Page 32 of The Powerful Boss She Craves

Because he still looked worried, and because she wanted to prove to him that there was no link between how he made her feel and Pillay’s actions, Ella linked her arms around Micah’s neck and placed her lips on his. There had been too much talking and not enough kissing, in her opinion.

She felt Micah’s hesitation, knew that he was debating whether to push for more information, so she pulled his bottom lip between hers and nibbled softly. He sighed and she slipped her tongue between his open lips, seeking his. Ella wound her tongue around his, and his fingertips pressed into the skin above her knees. Micah held her against his body, so tightly that the buttons of his shirt dug into her chest. One arm banded around her, and his other hand came up to cup her head, holding it in place as he took their kiss deeper to hot, undiscovered depths.

Her hands skated up and down his sides, over his broad back, her fingers playing in his hair. She touched his jaw and ran her hand down the cords of his neck, down his chest. She couldn’t get enough of him and she couldn’t wait, not one second longer, to have him have her again.

In every delightful way possible.

Forcing herself to wrench her mouth off his, she grabbed his hand and tugged him back to the bed.

Lying down next to her, Micah’s fingers danced over her clavicle before coming to cover her breast. Ella arched into his hand and groaned. She flung her thigh over his hip and went to work on the buttons of his shirt, ripping some in her frustration to get to his bare skin.

Micah’s hand on her thigh tightened and he pulled away from her mouth to haul in a couple of deep breaths.

Ella frowned. ‘Why did you stop? What’s the problem?’

His eyes blazed with blue fire. ‘The problem is that I’m trying to slow this down because I am this far—’ he lifted his hand to show her an inch-wide space between his thumb and index finger ‘—from ripping your clothes off and plunging inside you.’

Ella fumbled for the zip on her jumpsuit. ‘Why don’t you do just that?’

Micah held her eyes for a moment, nodded and went on to do exactly what he’d said.

CHAPTER NINE

HOPINGNOTTOwake Ella, who slept on the pool lounger under the shade of a huge umbrella, Micah quietly slipped into his pool and started to swim, pulling through the water silently and effortlessly. Every time he turned his head, he caught a glimpse of the lounger where Ella slept and told himself that he should let her sleep, that he needed to exercise, that he couldn’t wake her up by kissing her instep, dragging his tongue up the inside of her calf, nibbling her knee.

In the four hours he’d spent in his office, he’d managed to complete what he called his ‘zombie work’—tasks he could accomplish without needing much brain power or concentration. Most of his focus was on what Ella had told him, and now and again he had to push aside the images of her being manhandled, to breathe through his anger. He had to remind himself, often, that she hadn’t been hurt, that things hadn’t gone that far...

She was right: she’d been lucky. But it should never have happened in the first place.

He was astounded at how much Ella had had to deal with and how well she was handling the events of the past few months, especially since the actions of his employees dug into an old, personal wound. She’d already had issues with not being believed, but being sexually accosted and then having her allegations dismissed and derided must’ve rocked her world.

Must be still rocking her world. No one recovered from that sort of trauma quickly. And she’d done it alone. He’d heard her mention a Janie from work and, while it sounded as if they were friends, he didn’t know if they were close enough for Ella to confide in her. He could be wrong but he suspected that Ella walked through the world solo, and that was a dark and desperately lonely path.

Even at his lowest points, he always had Jago standing behind him. He knew that his twin would never let him down, would always be at his side and would help him slay any and all dragons. Now that she was an adult, Micah also had Thadie’s full support, and Jabu had been the rock he’d rested on many times throughout his life. Ella didn’t have anyone.

The thought made him want to weep. And howl. And fix...

She’d crawled under his skin and was banging on the door to his disused, mangled heart. And he wasn’t the only one to realise the impact she’d made in such a short time. Thadie had also noticed. Why else would she tell him she liked one of their many employees? No, it was Thadie’s way of giving him her blessing, of telling him she approved.

After lunch, when Ella had gone upstairs to change into a swimsuit, Jabu had informed him he’d set up the lounger by the pool for Ella and that he intended to make her as comfortable as possible, supplying her with water and fruit. He’d even taken a quick drive to Thadie’s house and borrowed a couple of her magazines in case Ella wanted them.

Leaving the premises to borrow magazines was a pretty big deal, and he’d asked Jabu why he was going the extra mile.

Jabu had sent him a steady look. ‘How many people offer their hand to a butler and say, with complete sincerity, how happy she is to meet me? No one, that’s how many.’

Right. Ella had Mkulu’s seal of approval. Not that she needed it, because their relationship wasn’t going anywhere! How many times would he have to repeat that before it started sinking into his suddenly stubborn brain?

Micah felt a small hand grip his ankle and he whirled around to see Ella hanging on to the side of the deep end of the pool, her hair off her face brown and glossy. She gave him an open and lovely smile. It was obvious that she had no idea he’d spent the last ten minutes fantasising about how good it would feel to rearrange Pillay’s handsome features.

He planted his feet on the bottom of the pool and pushed his hair off his face. ‘Did you have a good nap?’

‘Mmm,’ Ella said, moving towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She felt so good in his arms, so feminine. A wave of protectiveness rose within him; she was his to protect.

His to keep. His to love...

For the next week or so at least.

Confused by the unfamiliar emotions washing through him, Micah dipped his head and covered her mouth with his, smiling as she sunk into him, falling into the kiss. Passion flared between them, as hot and fiery as a rocket launch. He’d never felt this way before. Sure, he’d felt desire, but as soon as that was sated he lost interest. But, with Ella, she fired up his mind and his heart, as well as his body.

---