Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
“Are you always this stubborn, Michaela?”
“I panicked,” she whispers.
It must be a sign that she wants this, wants me on some level… the fact she’s not asking me to back up. Or perhaps I’m accidentally becoming one of those CEOs you hear about, using my power with women. I’ve never done that. I’d never be that type.
Her lips are so irresistible. I lean closer, and then she moves away, bumping into the wall. I was right. I’ve gone too far, but when she turns, I realize why. One of my employees is standing in the hallway, a man called Patrice who’s worked with me for years. Luckily, I know I can trust him, but what if somebody else had almost caught us?
“Sorry, sir,” he says. “I was thinking of using the meditation room. I’ll come back later.”
“It’s fine,” Maddie says. “We’re done with it now, anyway.”
With that, she walks down the hallway. I hurry after her, reflecting on how incredible this is, me chasing after a woman. I’ve never done that, never dreamed a woman existed who could make me chase her.
“Where are you going?” I snap.
“Where do you think? The interview.”
“What car are you driving? I’ll follow.”
It will be easier like this, with less temptation. I almost cracked back there, and that was after only a few minutes of talking. Sitting in a car with her would be torture. I’d reach over as I drove, slipping my hand between her legs, palming her sex, and struggling to keep my eyes on the traffic.
This way, there’s less chance of anybody seeing us together.
CHAPTER FIVE
Madison
I stop at the red light, looking in the rearview at the sophisticated four-door car, the windows tinted. If I didn’t know who was inside, I’d say it was a government vehicle, with an official aura about it.
I’m still trying to work out exactly what happened in the hallway outside the meditation room. He was so, so, so close. I could smell his musky, manly scent. I could look deep into the depths of his eyes, the passion there… or was it anger?
I don’t understand why he cares if I put myself at risk, though I have to admit, he does have a point. This would’ve been dangerous on my own. He’s being a Good Samaritan and doing a good deed. He follows me across the city, the storefronts, houses, and apartments getting grimier and less presentable the farther we go.
Stopping across from the apartment block, I climb out of the car and look at the graffiti-covered walls and the crumbling exterior of many of the buildings. Jacob parks next to me, climbing out, looking insanely out of place in his dress shirt and jacket. He exudes power as he walks to my car, staring down at me with that intense laser focus that almost makes me squirm.
“What?”
“This is where you were going to come?” he says, waving a hand at the general neighborhood. “Alone?”
Down the street, a bunch of guys are hanging around the corner, one of them doing tricks on an old, beat-up mountain bike.
“Are you going to force me to quote you again?”
He smirks but then wipes it clean. I sense a big part of him is enjoying this. Perhaps that’s all this is—a chance for him to experience journalism from the ground floor instead of from the panoramic view of the high-rise.
“At least I’m here,” he says.
“To protect me, huh?” I tease.
I could spend hours watching his smirk appear and disappear, over and over again.
“Yes,” he growls. “To keep you safe.”
I have to remember that he’s just being nice. He doesn’t want anything bad to happen to me, okay, but that doesn’t mean I should let these thoughts take complete hold of me. That doesn’t mean I should let my hopes and dreams fly away to silliness land, twisting up my image of the future.
Except I remember how close he came to kissing me unless I’m imagining it. Even if I wasn’t, I have to think about Mom. Her possible crush. Her job. Everything.
“Would you mind waiting in the hallway during the interview?” I ask.
“Why?”
His scent tempts and taunts me, the manly musk urging me to lean against him, rest my cheek against his solid chest, and savor the solid muscle. My sex gets all tingly at the thought.
“He’s going to be nervous, and he’s not expecting anybody else. If anything goes wrong, I can yell, and you’ll come running, right? My knight in shining armor…”
“Are you mocking me, Michaela?”
“I’d never dream of it,” I say, with a healthy sprinkle of irony. “You’re too powerful, too important. What if I want a job one day, huh?”
“So that’s what this is about? You want to get close to the CEO to get a job?”
I shake my head, pushing the joking aside. It’s fine bantering about this, but I don’t want him to think I’m only interested in my career.