked him up. He let out a surprised yell and held on to my shoulders as I started to walk back the way we’d come. “What are you doing?”
“Sweeping you off your feet?” I said, my chest light and my soul content. He brought it out in me. It was unstoppable. As soon as our lips had first met, something broke in me, as if the cold barrier I’d used to keep everyone at arm’s length over the years cracked and sunlight had spilled in, warming me from the inside out.
“You think you’re some kind of Prince Charming or something?” Reed arched a brow, and the edge of his mouth hitched up. “Does that mean you have a white steed I can ride later?”
I nearly dropped him.
He threw his head back with a laugh. “Oh my god. The look on your face is priceless.”
When the manor came into view, I placed him back on the ground. My earlier euphoria started to dissipate the closer we got, and nerves took its place. What happened now? Had it been a onetime kiss, or would there be more?
God. Let there be more.
Reed grabbed my hand as soon as we were inside and rushed toward the staircase with me in tow. I stumbled after him and laughed when his wet shoes caused him to slide on the first stair. I caught him, though, before he could fall.
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” I asked against his nape.
A small shudder rippled through him, and he reached back to grip the front of my coat. “I’m taking you to bed, big guy.”
Jesus.
Chapter Nine
