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“You must have quite the admirer,” he says, warmth invading his words.
There’s no jealousy, no need to compete, nothing like Sterling would have put me through.
I let out a soft laugh, feeling a little foolish. “I buy them myself. I like them and they make me happy,” I say, lifting my shoulders as we move into my hallway, mere feet from my bedroom. We step in, and he sweeps the room, checking the closet and under the bed.
“I’m going to keep looking, okay?” he says as I open drawers and look around for any sign someone has invaded my space. But nothing seems out of place. There’s no way Sterling just came into my apartment and turned on one light, then left. It’s too weird. I must have forgotten to turn it off on my way out the door.
He comes back in as I sit on the edge of my bed. “I didn't find anyone,” he says, stopping a few feet from me and running his hand through his hair.
“Thank you,” I say, feeling foolish again. “I must have forgotten to turn the light off this morning.”
“Don’t apologize, you’ve had a rough day and it’s expected that you’re nervous.” He steps closer and offers me his hand, pulling me to my feet before him with a warm smile.
With those words, he makes me feel validated, seen, and heard. “Thank you,” I say.
“Stop thanking me,” he says with more than a hint of humor in his voice.
“I think Anton is suspicious of us,” I say.
He stiffens. “I had that feeling as well.”
Well, if I’m not the only one with that feeling, it seems like there’s a high likelihood we’re right. I’m not sure Anton is the man I thought he was. I worry that the more he knows, the more ammunition he has to use against us.
“What do you want to do about it?” he asks.
“I’m not sure.” I don’t want to ruin my reputation, I don’t want to lose my job, and I don’t want any nasty rumors spreading about me, because let’s face it - no one will believe I’m falling for him, they'll just think I’m sleeping with the boss’s son for preferential treatment. I don’t want that kind of office rumor about me spreading like mad.
“We don’t have to decide anything right now,” he says, pressing his lips to my temple as his arms fold around me. When he lets me go, I miss his embrace, but I know this is for the best.
“Thank you for not laughing at my flower addiction,” I say, gazing around us at the sunflowers, roses, and breathtaking bouquets I’ve surrounded myself with. When one bouquet begins to die, I replace it with another, and the arrangements brighten my day.
He chuckles as I take a step toward a lily and baby’s breath pairing in a vase. When I turn to face Clifton, the world narrows to the space between us. His green eyes hold mine captive. The air thickens, charged with unspoken words and a promise of something I can’t define.
I close the gap between us. “Thank you for the ride home, and for making sure I’m safe,” I say.
He nods, his gaze tracing the curve of my cheek as I rise on tiptoe. The kiss—a simple brush of my lips against his rough cheek—is meant to be a gentle thanks. But my ankle decides this is the perfect moment to forget how to hold up my weight. My leg buckles, and suddenly I’m a breath away from crumpling at Clifton’s feet. But his arms wrap around me and I meet his gaze, surprised as he keeps me on my feet.
“I don’t want you to fall,” he whispers, his lips brushing my temple. Locked in his strong, steady arms, my heart begins to race at a breakneck speed. The problem is, I am falling. But it’s not a fall he can stop, nor is it one I want him to protect me from.
And I am falling—for him. Another heartbeat stretches between us, the world reduced to our shared breaths. Chest to chest, face to face, heart to heart.
Before I can gather my thoughts, or talk sense into myself, I lean in. My lips find his, a slow, delicate whisper of a kiss. Clifton’s arms tighten around me, and the kiss deepens as his mouth moves against mine with a primal hunger that leaves no room for doubt.
And then, from deep within him, a sound escapes—a raw, possessive growl. It vibrates through our entwined bodies, a declaration that we’ve crossed a threshold we can’t come back from.
Chapter Fifteen
Clifton
The world outside seems to fade away and my senses hone in on her and nothing else. Her warm lips, her sweet breath, the shy way she surrenders to me. I want more than this moment, more than she might be willing to give, more than we should certainly do.
Anton will find a way to destroy everything that brings us joy.
But right now, I only want to focus on her and the way she has my heart pounding and my body aching. I want her more than I remember ever wanting someone before, and when she grabs my tie and pulls me back toward her bed, I know her thoughts mirror mine.
All my worries, fears, and doubts melt away as she pulls away from the kiss, studying me with soft eyes, and frees me from my silver tie. Her fingers march down my button up shirt, freeing one button at a time as the heat of her body rises. I hate the way the pencil skirt keeps her legs bound together, and I reach behind her to pull the zipper down.
She frees the last button of my shirt as I rear up, hauling her skirt down her thighs. Right away, I’m struck by her thigh-high stockings and heels, and total lack of panties.
