Page 62 of Teasing Her Grumpy Boss

‘They’ll all fall in love with you.’

He shook his head. ‘Not everyone sees me the same way you do.’

She didn’t quite believe that.

His hands kept smoothing her ruffled skin, her rocky emotions. ‘My office door will always beopen. I’m going to be the coolest professor on campus with a wife who runs the coolest bar in the city.’

She stood rigid for a second longer. Then with a soft sigh she slipped her arms around his waist. Held him back. His ability to always have the right answer was going to drive her crazy. But how she loved him for it. They stood together—relaxed, relieved—for the ten seconds until the tension rose to the surface again. He pulled back, his hand running down her arm to take her hand. ‘We’re taking my car. It’s much more reliable.’

He held her hand tightly and marched ahead. She almost skipped beside him. Feeling like the most over-excited kid. But still trying to play it cool. Just a little. Then they got to where she’d parked her car. She stared at the car behind it—that he’d just unlocked. ‘Daniel. Your suits are black, your shirts are white and your car isgrey.’

‘So?’ He flipped her a fabulous grin that had her insides softening further. ‘You provide the colour in my life, Lucy. More than enough colour.’

She slipped into the front passenger seat, shoving her cowgirl boots to the floor.

‘You’re putting those on for me later.’

She had to stop thinking about that. It would be at least an hour and a half until they were back in Wellington, back in his bed.

But he didn’t turn the car and head for the main road back to the city. Instead he took a side road, roaring along and turning into the driveway of one of the more exclusive vineyards—she recognised the label.

She looked at him. ‘Wanting to stock up?’

‘We’re staying here.’

‘Here? You booked this already?’

‘I have a secretary and I’ve got to make the most of her before I hit the university and under-funding. She booked it half an hour ago once I figured out where you were heading.’

Her jaw dropped. ‘And it was vacant?’

‘It helped that my friend Ruben owns it.’

‘You’re friends with Ruben Theroux?’

She blinked as he nodded. He really did operate in a different echelon to her.

‘He’s an okay guy. You’ll meet him sometime soon.’ He pulled the car up in front of the main building, disappeared for a few minutes and then came out again, walking quickly.

It registered that he looked more dishevelled than she’d ever seen him. His shirt unbuttoned, the tails flapping free of his trousers, a wild look in his eye. And she knew they wouldn’t be waiting more than another—oh, five minutes?

He got in the car again and the shingle crunched as he sped down the lane between the vines to the far end of the property. To the sheltered hedge-hidden farm worker’s cottage that stood there. He got out of the car, grasped her hand and together they ran.

The cottage was almost decrepit-looking from the outside, but the overflowing well-tended flowerpots gave away its secret within—that extreme care and work had gone into refurbishing it into utterly luxury accommodation. Warm muted colours, clean lines, a single bedroom with a giant bed. That was really all she noticed.

‘There’s a bath outdoors apparently, hidden by the hedges. We’ll check it out later, right?’

‘Oh, yes.’

He walked towards her. Eyes burning. ‘I haven’t slept in days.’

‘Nor have I.’

‘Think we should catch up a little now?’

‘Definitely.’

The kiss was full and deep and after a mere moment he pulled back and started yanking his clothes off. She followed suit. It was faster to do her own. But she couldn’t resist teasing him as they stripped. ‘Peanut M&M’s or plain?’

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