Page 83 of The Reading

“Thank you,” the redhead’s boyfriend said.

Looking down at Alessa, I whipped my dick out, then pissed a circle around her.

Not really.

I did, however, wrap my arm around the back of her waist, and say, “You got a minute, baby?”

Looking up at me, her expression was neutral as she nodded. “Yeah.”

I glanced back at the table, made sure to look the asshole that’d been hitting on Alessa in the eye, then said, “Again, have a good night.”

With my hand on the small of her back, I escorted Alessa away from the table and through the crowd. When we got to the bar, I told both Leila and Winston that I needed to talk to Alessa in my office, and they both just smirked. I wasn’t too worried about it since Alessa wasn’t saying anything about it.

Once we got to my office, I shut the door, making sure to lock it behind us. No one ever walked in without knocking, but with it being New Year’s Eve, I could see someone rushing in here if there was an emergency happening outside.

“What was that all about?” Alessa asked as soon as I turned to face her.

“I heard that asshole in the white shirt was hitting on you,” I replied, not caring about showing my jealous cards.

“Carter, do you have any idea how many drunk guys get stupid around your female employees?”

“But you’re not just one of my female employees anymore, Al,” I said. “So, that makes all the difference in the world.”

*****

Alessa~

I’d been left spinning when Carter had walked out of his office earlier, but the crowd hadn’t given me enough time to freak out completely. That kiss had been everything that my soulmate kiss was supposed to be, and when Carter had given me that hickey…holy crap, I’d never been so turned on before. Kissing me to shut me up about my soulmate was one thing, but giving me a hickey had really confused the hell out of me. Carter did not date his employees, so I’d really been thrown for a loop. Plus, I hadn’t shown up to work today with a mark on my neck, leaving everyone to guess correctly when they’d seen me coming out of Carter’s office with my neck marred.

Still, even though everyone had questions, the place had gotten packed rather quickly, so the explanations were going to have to wait. Carter had gone on to do his manager stuff, and I had gotten to serving our customers. The time had flown by, and it was funny how I had stopped looking for someone to kiss at midnight. My mind had been on doing my job and Carter Nightingale.

“What am I?” I asked, making sure that we were on the same page. I wasn’t afraid to go after what I wanted; I was afraid of looking stupid for it.

“From the moment that you let me put my hands on you, I’d say that you are my girlfriend,” he said, and my heart sunk into my stomach. Though this was something that I had often fantasized about, I never imagined that it would come true.

“I am?”

“Can I be frank?” he asked.

“Of course,” I answered, preferring honesty over being the last to know. I’d already been in that position, and it sucked.

“I’ve liked you for a long time, Alessa,” he confessed, and I could feel my knees weaken. “I was immediately attracted to you when I hired you, and as I got to know you better, that attraction turned into something more.”

I had to lean back against his desk for support. “What?”

Carter shrugged. “It’s true.”

“But…but you…it’s rumored that you don’t date your employees,” I reminded him. “It’s like an…I don’t know, like…and unwritten rule or something.”

“I don’t,” he confirmed. “Well…I guess I should amend that to that I’ve never dated any of my employees before now.”

“I…” I shook my head in surprise. “I never would have guessed that you…that you liked me.”

“And now that you know?” The horrible reality of this situation hit me hard, and I could feel my entire body sag with disappointment. “What? What is it?”

“Are you making fun of me?” I asked. “Is this a joke?”

His entire frame straightened. “What?”

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