Page 9 of Dating the Boss

“And yet, you came right away.” I rise from my seat and pour her a glass, handing it to her. “Take a seat. We have something to discuss.”

“I’m supposed to be out with Margot,” she argues, yet takes the glass from me and sets her purse down.

“Cancel.” I pull out a seat for her.

“I don’t understand what’s going on.” Brooklyn takes a deep drink from her wine glass and then looks up at me through her eyelashes.

“How many yesses did you mark down tonight on your little scorecard?” I stand above her, inches away from touching her, her face within my reach, and yet I have to know how many guys caught her attention tonight. How many men think they stand a chance with her? And did any of them leave her excited about a future date?

“Seven. Why?” She’s breathing hard, causing her breasts to swell under her blouse, which makes my dick throb in my slacks.

“Only seven?” I reach out and brush a strand of her golden hair back from her cheek.

Her eyes are wide as she stares up at me. “Seven out of twenty is thirty-five percent in two hours, which is a high success rate in comparison to online dating apps.”

I slide my finger under her chin, using my thumb to stroke her neck. “Is it success after five minutes?”

“It’s a start,” she says huskily.

“A start you are eager to get to?”

She licks her lips. “What’s going on here?”

I cup the back of her head and bring her to her feet. She sets her wine glass down without taking her eyes off mine, her gaze intense with a fierceness I expect from her. Her unwillingness to back down lights me up from the inside, my body hot and ready to combust. “I want to be your Number One, one hundred percent, right now.”

I slant my mouth over hers, devouring her gasp, plunging my tongue into her mouth that is gaping open in surprise. She’s sweet, like cherries, but tart like the wine, her body instantly soft and pliant in my hands. Grasping onto my shirt, she meets me as an equal, giving as hard as I take, and within seconds we’ve knocked over the chair as I back her up against the wall, pressing the hard length of my body against her soft curves.

“Mr. Manning,” she gasps when I tear my mouth from hers to trail kisses down her neck.

“What?” I growl, nipping at her collarbone with my teeth, seconds away from popping open the buttons on her blouse.

“What are we doing?”

I pull back, her hair wrapped around my fingers, and stare deeply into her eyes. “We’re kissing. If you want to stop, say no.”

She bites her bottom lip. “I don’t want to stop, but I also don’t want to lose my job.”

Tipping my head forward, I lean my forehead against hers. “I don’t see what one has to do with the other, Brooklyn. We’re both professionals. Don’t you think we can explore what’s between us and get the job done at the same time?”

“Yes, I mean I guess, but why now?”

“I think the threat of twenty guys wining and dining you finally pushed me over the edge. I’ve wanted you since the day you came to work for me, but Camden’s been running this public image campaign, which meant I couldn’t ask you out. Why do you think I always pushed for you to accompany me to all those events?”

“You wanted to torture me by flaunting supermodels in my face?” Her eyes get that mischievous glint I’ve come to love as her lips curl into a smirk.

“It’s all been a PR campaign, nothing more.” I press a soft kiss to her cheek. “Think about it. How often did we drop them off before the car dropped you off at home? Do you think that was by accident? I wanted you to know there was nothing going on. Outside of a sweet peck on the cheek, I haven’t so much as kissed one of them in the last eight months that you’ve been my assistant.”

“Not one?”

I shake my head and slide my hand down her body, skimming the side of her breast before resting my palm on her hip. “How could I have been attracted to any one of them when I had you so close, tempting me with your snarky comments, beautiful face, and sexy curves?”

Her lips part as her gaze bounces between my eyes and mouth. “I hated watching them cling to your arm.”

“I hated that it wasn’t you by my side.” I kiss her gently this time, taking my time to let her mold herself to my mouth, to my body. But she’s not close enough for me, so I slip my hands down her back and cup her ass, pulling her into me, letting her feel my hard cock aching for her. Only her.

She moans, her head falling back before she presses her palms against my chest. “We can’t do this.”

“We can’t do this here and now, or in general?” I groan, my head falling forward again as I relax my fingers from digging into her plump ass cheeks.

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