Page 85 of Flirting with the CEO

"And they don't get the chance to dote on you," I added.

She shrugged, but her eyes were vulnerable. "That's fine. I miss them a lot, but I think it's also what made me so independent, you know? Everything I ever experienced made me who I am today." She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's perfectly all right to admit that you want things."

She narrowed her eyes as we leaned against the car. "But wouldn’t that mean I'm ungrateful or unhappy with my parents and my upbringing? Because that is not true.”

I considered this. "I think several things can be simultaneously true. That you had a great childhood, but you also wouldn't have minded being spoiled a bit."

"Yeah, that's the right word. I don't really think I realized that until now. I don't want to sound whiny."

"You don't. I want to know everything that's going on inside here." I tapped her temple. "And here." I tapped her heart.

She swallowed hard. “Thanks!” Then the corners of her mouth twitched. “But keep all those swoony things to yourself for now or I won’t be able to focus at the office.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“Oh, yes it does. Because I have a call with my boss in an hour, and I’m supposed to report on... you.”

“Mmm, and what are you going to tell him, exactly?”

“That we’re making progress. That covers everything, huh?” She grinned.

I leaned over, biting her neck.

“Not even close.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Zoey

Iloved the necklaceColton gave me so much that I wore it at the office every day. Since the weather was getting colder, I usually wore dresses with higher necklines, and my necklace was hidden underneath the fabric. But this particular Friday, I was wearing one with a V-neck, and my necklace was very visible. I was wearing it proudly, so when Sandra and I went out to lunch, which we hadn't done in a while, I didn't even think about covering it.

She kept looking at it nearly our entire lunch and, at the end, said, "Oh, I'm sorry, girl, but I have to ask. Are you dating a billionaire?"

I jerked my head back. "That's such an odd question."

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