Page 41 of Boss of Her

Jade’s heart skipped. “Do you mean…”

“I do,” Simone said. “You’re going to give me agift.”

That could only mean one thing.Submission in its purest form. The most beautiful gift a submissive can give her Domme.

The gift of herself. The gift of her trust.

Was Jade ready to give Simone that?

CHAPTER 17

“Here we are,” Simone said. “The Ashton Star.”

Jade stared out the car window as they pulled into the circular driveway at the front of the hotel. Above them, the old sandstone building towered eighteen stories high. With its elaborate facade, intricate stonework, and ornate pillars flanking the entrance, it resembled a palace more than a hotel.

Once the car had stopped, a valet wearing white gloves and a crisp suit opened the door for Jade. She stepped out onto the red carpeted walkway, gazing up at the building in awe.

“It’s breathtaking, isn’t it?” Simone said, joining her. “Just wait until you see inside.”

Jade followed her boss through the front doors and into the lobby. Inside, the hotel looked even more like a palace, with sparkling crystal chandeliers and marble columns accented with gold. A stone fountain rose high in the middle of the lobby, the ceiling above them covered by a fresco of angels and cherubs cavorting among clouds.

And for the first time, Jade understood why Simone wanted so badly to make The Ashton Star hers. In a city known for ostentatious displays of glitz and glamour, the hotel possessed asense of timeless luxury that was in a league of its own. It was the stuff of fantasies. But Jade was living that fantasy with Simone.

Her heart raced. It was mid-afternoon. There were only a few hours until their dinner with Ashton. And after dinner, it would be just the two of them, alone in the penthouse suite, the whole night ahead of them. And Jade would finally get to experience everything Simone had spoken of that evening on her couch.

It had only been a week since then, but it felt like so much longer. Every second she spent with Simone, she could feel the charge between them. And every moment they were apart, she could feel the distant pull of desire tugging in her chest.

Without warning, Simone seized Jade by the waist, pulling her into her body. Not a heartbeat later, a luggage cart pushed by a porter and stacked high with suitcases barreled past them, missing Jade by an inch.

“Careful now,” Simone said. “I need you in one piece for tonight.”

Jade let out a shaky breath. If Simone hadn’t pulled her out of the way, she would have been knocked right over. But the cart had passed them now, and Simone still had her arms around Jade’s waist in what was an entirely unprofessional embrace.

Keeping things professional between them was becoming harder and harder. Whenever they were alone in Simone’s office, they weren’t able to resist pushing the boundaries they’d set. A compliment or word of praise that carried the suggestion of something more. A firm command with a hint of playfulness, a reprimand that was little more than thinly veiled innuendo. A brief touch on the arm, the waist, the hip.

But never anything more. Never more than a flirtation. That line could never be crossed, no matter how blurry it was becoming.

“Ms. Weiss!”

Simone released Jade from her arms, turning toward the voice. A raven-haired man sporting a meticulously styled mustache and a sharp suit was hurrying toward them.

“I am so sorry.” His voice carried a hint of a French accent. He turned to Jade. “Are you all right, Ms. Fisher?”

“Yes,” she stammered.

“You have my sincerest apologies,” he said. “I keep telling the porters to slow down, but they do not listen. I’ll have a firm word with that one.”

“It’s all right,” Simone said. “No one was hurt.”

He offered her a polite nod. “Then allow me to introduce myself. I’m Jacques, the hotel manager. I wish to personally welcome you both to our hotel. If there is anything I can do to make your stay here more pleasant, please let me know.”

Jade almost expected the man to bow to Simone. Had the staff been told to give them the VIP treatment?

“Thank you, Jacques,” Simone said. “For now, we’d simply like to go up to our suite.”

“I’ll lead the way.”

He guided them to the elevator, which had its own operator. But Jacques dismissed him, ushering Jade and Simone inside.

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