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“What are you two still doing here?”
Alex’s appearance almost made her jump out of her skin — and it also made her suddenly understand exactly what that turn of phrase actually meant. His presence was like a physical force emanating from his powerful body, the energy from his gaze hitting her like two laser beams. They were particularly dramatic thoughts, but maybe the late night was to blame. Everything was heightened after midnight.
Whatever effect he was having on her, she didn’t seem to be having any impact on him at all. He seemed annoyed to see her there so late, though it was normal for Apex employees to work late. There was even a skeleton staff on call in the kitchen twenty-four seven.
“We have a lot to do, Alex. And you’re here,” Carlyle pointed out.
“It’s past that one’s bedtime,” Alex replied, nodding to her.
Sophie tried not to blush as furiously as she felt like blushing. She should probably find his constant infantilizing infuriating, but he did it in such a serious way that she knew he meant it. Did that make it better or worse? Hard to tell.
“I think she can set her own bedtime,” Carlyle said with a wry smile.
“Not when the COO tells her she has to work all night. She’s not going to tell you she needs a nap. She’s going to work herself into the ground to please you. She’s coming with me.”
He crooked a finger in Sophie’s direction, and it made her heart skip a beat. He was just So. Damn. Handsome. Those knowing eyes, that stubble on that razor sharp jaw. Alex was made out of a different material than mere mortals.
She looked at Carlyle. Carlyle shrugged with one of those wry smiles which indicated he was fine with whatever was happening. Once again, Sophie was left with a choice to obey, or pitch a fit which would make her seem like the little girl Alex was treating her as.
“Come on,” Alex said. “With me.”
Sophie rose from the table and followed him, telling herself that Alex didn’t know any better than to speak to her this way. He was used to being in charge of every facet of a soldier’s life. He’d never really left the military. Or at least, the military had never really left him.
She was trying not to feel flattered at his interest, almost as much as she was trying not to be annoyed by being told to go to bed. If it was anybody besides Alex doing this, she would have told them to go fuck themselves. But he had a certain magnetism. No, more than that. He had a set of characteristics which acted like a key to the lock of her psyche. When Alex looked at her, she felt undone.
“Where are we going?”
The question proved redundant as Alex led her into his office.
She found herself staring at the desk where he'd spanked her. Was there going to be a round two?
Apparently not.
He pointed to the black leather couch which sat along one wall of his office. “Lie down. Take your shoes off.”
He was doing it. He was actually putting her to bed. She thought about resisting, but the truth was she was actually exhausted, and she could never have told Carlyle that. She didn’t want him to think she couldn’t keep up. One of these days, she wanted to be a C-something herself.
She did as she was told, or at least, she sat down and slipped her shoes off.
“Lie down,” he repeated.
“I’m really fine. I can go home.”
“You are not taking the subway this time of night. You are not going out on the street to catch a cab, and you are absolutely not putting your life in the hands of a random citizen who signed up for Uber on an app,” Alex said sternly.
“Do you do this for all the employees of Apex?”
He lifted one of those naturally angular brows at her. “Just the ones who don’t follow orders.”
She knew that was a lie. Alex wasn’t out there rounding up every intern, employee, and middle manager up past midnight. He was making an exception for her. She was, in some way, special.
Goddammit, was that really all it took for her to start falling for a guy? For him to be old enough to be her father and treat her that way too?
She lay down, feeling very vulnerable as he loomed over her. She thought he might touch her, but instead he just pulled the fine black cashmere throw from the back of the couch and settled it over her.
“Get some sleep,” he ordered.
She obeyed.
Chapter 9
“I am NOT going down for this!”
“Nobody is going down for this. Chill the fuck out.”
Sophie woke to raised voices.
For a second, she didn’t know where she was. The sound of angry men made her tense up under the blanket, hiding like a child while her mind came fully back online from the realm of dreams. Even when she realized where she was, it still didn't make her feel any better.
