Rose pulled him down to her level. His hand slipped lower, getting a feel of her full ass. He wasn’t disappointed but wanted so much more. Darius trailed kisses along her jaw before shelling the rim of her ear with his tongue.
She moaned aloud, her body pressing into his.
They were like a rock in a river, people moving around them on the sidewalk. “We should go. Some things are better behind closed doors,” he whispered against her ear.
As if not realizing where they were, she pulled back and looked around.
“I can drive you home or we can go somewhere else,” he said.
They walked back to the restaurant where his car was parked.
“What about your place?”
He wasn’t expecting that answer. Not from an innocent virgin like Rose. He was taken aback, not sure what to say. So he said nothing at all.
The valet brought his car around. Once they were both inside the hushed interior, he turned slightly toward her. “I’ll drive you home. We have an early start tomorrow.”
She looked disappointed, her brow briefly furrowing. “If that’s what you want.”
“Trust me, it’s not what I want. Not by a long shot. But the gentleman in me says it’s the right thing to do.” He reached over and ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek. “No need to rush things. If I bring you to my condo, you won’t be leaving until morning.”
Chapter Six
Darius had been the perfect gentleman.
His kiss had burned her lips, leaving them swollen, and Rose had spent way too long in front of the mirror, touching her mouth and thinking about that kiss.
Her first one ever.
After the shock had worn off, along with the delirium of being attracted to her boss, the panic had set in.
She shouldn’t have kissed her boss. Everyone at work already thought she’d been sleeping with him, and now, well, it wasn’t exactly hard to imagine it. She hadn’t pushed him away. Not repelled his advances. Instead, she’d accepted him, wanted him, had even been disappointed when he didn’t want to take her home.
Then, of course, her old insecurities came rushing back.
He’d kissed her, and because she’d shown her attraction, it had disgusted him. No one ever wanted her. Did he just like the idea of kissing her at that moment? Was it a major lapse in judgment?
Nothing else had happened during the next five days. No kissing. No touching.
She was starting to wonder if he thought it was all a mistake.
By the time she rode the elevator, heading to his floor, she had her resignation letter written and in her bag. She nibbled on her lip. Her heart raced as she thought through what she was going to say to him in order to remove what happened that night.
Her hands shook a little.
When the elevator stopped for people to enter, she moved toward the back, ignoring those who gave her a curious glance. With each second that passed, her stomach got tighter, and her nerves were nearly at the breaking point.
She hoped he wasn’t in the office, so she could place the letter on his desk, gather her stuff, and leave. That would be the most logical and easy way to handle this.
Her mouth was so dry.
She stepped off the elevator and headed toward his office, but she stumbled as he was already sitting behind his desk, his fingers clicking away at his keyboard. There was never going to be a chance of him not coming to work. The guy was a workaholic and didn’t understand the meaning of the term rest.
Rose turned her back to him and took a few steps toward the elevator, hoping to get away from him, to find a chance to regroup her thoughts, but that wasn’t going to happen either.
You can’t run away from all your problems!
Running was easier. Staying and fighting, that took real courage.
Darius didn’t mean to kiss her. She knew the truth, and so, squaring her shoulders as if ready to do battle, she stepped into his office.
He looked up, and the smile he sent in her way made her pause. Why was he smiling?
“Rose,” he said. “You’re early.” He got up out of his chair and rounded the desk.
Sliding her hand into her bag, she held the letter up as some kind of protection. Not that she was afraid of Darius. This was going to work.
“Please accept my resignation,” she blurted. “I think it’s better for both of us if I leave. I’m sorry for any inconvenience I’ve caused. I know it will be difficult with Ross gone.”
He frowned. His brows drew together, but he didn’t take the letter from her.
She waited.
“What the fuck is this?” he asked.
“Mr. Blackwood, please.”
He shook his head. “No. Don’t please me.” He grabbed her wrist and pulled her in close. With his other hand, he reached behind her and threw the door closed, thrusting them into privacy.