The door to the bathroom opened. “Kinley?” James March called out.
“Yes, sir?” She silently cursed herself as soon as she said it.
“I just wanted to tell you that I can’t stand tardiness. I’m a busy man with things to do. If you’re not in my office in ten minutes, I’m going to come looking for you and I’m not going to be happy.”
This time she made certain the door was closed before she pulled a face. Then she sighed. This wasn’t her. Her mama had raised her better, to be more respectful. Even if her boss was a jerk, she still needed to be polite. She was just on edge from her argument with Sloan. She hadn’t heard from him since he’d walked out. She hadn’t been sleeping much and could barely eat.
She took a deep breath in then let it out slowly. If he didn’t want to speak to her, then she guessed that meant he didn’t want to work things out. It was painful. So painful that sometimes she could barely breathe. And it made her realize just how much she’d come to love Sloan.
But he was gone now. And, somehow, she’d have to be okay with that.
8
James was starting to consider that he might be a masochist.
Nearly two weeks had passed since he had insisted she clean his office each night. He couldn’t seem to get her out of his mind. She intrigued him. She’d gotten under his skin and had snuck her way beneath his guard. She wasn’t his normal type. He went for tall, leggy blondes, as a rule. Women with careers and drive of their own. Who understood when he had to cancel at the last moment because of a work thing. Who didn’t have any holds on him, who didn’t make too many demands.
She wouldn’t be like that. For her, he’d have to come home at a decent hour. He’d have to remember anniversaries and birthdays. He’d have to be there for her, and he wasn’t certain he could do that.
She had that forever look about her. He just knew she wanted marriage, kids, and probably a damn dog. She was looking for happily ever after.
His cock grew hard as she bent over to dust his shelves.
That’s right, sweetheart. All the way down. Fuck.
He straightened. What the hell was wrong with him? She was his employee for God’s sake. Standing here, lusting over her was going to land him on the losing end of a law suit. Not only that, she was taken. She had a boyfriend, and he didn’t poach.
She wasn’t for him. She was too soft. He’d crush her. He wouldn’t be able to help himself. He’d become more and more demanding. He’d expect everything from her.
He grinned as he remembered the way she’d stuck her tongue out at him a few weeks ago. If she’d been his, she’d have found herself naked and bound over his spanking bench, her pale ass quickly turning red, her butt smarting from the plug he’d press deep inside her—and thinking this way was doing nothing for getting his erection to die down.
He knew she cleaned his office at different times each night on purpose. Sometimes she came here first, hoping to get it cleaned before he arrived, other times she came late, hoping he’d already be gone.
Little did she know he had cameras set up in here. And since he lived in the apartment above, he was always ready for her.
His eyes narrowed as he took in the way her shoulders drooped. She was moving slower than usual, without her usual energy or fire. What was going on? Had someone said something to her? That silly woman, Gloria? He knew she’d protested having to change floors. He’d told Elsa she either did as she was told or took a severance package and left. She’d soon quietened down. She knew she wouldn’t get pay or benefits like he provided anywhere else. If it was Gloria, he’d find out. Although he didn’t think Kinley would let a foolish woman like that get to her. She’d stood up to him easily enough. And there were people who’d worked for him for years who wouldn’t dream of speaking to him the way she had.
It just made him like her all the more. Maybe that’s why she intrigued him. Because he hadn’t had anyone challenge him since Sloan had left.
That man hadn’t understood the meaning of giving in or giving up. Stubborn ass. The thought of Sloan ruined his good mood. He straightened.
He stepped into the room. Time to find out what was going on. She’d been growing increasingly melancholy, and he didn’t like it. He also didn’t like the dark bags growing under her eyes or the way she held herself. Defensively. Like she expected someone to attack at any moment.
Was it the boyfriend? Had he hurt her? Hit her? A surge of alarm filled him quickly, followed by anger and then satisfaction.
If she was having problems with her boyfriend, that paved the way for him to step in. James wouldn’t steal another man’s woman, but he wasn’t above picking up the pieces.
And what happened to leaving her alone? She isn’t for you.
He sighed. He really wasn’t a nice man if he was thinking about taking advantage of Kinley.
But then, he’d never claimed to be a nice guy. Had he?
“Are you going to stand there all night watching me?” she asked, not bothering to turn away from her dusting.
“You’re getting harder to sneak up on.”
“You do know it’s not nice to sneak up on people, right?” She looked at him over her shoulder, and he frowned as he noted her drawn face. Was she losing weight? Had her loser boyfriend said something to her about her weight, and she’d gone on some fad diet?