My Naughty Boss

“Anytime. If you want to talk more, I'm here.”

We left it at that, and I ended the call. I immediately buzzed my intercom for Danny. He stepped into my office within seconds, closing the door behind him.

“What's up? You still cranky?” he asked.

I leaned back in my chair with a sigh. “No. Sorry, I snapped earlier.”

“Mind filling me in on what's going on?”

I so did not want to have this conversation. I knew Sophia wouldn’t appreciate it, but she wasn't here to be upset, and I needed some advice.

“Okay, you have to promise you won't breathe a word of this.”

“Of course not.”

I took a breath, gathering myself. “So there might be something going on with me and Sophia.”

Danny stayed quiet, but I saw the glint in his eyes. After a beat, he arched a brow. “Not a surprise. I can sense your draw to her. Is this why you're so cranky? Because she canceled on the London trip?” he asked.

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. “Yes.”

He cocked his head to the side. “I'm not really sure what's going on because you're not offering much information, but something like that wouldn't normally get to you. Work pretty much drives your life. Even when you were engaged to Kayla, your work life didn't change much. It certainly wouldn't have rattled you if she didn't come on a trip.”

“I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think this is serious.”

Danny grinned. “Sophia’s awesome, and I think she’d be good for you. So what are you gonna do?”

I lifted a hand and let it fall. “I don't know. I don't even know where she is.”

“We can find out,” Danny said.

I stared at him for a long moment. “Let's do it. I think this means canceling the London trip again.”

Danny chuckled. “No problem. I'll call them and tell them we have to move it back again. That should buy you some time to straighten things out with Sophia.”

He stood and left. I spun in my chair to look out the windows. I couldn't quite believe it, but I'd fallen in love with Sophia. I didn't know that I could say I knew what love was, but I knew what this was. I wanted her with every fiber of my being. Within a few minutes, Danny returned.

“She's in Cape Cod. I'm texting you the address right now.”

That's all I needed. As I was about to race out, he called out, “Do you need a ride?”

“Nope. I need to get there as fast as I can, and I drive faster than Stanley.”

With Danny’s laugh following me, I ran out of the building.

Chapter 19

Sophia

I stood on the porch at Megan's family vacation home, staring out over the beach. Waves crashed against the shore, and salty air blew through my hair. I to

ok a deep breath and let it out slowly. We’d gone out to brunch this morning after dinner and drinks last night. I was still unsettled and mulling over how to back out of my contract with Chandler International. I missed Lucas. It was a visceral ache inside of my heart. I was that silly person who had fallen in lust and love with a man in the span of a few weeks.

I needed to get a grip and that meant I needed to not be around him day in and day out. The attraction was too strong, and my heart was too silly. The screen door from the kitchen leading onto the porch opened, and Megan leaned through it. “You have company. I have to run some errands. I'll be back in a little bit,” she said quickly.

Before I even had a chance to ask her who was here, she was gone, the door slamming shut behind her. I was puzzled. Nobody knew I was here except for her. I turned to open the door, only to find Lucas coming through it. At the sight of him, my heart twisted in my chest and butterflies massed in my belly, taking flight and spinning in wild circles. My pulse lunged.

He looked tired. His green eyes were weary, and his hair was rumpled. He wore his usual work uniform, faded jeans that hugged his muscled legs with a button-down shirt hanging loose over them. His shirt was wrinkled, almost as if he'd slept in it. I glanced at my watch. It was late afternoon, and I had no idea why he was here, or how he’d found me.