Page 635 of Hell Hath No Fury
“Um. Sorry, I thought Mr. Bass was looking for me.” Rylan frowns when she sees me behind my father’s desk.
I lick my lips as I tug at the hem of my blazer. “I am,” I say as I cock a brow. “Please come in, take a seat.”
Rylan sighs, and I see the hesitation in her eyes. Even from across the room, I can read her energy; just like the other night, it’s loud and clear.
“I guess you still like what you see,” I add, drawing her attention to my face. “Are you just going to stand there or take a seat?” I give a quick yank on my pant legs before lowering myself onto the plush leather chair.
With both elbows on the desk, I lean forward, crack my knuckles, and watch her closely. Rylan’s chest heaves, then she presses her lips together, letting her hold on the doorframe linger. When she steps into the room, I watch her fingers free themselves from the structure. I trail my gaze across her chest and then up to her face.
My groin stirs when my eyes fall to her hips. Her strides are distracting, and the sad part is that she’s barely moved. Rylan sits on the edge of the patterned chair in front of me. She reclines, shifting her weight so that one leg crosses the other. My gaze drops to her thighs. She’s not in a skirt today, but her pants do nothing to disrupt my memories.
No number of layers could stilt the image of her soft, creamy skin. Every dimple, the tattoo she has inked down the back of her right thigh, and even the faint lines of stretch marks from where her ass forms perfectly are all etched in my brain. My eyes scrape up her leg, over her torso, and back to her face.
I rub my chest in reaction to the tingles that build there.
“You’re beautiful,” I blurt before I realize what I’m doing.
Rylan doesn’t respond verbally, but judging by how her chest rises and falls and how she’s fighting the smile that tinkers on her lips, she’s flattered by my compliment. Seeing her internal battle with losing control of her poised appearance reminds me of Friday night. I saw her need for dominance then, just as I do now. She’s a boss and probably fought her way to the top. That’s the speech I imagine she’s conjured up to defend her inner alpha.
I smile at my thoughts because that’s the exact reason why I’m attracted to her. A strong woman is the sexiest thing to me. And she has all of my attention.
Rylan clears her throat, and when I look at her, she stretches her spine, putting on her best-unbothered expression—my grin widens.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Bass,” she quips with emphasis on theMr.
“You don’t have to be so formal.” I snicker and lift my pen to my mouth with my elbows on the armrest, rolling it between both hands. “Why’d you sneak out?” I tilt my chin at her.
She draws in air and releases it. “I didn’t sneak—”
“Yes, you did,” I interrupt with a smirk.
“No, I left. The night was over. There was no need for me to stay,” she defends.
“I think you enjoyed yourself a little more than you wanted to,” I boast as I tap my fingertips together before standing up. “Why’d you leave? Be real with me.”
“I am.” She shrugs. “There wasn’t a need to stick around,” she says as if she believes it.
With my lips pressed together, I glance over my shoulder at her back and nod. “Ouch.”
She sighs. “That’s not what—”
“No, you’re fine. I don’t believe you, but I’ll let you have your story.
Rylan grips the back of the chair and turns to gawk at me. She starts to say something and immediately refrains. “Mr. Bass—” she pauses for a beat. “Did you call me to your office for anything work-related?” she deadpans.
I step around the desk, peeking at the memorabilia on the walls. “I did, actually. I need to see your books for the last six months.”
She gives me a confused nod. “Why? Is something wrong?”
“No.”
“Then what do you need to see them for?” she returns, though her tone remains calm and collected.
“I’m not trying to dig up dirt or anything.” I wave both hands at my sides. I don’t need to, but I feel I should be open with her. “Not that this matters, but I can be honest with you. I mean, we—” I stop myself from bringing up our night together. “Anyway, my father is grooming me. He will retire soon, so I’m here to learn the ropes. I’ve been to every office, trying to get acclimated with the staff.”
She stares at me.
“So, don’t be so defensive. Not with me,” I whisper out the end of my statement.
