Page 2 of The Jealous Boss

“Drew, stop! You’ll kill him.” A gentle voice penetrates my fury. “He’s nearly unconscious.”

Realizing she’s right, I release him. He slumps against the washer, eyes rolling back in his head.

I slap him. “Wake up, Georgie boy. Playtime’s over. Where the fuck is Sarah?”

“Business trip,” he mutters. “I’m gonna have your ass arrested—”

“Shut up.” I turn to Anna. “Are you okay? If he so much as—”

Voice unsteady, she stops me from finishing my threat. “No, nothing like that. I mean, if you hadn’t…” She shakes her head and wipes away a tear, but then her eyes widen. “Oh my God, Elijah!”

“Heather’s got him,” I reassure her.

George makes an obnoxious—and clearly fake—moan. If I don’t get this prick out of here, I reallywillkill him.

“Your ugly face is broken, not your legs.” Grabbing the front of his shirt, I haul him to his feet. “Wait here,” I tell Anna, then drag George into the kitchen.

I pause to locate a roll of paper towels, shoving it into his hands. Then I drag him outside, tossing him on the lawn. I hesitate, then order a car since he’s in no shape to drive to the ER.

He starts to run his mouth, some shit about suing me into oblivion that’s barely intelligible through the wad of blood-soaked paper towels he has pressed against his face. I cut him off.

“I walked in on you exposing yourself to an eighteen-year-old girl, clearly intending to sexually assault her. It will be a goddamn miracle if your political career survivesherpressing charges.” I keep my tone even, but I’m barely suppressing my rage. “But if you want to test your lawyers against mine, be my guest.”

I storm back inside, mentally replaying the scene I interrupted, getting more and more pissed off. When I find Anna still in the laundry room, a shell-shocked look on her tearstained face, I nearly go back outside and finish the job, but getting Anna home is what matters.

“Get dressed and pack your things,” I say, the words coming out harsher than I intend.

“Please… Don’t fire me. I know I messed up, how bad it looks, but I swear I—”

“Stop.” Grasping her shoulders, I stare into her eyes. “I’m not firing you. You aren’t to blame for any of this. Not in the slightest.”

“But then why…”

I wipe away a tear, my thumb tracing a path down the velvet-soft skin of her cheek. Suddenly, I’m all too aware of my other hand on her bare shoulder.

She closes her eyes, lashes damp against her creamy skin.

Lust replaces rage, all the blood rushing to my cock. I move closer, cradling her against my chest. Too late, I remember she’s only wearing a towel.

She melts against me and sighs, so unselfconscious, so fucking innocent. Resting my head on her damp curls, I inhale mint and rosemary. It would be so easy to slide a finger under her chin, tilt her head up, and taste those innocent lips…

Have I lost my goddamn mind?

I’m standing in my ex-wife’s laundry room, rock-hard, with my half-naked teenage nanny wrapped in my arms.And I don’t want to let her go.

Except, I need to. I need to end this now—before I cross more lines. I need to move away from her before she notices how fucking hard I am. I’m not a monster, not a lecher like George. This girl trusts me. I’mbetterthan this.Feeling as if I’m sawing off my own limb, I release her and take several steps back.

“Drew?” She opens her eyes. “What just—”

“Get dressed and pack your things. All of them,” I interrupt, voice hoarse. “You can’t stay here.”

“But Elijah…”

“Pack. We’ll sort out the details later, but you’re both staying with me tonight.” I hesitate, then make a unilateral decision. “And you’re never returning here.”

“Wait. You want me to pack everything?” She shakes her head. “But that will take…”

Fuck. Itwilltake too long. Elijah is perfectly safe with Heather—and likely being spoiled rotten—but I hate the thought of Anna remaining here for even another hour.

---