Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 32776 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32776 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
“Because I haven’t had company at all.” I crossed my arms, feeling my stomach flip. “Not that my sex life is any of your business.”
“I wasn’t referring to sex.” He smiled. “Just company in general, but good to know…”
“I have foldable chairs in the closet.” I tried to change the subject. “Plus my friend’s space is three times this size, so—”
“So, it’s still small as shit.” He pressed his hand against my sad excuse for a window. “I can better understand why you snuck into my condos now.”
“Does that mean all is forgiven and we’re even?”
He let out a low laugh. “Nice try.”
He stepped out into the hallway and made a phone call before returning.
“Paul will have a separate team over in the morning, and we’ll get things handled within a month,” he said. “Do you want to stay here until they’re finished fixing things?”
“It’s where I live,” I said.
“That’s not what I asked you, Chloe…” The way he enunciated my name sent a rush of heat through my body. “Do you want to stay here until they’re finished fixing things?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t think going home with you is a good idea.”
“Ever or just for now?”
I blushed, unsure of how to answer that question.
I felt something between us for sure—something I’d never felt for any other guy this soon, but I was convinced it was just the billionaire and power imbalance.
It had to be…
As if he could tell I was struggling to speak, he pulled a pen from his suit jacket and clicked it. Then he moved to my desk and scribbled something atop my notebook.
“That’s my contact at The Four Seasons,” he said, moving closer to me. “You’re more than welcome to stay in my suite until things are completed here.”
“Will you be dropping by to check on me?”
“Not unless you want me to.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “Do you want me to?”
“I think we should keep things platonic.”
“You should’ve said that before you let me feel how wet your pussy was for me…”
“That’s not what happened.”
“No?” He lowered his voice. “What exactly happened, then?”
“A lapse in judgment between the two of us.”
“Okay.” He pulled me flush against his chest and kissed me harder than he did the first time, making me surrender to my lies with every brush of his tongue against mine.
“Come home with me,” he whispered. “Let me fuck you…”
Say yes. Say HELL YES…
I shook my head. “I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because…” I slowly pulled away from him. “I’ll just be another example of you getting whatever you want, whenever you want…”
He arched a brow, looking stunned.
His lips parted, as if he were about to say something else, but he stepped back.
“I need to look into every single building I own—residential and commercial—over the next six weeks, and I’d like you to join me so you can use this in your upcoming press kits for me,” he said. “I’ll pick you up every morning at seven.”
“Okay.”
“Good.” He headed to my door, but not before stopping at my open closet and tugging at one of the hangers.
“Oh and Chloe?” He looked over his shoulder at me.
“Yes?”
“This—” he said, pulling out the hanger. “Is a fucking pantsuit. Let me know if I need to buy you more of these…”
—
Two Weeks Later
THE CEO
DANTE
Chloe wearing pantsuits was supposed to solve a problem, not make her even sexier and turn every workday into an unbearable exercise in suffering for me.
It was bad enough that her sarcasm matched mine almost perfectly, and I actually enjoyed her being around me all day. But worse was that we were only a couple weeks into our deal, and I was already dreading it coming to an end.
I barely know this woman. I sighed. “What the hell is wrong with me?”
“I can make you a list.” She smiled from my front seat. “If you’re willing to change some things, it might help you with The Holden even more.”
“I’ll pass, thank you.” I stepped out and opened her car door. “Until tomorrow.”
“Well, wait,” she said, looking around. “The jackhammering has been pretty unbearable this week. Do you mind if I grab a few things and you take me to The Four Seasons tonight?”
“Of course not.”
“I’m bringing some company along, if that’s okay.”
“As long as you’re referring to your friend Marie…”
“It’s a new guy in the building I like.”
“Then you no longer have access to my hotel suite.”
“I was kidding.”
“I know.”
She laughed and stepped onto the sidewalk.
“We’ll be down in fifteen minutes.”
“Noted.” I watched her walk up the steps and mentally weighed the pros and cons of firing her after her first full month.
Or maybe extending her deal for another two years…
As I was considering my options, my security director’s number flashed across my screen for a video call.
“Yes, Jameson?” I answered.
“A homeless family was caught squatting outside one of your properties, sir.” He shook his head. “They’ve been living there for about three weeks.”