Page 10 of The Jealous Boss

If I could get some distance between us, then maybe I could think straight. But he has one arm braced against the cabinet beside the refrigerator, trapping me in place as he stares down at me.

And oh my God, the way he’s looking at me. Nowthat’snew. I swear I catch a glimpse of something that looks an awful lot like hunger—but that’s impossible, right? Surely, I’m projecting.

He steps back, releasing me, and I decide I definitely imagined it. Heart still racing, I close the refrigerator, hoping that if he notices how hard my nipples are, he’ll blame it on the cold air. Hoping that he won’t guess that it’s really because I’m imagining running my tongue down that sexy line of hair that disappears inside his running shorts.

“Good run?” I ask, praying I sound casual.

“You changed your clothes,” he says, brushing aside my question.

I shrug. “I wanted something more comfortable.”

“Comfortable looks good on you,” he replies, his voice a low drawl. “Although if that’s comfortable, I’m curious to see your idea of formal.”

Comfortable looks good on you.

A strange warmth settles in my stomach that’s different from the usual butterflies I feel around Drew. He’s never commented on my appearance. Not once. I’m tempted to ask what’s gotten into him, but I’m afraid he’ll think I’m reading too much into the compliment.

So instead, I wrinkle up my nose and feign a tone of disapproval as I say, “Well,someonehas to maintain some sort of standards in this house. Is that what you’re planning to wear to dinner?”

For a moment, he doesn’t reply, and I worry that I went too far with my teasing. But then he laughs and shakes his head.

“Point taken, angel. I’ll freshen up and change before the food arrives. Happy?” Not waiting for a reply, he leaves the room, still chuckling.

Mind reeling, I put the rest of the vegetables away. Did Drew seriously just call meangel? It almost felt like he was flirting with me…

Surely not, but I can’t help but replay our conversation as I clean up my aborted dinner preparations. And that’s when I remember something else he said.

You changed your clothes.

An innocuous statement, but I could have sworn he’d already left when I came downstairs this morning. But obviously my memory is faulty. Sexual frustration has probably just scrambled my brain.

Still, it nags at me. But before I can give it too much thought, Drew reappears sooner than I expected. Once again, my gaze is drawn to his naked torso.

Ugh, how will I survive dinner? He’s barely been home half an hour—if that—and already I feel like I’m in some special circle of hell designed just for me.

Being around my half-naked boss has me so warm and tingly that I feel as if I’m burning up. But then his next words wash over me like ice water—words I’ve been dreading since that lousy delivery notification came.

“I almost forgot. A package came for you.”

Crap. I was so mesmerized by his abs and tattoo-covered pecs and biceps that I failed to notice the box he’s holding. Well, the box has my attention now.

I try to read the shipping label to see if Eden Exotics lived up to their reputation for discretion. Unfortunately, his hand covers the return address. So even though it will make things worse if he already knows, I do something I’ve never done. I tell my employer an outright lie.

“Oh, awesome! I was starting to worry Jenny’s birthday present wouldn’t arrive on time.”

A strange look flashes across his face, but all he says is, “Your lab partner Jenny?”

Crap. He knows.

But as Sister Agnes always said, in for a penny, in for a pound.

Deciding to brazen it out, I nod. “Yep, that Jenny. There’s this rare 90s band T-shirt she’s been trying to find for months.”

Drew shakes the box. The sound of another box sliding across the cardboard is unmistakable—as is the thud of a solid object inside it.

“A T-shirt, huh?” He doesn’t break eye contact. “Sounds like they sent the wrong order.”

Seconds away from being caught out, I try to think of another lie to cover for the first. But my mind is blank.

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