Stripped - A Forbidden Hot Boss Romance

She shrugged but didn’t meet my eyes. “Nothing. What makes you think anything is up?”

“Because usually when you come into work, you’re full of chatter, but tonight you’re super quiet. If you don’t want to tell me, it’s okay.”

She wrung her fingers around and around. “Promise you won’t get mad.”

My stomach fell to my toes, but I kept my composure. “I can’t promise that until you tell me, but I’ll do my best.”

“Noah asked me to spy on you.”

“Spy on me?” I repeated as if not understanding what she’d said.

She rolled her lips between her teeth and nodded. “He thinks that something is going on between you and Shane. He’s heard the gossip.”

My nostrils flared. “What did you say to him?”

“I said I wouldn’t do that. I’m not a nark.” She crouched down in front of me and grasped my hands with hers. “Please be honest, Alyssa. Are you screwing Shane? I think you are, but I’m not sure. You’re my friend, and I want to protect you, but I can’t if I don’t know.”

I blew out a long slow breath. “You can’t tell anyone, Candy. You can’t. I won’t lie to you. I love him.” Saying the words out loud lifted a hundred-pound weight off my shoulders.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Her eyes widened.

“I couldn’t. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to get anyone involved. The less you knew, the better. Some of the newer girls would accuse me of sleeping with the boss to make sure I kept the top spot of the night.”

“I understand,” she said. “I’m a little hurt that you didn’t trust me, but I will never betray your confidence. Jack, Liam, and Noah are suspicious. I don’t want you to get hurt. Please tell me you’re being careful. You know how some of these men are. They promise you the sun, the moon, and the stars, but in the end, you’re left with nothing but dust.”

“He cares for me. I know he does. I don’t know if he loves me. What I do know is, we can’t keep our hands off one another. Shane’s a good man. He won’t hurt me.”

She flung her arms around me and held me tight. “I hope so. Because if he hurts you, he’ll have me to deal with.”

I laughed and hugged her back. “Thanks, Candy. I’m sorry for keeping this a secret.”

She let go of me and stood. “Come on, we have some money to make and asses to shake.”

When I stood, dizziness washed over me, and I had to sit down. Sweat beaded my forehead, and nausea welled up inside. I reached for the glass of water on my dressing table and took a sip, but it made me want to vomit.

“You okay?” Candy asked. “You’ve gone as pale as a ghost.”

I clutched my stomach. “There’s no way I can dance. If I do, I’ll hurl. It must have been the tuna sandwich at lunch.”

She placed a hand against my forehead. “You do feel a little hot. Why don’t you go home? I’ll take over your shift.”

I nodded. “I owe you big time. Not just for this, but for everything. A night on the sofa in front of Netflix is exactly what I need.”

On the way out, I stopped by the office. Shane grinned when he saw me, but then concern filled his eyes. He came out from behind his desk.

“Are you okay?”

I shook my head. “I’m going to take the night off. I’m not feeling the greatest. I think I need a good night’s sleep.”

He curled his hands around my biceps. “Do you want me to drive you home and stay with you?”

“No, you stay. The corporate guests are going to want to schmooze with you.”

He brushed his lips across my forehead. “I’ll stop by later to check up on you.”

I cupped my palm around his cheek. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“I feel the same.”

That was as close as we’d ever gotten to honestly admitting how we felt about one another. Maybe one day we would say the L-word, but today was not that day.***

When I got home, I made myself a cup of black tea, but when I took a sip, I projectile vomited all over the kitchen. What the fuck was wrong with me? I sat down and thought back.

When was the last time I’d had a period? I’d never been regular, even on the pill. But I hadn’t had one since I started sleeping with Shane. I hadn’t thought about it, since I relied on my birth control, but it wasn’t always effective.

I clasped a hand over my mouth.

There was no way.

No fucking way.

I couldn’t be.

I just couldn’t.

But I needed to know for sure. I made a quick dash to the pharmacy and bought five different tests. When I got home, I sat in the bathroom, not entirely sure if I wanted to take one, never mind five.