Page 44 of Under the Mistletoe
I can’t believe I slept with my boss. I can’t believe the city's most eligible billionaire is lying next to me, naked. If anyone had told me that this was my future, I would’ve laughed in their face because this is so not me. I’m the smart girl. The quiet girl, a hard worker, somewhat reserved. The kind of girl who prefers a quiet night in to a busy night out. Yet here I am. Tangled in the sheets with the one man I shouldn’t be. I can't believe we crossed the line. Four times last night. Once we landed in bed after he made a meal out of me, he reached for me throughout the night, and I reached for him.
“I can hear you thinking…” His hands move over my bare torso, his fingers caressing my skin like he wants to trace every last cell on my body.
“Mmmmmm,” is all I say, because what is there to say? That I’m starting to freak out? What does it all mean? Have I lost my mind and now my job, most certainly my reputation?
“Talk to me.” He moves a little, looking at me, waiting for my next move.
“What do we do now?” I ask carefully. I have no idea what he’s thinking. Is this just sex? Is this casual? It doesn’t feel casual, but I’m not sure he even dates seriously. Is this the start of something, or is my mind just a mess?
“Well…” He blows out a breath. “We need to speak to HR.”
I turn my head quickly, looking at him, my brow furrowed.
“HR?” My heart hammers. This is it. I’m going to lose my job. The one job I really, really love.
“Yeah, well, I don’t know about you, but I thought last night was fucking fantastic. And I want to do it again. Over and over and over again. I also want to take you out—dinner, drinks, shopping, art galleries, the theater… I want to spend time with you outside of the confines of my office. But we need to get things sorted from a work perspective. I want to ensure you’re protected and that we do everything above board and I want us to both do that with clear heads, not from a postcoital, blissed-out perspective.”
“Oh…” I nod. It makes sense, and relief fills me instantly that I can keep my job, and maybe, just maybe, keep him too.
“We should get up, shower, get back in the jet, and head home. We need to keep clear of each other over the weekend, because I know the media will be onto it. Both of us here, together, snowed in… I also want you to have some space. I don’t want you to feel like you have to choose between me and your job. If you decide that this isn’t what you want… if I’m not what you want… I need you to know that your job is not in jeopardy at all. You are my best employee. That won't change. On Monday, after we’ve had time to clear our heads, I’ll have the HR directors come to my office. No matter what happens, we need to declare that something did happen, and it needs to be recorded that it was consensual. Does that work for you? Or…” He waits, looking a little nervous as he watches me.
“That works…” I turn my body to face him as we both lie on the pillow, looking at each other. His hand molds to the dip in my waist, and I lift my hand and cup his cheek, relishing how he smiles at my touch. He’s always handsome, but lying here, his hair ruffled a little, his usually stressful face softened, I feel like I’m getting to see the real Donovan.
“You’re very handsome first thing in the morning.” I grin before rolling my lips.
“Just in the morning or…?”
I laugh. “No. all the time,” I add as he lifts his hand, his fingers trailing across my face.
“You look radiant without your glasses. I didn’t realize you had freckles… Your glasses always hide them,” he says in awe.
“Hmmm, I hated them as a kid.”
“How could you hate something so beautiful?”
The intent way he’s looking at my cheeks has me as amused as it does confused. “What are you doing?”
His smile is instant. “Counting.”
“Counting what?”
“Counting your freckles… Might keep us in bed for days…”
I huff another laugh.
Days. That would be nice. But we have work. York Enterprises is one of the busiest companies I’ve ever worked for.
“Everyone is going to have an opinion. The office gossip will go into overdrive.” I’m almost scared to step into the office on Monday.
“If they all value their jobs, they will leave you alone.”
I grin as he grumbles.
“The media will be insufferable.”
His jaw tics. “I’ll take care of that… Maybe you can start staying at my place? You know, during the week…”
My breath catches, butterflies going wild in my belly. “You want me in your space?”
