Page 149 of His Surrender

The second we’re alone, I lean down toward her. “If one more employee checks you out”—she looks up innocently— “then we’re leaving.”

She blinks. “What?”

“I’m serious,” I nearly growl.

Her lips twitch. “Dean …”

“I’ve counted five.”

“You’ve counted?”

“I have a list.”

She bursts into laughter. “A list?”

“They work for me.”

“Do they now?”

I shake my head. “They should know better.”

She reaches for my hand, lacing our fingers together. “You are ridiculously jealous.”

“I’m appropriately observant.”

She laughs again. “No. You are adorable.”

Before I can argue, she gives my hand a playful tug.

“Come with me.”

“Where?”

“You’ll see.”

She leads me through the ballroom, weaving between guests, until we reach a quiet hallway branching away from the main event.

At the end is a small private sitting room with the door standing slightly ajar. She slips inside, pulling me with her.

The muffled music from the ballroom fades the moment the door closes behind us.

Silence settles around us.

She turns to face me with a smile slowly spreading across her face.

“So”—she reaches up, straightening a lapel that doesn’t need straightening— “let’s talk about your very professional employee surveillance operation.”

I scoff as I lean against the long table behind me. “They’d better watch themselves this week.”

She closes the space between us. With my hands in my pockets, her hand comes up to gently play with one of the buttons on my shirt.

“What would it take to make you understand that I’m yours … and only yours?”

I look down at her finger as it continues to play with the buttons.

Then she falls to her knees in front of me, and I lose all train of thought.

Her blue eyes look up at me through those long lashes. A mischievous smile tells me her intentions are not pure.