Page 5 of Bossy Trouble

Of course, I could be wrong. This was Georgia we were talking about. She didn’t ask me for things…had never asked me for anything in her life, even when she was a struggling college student. She’d held far too much pride to do so. It was one of the reasons why I respected her. It was also the reason I’d chosen to secretly help her, funneling it through her brother.

If she was asking for my help now, she must really be desperate.

I decided to find out. “What happened recently?”

“It’s a long story.” The tension built in her shoulders and practically radiated off her. She hesitated for a while, then seemed to come to a decision, meeting my gaze with a determined nod. “But actually, it has a little something to do with why I’m here today.”

“Why are you here?”

“I need your help,” she said. “In terms of a loan of two million four hundred and five dollars. Plus tax. I’ll agree to whatever terms you’d like and guarantee to pay it off within ten years with profit from my business. I have all our margins here as well as our quarterly information so you can see how much we made.” She pulled out a folder from her tote bag and laid it on the desk in front of me. Then, her pleading eyes came back up to meet mine.

“You can take a look and see. We were very successful up until recently.”

Her eyes glinted with hope, that dreadful thing, as she looked up. “What happened recently?”

“We…lost money through the fault of one of our employees.”

“Mmm.” It wasn’t a story I hadn’t heard before, and the answer was already a given. New business in an uber-competitive field and untrustworthy employees? It was a double-no, especially since I didn’t do business with friends.

Of course, telling her that would break her heart unduly. So I had to soften the blow.

“You know why I think you’rereallyhere?” I got up and headed to her, seeing her eyes widen like saucers as I approached. She didn’t get up from her seat, but her hands clenched tightly on the arms of the chair. The closer I got, the faster the pulse in her neck fluttered. Finally, I stood beside her and leaned down, inhaling her scent.

She shivered.

“I think,” I whispered, “You’re here because you miss me.”

She shook her head, swallowing and leaning back. “Donovan—”

“Mm, I like the way you say my name, Alabama,” I said, using the nickname that would trigger anger in her. Her eyes glinted predictably. “Remember the time I made you call yourself that in bed? You screamed it while I….”

“I didn’t come here for that.” Her voice had a breathless quality to it, the way it was when she got aroused. And she was aroused now. I could practically smell it coming off her.

I took it in like a drug.

Georgia got to her feet, presumably to leave, but I stepped in her way. Her eyes met mine. They were an enchanting golden brown, now slightly murky with desire. I tucked a strawberry blonde curl behind her ears, leaning close to her ears once more. She shivered.

“Yet here you are,” I said, and her face turned, finally allowing me access to those soft, supple lips of hers. Her minty breath whispered over her lips, and I leaned in, nipping the lower one before licking it.

Then sucked it into my mouth.

God, she was sweet, just like I imagined.

She tasted like mint and cinnamon, reminding me how much she loved cinnamon pancakes. The delectable taste of her hit me like an aphrodisiac. Her breath rushed out of her mouth and into mine, along with a tiny little sound that could have been a moan.

Fuck yeah.

I wanted more, wanted my hands on her breasts and my fingers inside her.

“Tell me you don’t want this,” I whispered, desire roughening my voice. “And I’ll stop.”

But she couldn’t. She couldn’t say it, and I knew it. She was stuck.

Until the door suddenly opened, and she jumped back.

3

GEORGIA

---