Bargaining with the Boss (Honeybrook Love, Inc. 2)

When she finally took the drink from him, their fingers touched for an instant and then she moved toward the bed, sitting down so quickly that he was amazed she hadn't spilled her drink all over herself.

He took the chance to pour his own champagne and reassess. This was definitely not what he'd intended. Any of it.

First of all, she wasn't supposed to come. A woman like that being commanded to do something? The only way he'd fathomed her actually showing up was if her house had been set on fire.

And then the way she looked...

It was hard enough to resist her in the office, but with the way the satin of her green dress hugged her body, she looked like she was made to be shown off. Or, at the very least, to be touched and treasured.

With her dark hair swept back, her chestnut eyes looked even rounder and more beautiful.

And still, all of that wasn't the problem.

The problem was Natalie.

He wanted her, sure. But not like this.

The more he thought about all his other casual hook-ups, the women who came and went in order to get their names in lights for a day or two, the more he was sure Natalie wasn't like that. Didn't deserve that.

And even if nobody knew they were there, did that change the sinking feeling he had in his stomach when he thought about taking advantage of her?

No. He couldn't go through with it.

Not tonight.

"Natalie, I think we made a mistake."

She blinked, pursing her lips together but not daring to speak.

"I shouldn't have brought you up here."

"Because you're my boss?" She sipped from her glass, and though her head tilted to show her interest in his words, she still didn't bother to move from her spot.

"No, I have faith in your ability to be professional. It's not that. It's...this just doesn't seem right."

"Doesn't seem right?" She parroted the words back to him, but they sounded more hollow than when he'd uttered them. She moved from the bed, then sat her flute on the nightstand and marched toward him.

"This doesn't seem right but calling me into a meeting, blackmailing me, and attempting to seduce me is totally cool with you?"

"I never meant it to be that way--"

"But it was that way. And then, when I work up the nerve to show up here and go through with this, to this place of all places--"

"What do you--?"

"No. I talk." She crossed her arms over her chest, pushing her heaving cleavage up even higher. The familiar blush of her rage spread over her cheeks and he stared down at her. He should have been concerned, but somehow, watching her like this, all he could think

was that if her hair was slightly more mussed, that glow on her cheeks would make her look freshly fucked.

His cock throbbed at the thought, and he tightened his jaw, readying himself for whatever attack she had in store.

"I'm not going to be pushed around like this. You want me or you don't. Make up your mind." He opened his mouth to argue, to explain to her that he wanted her, but not like this.

He wanted her when she wanted him.

But that choice was made for him when she grabbed his collar with surprising force and pulled his lips down toward hers.

He hadn't meant to kiss her back. A part of him knew, had always known, that as soon as they touched a line would have been crossed that neither of them would be able to erase.