Page 43 of Dirty Boss

“I know,” I said. “Let’s do it again.”

FIFTEEN

ALBA

For the firsttime all year, warmth and safety penetrated the chill in my bones. I clung to Vaughn, fingernails digging into his skin, body leaning into his bulk. His arm tightened around me, his hand angling my head to deepen the kiss.

When we pulled apart again, I was dizzy. Then reason returned to my buzzing mind, and I put a hand over my mouth. “Oh, no.”

“Not the reaction women typically have when they kiss me,” Vaughn answered, a brow arching.

“I—”

“Whatever you’re going to say, Alba, just—don’t.”

“We can’t?—”

“Don’t say that either.”

“I’m not?—”

“Unless you’re going to tell me you want me to drag you to bed and have my way with you, I don’t want to hear it.”

“Vaughn.”

His eyes were devilish, his arms still holding me close. He’d dropped the hand on my cheek to my waist, his other hand sliding across my back to band me to him.

I had to pull away. I couldn’t leave the warmth of his arms.

“Erase the last ten minutes from your memory,” I demanded.

“No can do, princess.”

“I quit.”

“I reject your resignation.”

My hands were on his chest. When had my hands landed on his chest? I pushed away from him, and his hands dropped from my waist. We still stood close, the world around us a haze. My chest heaved; my mind spun.

He kissed better than I’d expected. Like he’d known exactly how to take charge, how to make me melt, how to make me want more.

I didn’t want more. I was desperate for more.

“I have to go.”

“Alba—wait.”

“We shouldn’t have done that. I can’t get involved with you.”

“We’re not involved.”

“So what, you kiss all your consultants?”

His jaw bulged as he clenched it. Then he spread his palms. “It won’t happen again.”

Was that disappointment making my chest feel tight? I gulped. “Good. I’ll see you later this week.”

I turned on my heel and walked away before he could call me back. My head remained full of cotton balls all the way home, and I found myself standing in my kitchen, staring at dried-on egg yolk smeared on one of my plates. How in theworlddid people get egg off their dishes? The stuff was like cement.