Page 13 of Dad Bod Undercover Boss

I try to talk to her about what happened atCaramel y Chocolat,but each time she cuts me off, or we're interrupted by a customer or another staff member. She's even taken to eating her lunch elsewhere, so I don't see her in the break room. She's distant and aloof, no longer the Eva I met that first day, tangled up in a pile of mannequins. I miss her. I miss her warm smile and easy humour.

Kissing her has changed everything. The attraction simmering between us bubbled over into a need the likes of which I'd never experienced. It cemented what I already knew—I’ve developed feelings for Eva Starling.

Which is why she deserved the truth. There's no way I could pursue anything with her with a huge lie sitting between us.

But I'm not giving up. Eva and I are meant to be together. I know it in the same way I know the sky is blue and the grass is green. I don't care how long it takes, I'll prove that my feelings for her are real. She thinks I was using her for information, and maybe it started that way, but the second I laid eyes on Eva, everything changed. She’s burrowed beneath my skin and changed me on a molecular level, making me hers.

I know she had a shitty example with an absent father, who happened to be her mother's boss. Technically, I'm her boss, but I'm sure as hell not like her father. I want the wife and the kids and the house. Thehome. And I want it all with Eva.

True to her word, she hasn't told anyone my real identity. That alone gives me a spark of hope that I still have a chance with her. If I had my way, I'd say to hell with it and come clean to everyone, but I know that's not in the best interests of Sutherland's and its employees. This is an investigation. I promised the board of executives answers and solutions, and I intend to deliver them.

As the days pass, I keep a close eye on Gerald. Eva's comment about me not reporting her to him disturbs me. Is the guy so insecure he'd use any little thing against her? He's taken credit for implementing ideas that Eva has proposed. It's clear he's holding Eva back, and not only her but other staff too. The more I learn about the store manager, the less there is to like. While he hasn’t physically intimidated anyone, his passive-aggressive attitude doesn’t sit well with me. At all.

The week continues with Eva being cool and polite or avoiding me altogether. I try to be patient and give her the space she needs while showing her that I'm still the same Max she met three weeks ago.

If I thought she was unaffected by me, I'd back off in an instant. But when we're serving behind the counter together, our bodies in forced proximity due to the confined space, I know she's far from immune to me. I see the flare of desire in her eyes when she thinks I'm not looking. I feel her tremble and see the pulse throbbing in her throat when our arms brush accidentally. I hear her breath hitch when our hands touch as she shows me how to issue a refund to a customer.

And I'm sure as hell not immune to her. The scent of violets and vanilla clinging to her skin has me wanting to swipe my tongue over her skin to see if she tastes as sweet as she smells. Every time we squeeze past each other in the restrictive space, her soft curves press against me until I'm sure my cock is going to poke one of the customer's eyes out. I grit my teeth as my brain veers off on a wild fantasy where I hike up her skirt, bend her over the goddamn counter, and sink into her wet heat…

By the time Friday rolls around, I'm bad-tempered, frustrated as hell, and no closer to breaking down the wall Eva has thrown up between us.

I spend the weekend at my apartment in central London trying to put thoughts of Eva from my mind. Saturday morning, I set up a video call with the company executives, which doesn’t go down too well, but I don’t give a fuck. Many of them have been languishing in their roles and letting their responsibilities slide. It's time they understood that their positions don’t give them permission to offload important decisions.

Once everyone has joined the call, I get the ball rolling on sorting the issues I’ve identified so far. Replacing Gerald sits high on my list of priorities, but I have to do it the right way to avoid repercussions. I also share Eva's innovative ideas for Sutherland’s growth and improvement with the board, being sure to give her the credit.

As I finish the video call, my phone pings with a message, and I grin when I see who it’s from.

Seb:Just landed at Heathrow. Fancy lunch with an old friend?

Me:Unexpected surprise. What brings you to London?

Seb:Business. Can’t do business without lunch first. My treat.

Me:Sounds good.

Seb:Great, because I've already booked us a table at The Astor.He adds a winking emoji.

The Astoris an exclusive gentlemen's club in Wood Lane. It's not a tacky club with strippers but a luxurious restaurant-cum-lounge where high-profile business entrepreneurs and the movers and shakers of the entertainment world can enjoy sophisticated Michelin-star food.

Me:Shoulda known you'd already have reservations.

Seb:See you in an hour?

Me:Look forward to it.

Although Seb and I keep in touch via text messages and the occasional call, I haven't seen my friend in almost two years. Seb lives in Los Angeles, and we met ten years ago through a friend of a friend when I was travelling in the US. We formed a friendship which has only strengthened in the subsequent years. It'll be good to see him and catch up—plus, it will take my mind off a certain blue-eyed, curvy brunette who's in danger of stealing my heart.

* * *

An hour later,I'm greeted by the concierge and escorted to a table in the private dining area, an elegant and discreet space in the heart of The Astor.

Seb is waiting for me at the table, a big smile stretching his features. Like me, he's a big guy, but his dark good looks and practised charm draw women’s attention.

"Good to see you, buddy," he says, clasping me in a hug.

"You too, Seb. What a great surprise," I reply, slapping his back.

"Getting a little chunky there, Maxie-boy." Seb smirks. "Looks like you've been indulging a little too heavily in those amazing pastries you make. Not that I can talk," he says, patting his stomach. "Too many business lunches and not enough gym time. I kinda like easing up on all that shit these days. Life's too short to be so hard on ourselves, am I right?"

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