Page 23 of Boss of Her

She finished off the rest of her food. She had research to do.

Ten minutes later, she headed into her boss’s office, the report in her hand. Simone had finished her dinner and was typing away at her computer, her eyes fixed on her monitor.

“Yes, Jade?” she murmured.

Jade stepped up to Simone’s desk. “I think I found something in the building report.”

Simone finally looked up at her. “Show me.”

“Here, it’s on page 32.” Jade handed the report to her. “There’s an issue with the drainage under the building. It was supposed to be fixed by the end of last year, but I couldn’t find any records of that happening. I don’t think it’s been fixed at all.”

Simone scanned the page with narrowed eyes. “You’re right. Jade, you’re right.” She stood up, flipping to the next page. “This is huge. You know what this means, don’t you?”

“Uh…”

But Simone didn’t wait for her to answer. “Whoever buys the hotel will need to fix this, even if they’re only going to knock the building down. It will cost a small fortune.” She began pacing beside her desk. “Orion Development is looking for an easy investment. They won’t want to fork out any extra money. This? This will kill their interest completely. They’ll be out of the running.”

“That’s great,” Jade said.

“I can’t believe I missed this. I completely missed this.” Simone stopped in front of her. “Butyoudidn’t.”

“It was nothing,” Jade said.

“No.” Simone shook her head. “No, this was deliberately buried. For you to have spotted this, for you to know how important this is… Jade, you’re a star. You’re brilliant.”

Simone stepped toward her, closing the distance that remained between them. And suddenly, Jade was frozen, Simone’s gaze pinning her in place.

“You’rebrilliant,” Simone said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You’re so brilliant I could just…”

It happened in the space of a heartbeat. But at the same time, the world around them seemed to slow and blur.

Simone reached out and cupped Jade’s cheek in her hand, drawing her thumb along her lower lip.

Jade quivered, her lips parting obediently, a soft breath spilling from them.

She closed her eyes.

And Simone’s lips were on hers in a tender but possessive kiss.

A gasp rose from Jade’s chest, tremors rippling through her, stirring desire deep in her core. She reached for Simone, clutching at the front of her blouse as the woman devoured her, her lips and tongue unyielding. Jade pressed her body back against Simone’s, every part of her begging Simone to pull her closer, kiss her deeper, unravel her until there was nothing left.

Every part of her, except for the voice in the back of her mind warning her not to make the same mistake again.

Jade drew back, breaking the kiss. But her hands were still gripping Simone’s blouse, and she didn’t want to let go.

“I’m sorry.” Jade shook her head. “I want this so badly, but I…”

Simone brought her hands up to Jade’s, enveloping them with her own. “I know, Jade. I know. I shouldn’t have kissed you. Not here, not now. But I can’t fight it any longer.”

Jade searched Simone’s eyes. So she’d felt it too, all this time? That forbidden spark, that irresistible pull that Jade had been trying so hard to ignore?

Simone’s hands tightened around hers. “I want you, Jade. And if you want me, I’ll be at Club Velvet until midnight. Come to me there tonight. Or do nothing, and we’ll pretend this never happened. We’ll go back to being boss and employee, and I’ll never bring this up again.”

“And if Idogo to the club tonight? What happens then?”

“Come to Club Velvet,” Simone said, her voice dropping low, “and I’ll make good on my offer to show you all the exquisite pleasures submission can bring.”

Jade’s heart raced. She’d turned Simone down once before, and she’d regretted it ever since. She couldn’t walk away again.

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