LUNA
With my headheld high and my shoulders back, I headed for Nate’s office, determined to keep things one hundred percent professional. We were at work, after all, and the office was no place to mess around. Unless you were starring in a porno. Or your boss was incredibly hot. And damn it! I’d lapsed back into a big ball of horny nerves again. I could do this. I could maintain professionalism at work and keep the sexy stuff for the off-hours. After all, it had only been a day.
It had taken some time to shake the funk the call from my mother had put me in the morning before, but with hard work and determination, I’d managed to push it to the back of my mind and salvage the rest of the day.
Nate hadn’t been joking when he said he could cook. The man dominated in the kitchen. I wasn’t sure I’d ever tasted anything half as good as the omelet he’d made me. He was gorgeous, built, funny, successful, an incredible father, and he could cook like a pro. It was almost too much. After literally scraping my plate clean, he’d ravaged me on the kitchen island before carrying me back to bed and doing the same thing all over again. He’d really put his all into the whole death by orgasm thing before he had to head home and change so he could pick Evan up from his parents’ house.
It had been less than twenty-four hours since we last saw each other, but as I was getting ready for work this morning I was incredibly aware I still felt him every time I moved. I needed to keep my cool. The only way this could work was if the lines were clearly drawn. The rules were set in place and not crossed. Fun. No strings.
Keeping my tone light, I rapped my knuckles against his opened door. “Good morning. I’ve got your coffee.”
“Ah, perfect.” He stood up and rounded the desk, meeting me in front of it. Quick as lightning, he took the mug from my hands and twisted, placing it next to his computer in one graceful, smooth motion before taking my face in his hands and bringing his lips down on mine in a frenzied, passionate kiss.
I nearly succumbed to the deliciousness and talent of his mouth before my brain reengaged. It took more strength than I realized I had and the act of a higher power, but I somehow managed to disengage from the kiss and break from his grip.
“Hey, whoa! No, no, no.” I licked my lips, then realized my mistake when I could still taste him, and dragged the back of my hand across my mouth. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“What’s it look like?” He reached for me again.
“Hey, knock it off!” I yelped, smacking his hands away.
His face fell. “Damn it. Will you stop hitting me and let me touch you?”
Oh, man I really wanted to let him touch me. He did it so damn well, but... “No. No! We can’t.”
His made a face that I could only describe as a full-grown man pout. It was pathetic and adorable and hilarious all at the same time. “Why the ever-loving hell not?”
I gaped at him, my jaw hanging open. “Because we’re at work,” I exclaimed. “There will be no messing around at work.” And I kind of hated myself for saying that out loud.
“That’s a stupid rule,” he groused. “I’m the boss, and as the boss, I overrule all stupid rules. Now, let me kiss you.”
He reached for me again, and I had to take a huge step back to avoid him. “Stop it!” I exclaimed with a bewildered laugh. “You can’t overrule that. This is the way it has to be. Between the hours of eight and five, you’re my boss and I’m your assistant, and that’s all we are. Please, Nate.”
At the pleading quality my voice took on by the end of that declaration, he stopped and let out a sigh, tucking his hands into his pockets. “You’re really serious about this?”
“I am. If we don’t keep the lines clearly in place, things could get complicated. We can’t let that happen. That’s not what we are. We aren’t complicated. Besides, you have an appointment with Ms. Swanson in less than thirty minutes. That wouldn’t leave us enough time anyway.”
He all but stuck out his bottom lip as he pouted, “Would’ve been enough time to watch you come on my fingers.”
I let out a pained groan. “God, you can’t say stuff like that!”
He blew out a long, long sigh. “Fine. Fine, I’ll follow your stupid rule, which makes absolutely no sense. But I’ll do it, because it’s important to you.”
He really was battering at those walls I was trying desperately to keep up. I wanted to cave over and over, and as the day progressed, it became harder to fight off that desire. I’d never had a problem walking away from a partner before. Once it was done, that was it. The men always knew the score, so when I felt things had run their course, we’d part ways, and that was the end of it. But this... thing I was doing with Nate... it didn’t feel the same. I wasn’t quite sure walking away would be as easy. But despite how terrifying that thought was, I couldn’t bring myself to pull the plug just yet.
God, what a mess.
I did my best to focus on my work. I answered calls, made appointments, ordered supplies that were running low. I kept busy so I wouldn’t think about Nate and how much I wanted him. There was only one tiny problem: he was always there. His smell, the sound of his voice; there was no escaping it while I was at work.
He’d stayed true to his word and backed off, doing his best to stay in his office and not intrude on my space, but it was no use. Even if he wasn’t around, I was still thinking about him. Hell, I couldn’t seem to take my mind off him.
It was enough to drive me insane. By the time my lunch break rolled around, I was at the end of an extremely frayed rope and highly agitated, which put me in a downright pissy mood.
Snatching my purse up, I hooked the strap on my shoulder and stood from my desk, stomping on my heels to his doorway, arms crossed, face full of attitude.
It took him a second to realize I was standing there, but when he lifted his gaze from his computer screen, giving me those misty gray eyes, I felt a flutter in my core.
“Hi,” he said pleasantly, his smile warm and happy.