Bought by the Boss

I smack my hand over my mouth then drop it. “But not like, like you.”

He frowns. “You don’t like me?”

“No, I do like you,” I correct, watching heady amusement reach his eyes. “But not to a stalker level or anything.” This is painful, and I sigh, step back, and sigh again. “None of that came out at all how I wanted.”

He gives me a full grin now. “I happen to like, like the way it all came out.” He erases the distance between us and captures a kiss. There’s nothing proper about the way his mouth is moving with mine. Dirty. Hot. Possessive. And everything in between. His one hand is tangled in my hair, the other hand at the small of my back pressing me against him. And soon I’m leaning into the hard line of his body desperate for more. Because this makes sense.

Somehow kissing him feels more normal than not kissing him.

That’s when a truth appears that I cannot run from. I never want him to stop kissing me. I never want him to let me go. Hell, I want him to take me into my bedroom and bring all that lust we experienced in Muskoka here to Los Angeles. Because I’ve never met a guy like Jackson.

He excites me. He makes me laugh. He’s down-to-earth. His heated touch burns me alive. With him, I’ve had the most fun I’ve ever had with any guy. I don’t want to pretend all of that didn’t happen.

And how fucking confusing is that? My wanting to continue to date him was never in the plan.

A low clearing of a throat has me backing away from Jackson’s potent kiss. When I glance into his eyes, they slowly begin to narrow. I turn to follow his gaze and from there, everything moves in slow motion. Jackson opens the door to my condo and shoves me inside, hastily getting me out of the way as Liam pile drives him, sending them both slamming into the wall.

Aria’s through the door a second later, stepping in next to me and sighing. She’s wearing her long brown hair curly today, and her bright blue dress matches the color of her eyes. “Not really the welcome home you were hoping for, I’m sure,” she says.

“Ah, not exactly.” I snort.

I glance back at the doorway as a loud thump followed by a masculine groan fills the hallway. There’s another bang, and then there’s a blur of muscular bodies as they pass by the doorway followed by a round of impressively vulgar words. I turn back to Aria. “Inevitable, though, I suppose.”

She nods. “Probably.”

In Liam and Aria’s eyes, Jackson bought me at the charity auction all to get back at Liam. While he’d certainly done that, they also didn’t know what happened between us. I couldn’t believe in Liam’s harsh feelings toward Jackson anymore. Aria was right—Jackson is a good man. He’s not the guy that Liam has made him out to be over the years.

First thing first, I study Aria, seeing happiness all over my best friend’s face, regardless of the slight concern for the guys. “I take it by that little twinkle in your eyes that you and Liam worked everything out on Monday night and are together now.”

“We are.” She smiles.

I give her a quick hug. “It’s about damn time.”

When she leans away, she adds, “I’ve got so much to tell you.”

I nod agreement. “So much has happened, it’s almost hard to think straight, isn’t it?”

Aria pauses as grunts and curses fill the air. Then she glares at the empty doorway. “I’m so damn angry for what Jackson did to you. Being sneaky and all that stupid shit.”

I hesitate now at the force of the next grunt coming from the hallway, hoping that Liam and Jackson aren’t killing each other. “You don’t need to be angry at him. You were right about him, Aria. He’s a really good guy.”

Her brows rise. “Well, that is certainly not at all what I expected you to say.” She draws in a deep breath before addressing me again. “I guess that explains the kiss I just saw.”

I nod. “Like I said, so much has happened. And everything that did happen was incredible. Believe me when I say, he was a complete and total gentleman.”

“I’m glad to see you like this”—her eyes search mine again—“you look happy and relaxed.”

I smile. “I am.”

“That’s good, because honestly, if he’d hurt you, I’m not sure what I would have done.”

Another round of grunts has us glancing toward the doorway. Liam’s suddenly in the doorway, his hair ruffled. Then Jackson tackles, sending them both flying past the door.

Aria sighs and glances at me. “Should we break them up?”

“Nah, they’ll get tired.” Hoping that I prove my point that both of them are acting like complete idiots, I walk forward and slam the door shut. When I turn back to Aria, I add, “Or someone will call the cops.”

Aria laughs then she hugs me again when I move back to her. “So, things were really okay?”