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“Now you’re the one who sounds disappointed.”
He chuckled. “Handsome is nice. But it feels like—well, what if I were to call you ‘cute’?”
I wrinkled my nose.
“Exactly,” he said, smoothing a hand down his beard.
“Well, excuse me, but it was the only semi-appropriate compliment I could come up with.”
He leaned forward, his voice deeper. “And what if I don’t want you to be appropriate?”
“Knox…”
“Sorry. It’s late. I should…I should go.” He stood quickly, nearly toppling his chair. “Too much wine turns me into a foolish old man.”
If the wine was making anyone foolish, it was me. I’d been flirting with him all evening. Flirting with the idea of being with him, even when I knew it was impossible.
“Knox,” I said again, standing. “You’re neither of those things. But I’m…” I shook my head and turned away. “Never mind.”
“No.” I heard the rustle of his clothes as he stepped closer. “Tell me what you were going to say.” The heat from his body radiated off him. I felt his hand as if it were a feather grazing my back.
I took a deep breath, his presence giving me strength, the wine making me brazen. My placement was over. Technically, he wasn’t my boss anymore. At least not right now. I hadn’t accepted his job offer; we weren’t breaking any rules.
“Do you want to know the real reason why I’m hesitant to accept?” I asked.
I wasn’t considering the position, not really. Between the Hartwell Agency and my online tutoring, I could get by. At least, I thought I could. If enrollment continued to drop because of the tutoring company’s incompetence, I might have to look at other options.
And yeah, maybe those jobs weren’t as stable or exciting as what Knox was offering, but they were flexible. And with my mom’s health, I valued flexibility.
“Yes,” he said from behind me. It was almost easier not to face him when I said this.
“Because sometimes—” This was it. I was going to go for it. “Sometimes, I wish you weren’t my boss.”
“And why’s that?” he asked, his tone betraying nothing.
“I think you know why.” I stared at the pool and the way the water lapped at the edges, even as my heart raced.
“I need to hear you say it.” He placed his hands on my shoulders and turned me to face him. “Tell me, Kendall. Why do you wish I weren’t your boss?”
CHAPTEREIGHT
Kendall stared up at me, her eyes full of questions. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth and shook her head. Fuck me, she was gorgeous, her lavender dress somehow making her seem ethereal.
“Kendall,” I rasped. “Technically, I’m not your boss anymore. Not tonight anyway.” I lifted my hand but then lowered it before I could touch her. “And you’re no longer my employee.”
“But you’re still Jude’s dad,” she said.
“Is that what this is about?” I asked, frowning. “Because he’ll tell you the same thing I did earlier. He wants you to take this position with the team.”
“He wouldn’t if he knew…” She drew in a jagged breath, and I waited for her to finish that thought. Seconds felt like hours until she said, “If he knew the types of thoughts I’ve been having about you.”
I stilled, feeling as if everything had built up to this moment. I’d waited too long to act before and had missed out. This might be my last shot. My only chance.
“What types of thoughts?” I asked, hoping I was right. Hoping she wanted me as badly as I wanted her.
She dipped her head. “It’s… They’re inappropriate.”
Her candor encouraged me to proceed despite all the reasons not to.
