Page 26 of Royal Bosshole

Stevie glided into the seat next to me and smiled. “You cool with a latte?”

“I just had coffee, but I am always cool with a latte.”

“Great. So,” she said, tracing a finger along the edge of my notebook. “You going to give up that recipe yet? I feel like we tell each other everything. I know your secrets; you know mine. It’s only fair!”

I rolled my eyes. “You know that old trick won’t work, friend. I was sworn to secrecy. It was a whole deathbed promise kind of thing, you know?”

I was joking, but Stevie touched my shoulder. “You miss her, don’t you?”

“Every damn day,” I breathed out. Sometimes, it just felt good to say it. “Thanks, Jen,” I said when she popped down the mugs.

After her first sip, Stevie’s eyes rolled back in her head. “Dear God, is this what sex is like?” she whispered.

I nodded. “Yes, but I like to think my lattes are better. Besides, you should probably ask April about sex. She’s the one who’s getting it on the reg now. I haven’t had it in like…” I started to count off on my fingers and then gave up. “God, I don’t know. I’ll need a duster to remove cobwebs before I have it again.”

“With James?” she giggled.

“No,” I said back too quickly.

“Oh, what happened?” she asked, bouncing in her seat like a ten-year-old.

“A kiss happened, but that’s all! And it won’t happen again. We haven’t spoken in days.”

“Oh, that only builds the tension, baby. Have you not read a romance novel? Or heard of sexy, slow burn?” Stevie sighed, her hands still wrapped around her mug.

I bit my lip, something bugging me that I was glad I could finally get off my chest. Even if I thought James was an asshole, there was still something about him that made me think maybe not. His kisses were hard but also tender somehow.

“I just wonder if he’s just an asshole who knows how to pleasure a woman.”

“Is that so bad? Do you care if he’s an asshole?”

I shrugged. Did I?

“I guess it would make my attraction to him easier to swallow if he had some redeemable qualities, you know?”

“Well then…that sounds like a challenge. Why don’t you go and find out?”

CHAPTER11

JAMES

“You know,I’m kind of surprised you asked me here,” Peter said, looking around at the restaurant, bar, karaoke place that I’d asked him to meet me that night. “But I’m so in. You’ve been needing to get out, dude.”

I breathed out, staring at Peter next to me, twisting the beer glass in my hands.

“Thanks. Yeah, I know. I’ve been kind of a dick lately.”

“Lately?” Peter asked and then he shot me a grin. “Cheers to getting out.” He lifted his glass and clinked it against mine.

In truth, it did feel really good to be out, especially after the nightmare, the run where Lily had almost caught me stalking her by accident, and of course, the kiss. Oh, and I couldn’t forget that time when I ate her out in my office. Shit. I was having a crazy week.

“So, how’d it go with the woman in your office?”

I didn’t answer right away, and Peter said, “You know, the woman whose pussy you ate.”

“For fuck’s sake!” I said, punching him in the arm and nearly spilling my beer. “Jesus, you’d think no one ever taught you any manners.”

“Women don’t like manners, bro.” Peter lifted his arm and made a muscle. “They like hard men, you know, and the rugged kinds who’ve seen a lot of shit.”

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