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In the back of my mind, I think that Cannon is just too out of touch to realize that what he’s saying will never stop the rumor mill from churning. But I’m enjoying myself, and being the center of his attention is sort of addicting. His kind words from earlier, right after the text debacle, play again through my consciousness, and it makes me brave enough to stay pressed against him like I am.
“Plus,” he adds in that deep voice of his, “they’ll just have to get used to it. I’ve taken a liking to you, Candace, and I don’t intend for this to be our last interaction. Not by a long shot. Are you okay with that?”
“I think so,” I whisper, but it’s a big question, and I turn it over and over in my mind.
It isn’t just the attraction I feel towards him that’s drawing me in. It’s the way he gave me confidence when I was feeling at my lowest, with a single text. I feel something for Cannon already, and even if I am young, I’ve always been ready to take what I want from the world.
I know that I have to make a choice. Do I follow my heart or do I do the right thing and walk away? It’s a decision that will change everything, and I know I have to make it soon.
Once the dance ends, Cannon brushes my cheek with his fingers before disappearing into the crowd once more, murmuring that he will see me when the event is over. I feel like I’m floating on the adrenaline of our dance, and the last hour of the gala flies by at record speed. I finish one last glass of champagne before pulling out my phone to book an Uber.
Then, like a shadow, Cannon is at my side, taking the phone from my hand. “No cabs. My driver will take you home.”
“But–” I start to protest, but he’s having none of it.
“You’re a beautiful, young woman and it’s late. It’s much safer this way. Plus…” He gives me that knowing smile again, hot and addicting. “It will give us a chance to get to know each other better.”
I know there isn’t any use arguing with Cannon, that much I’ve learned already, and I let him take my hand and lead me to his vehicle, which is idling on the curb outside of the hotel.
The Cadillac sedan is black as night, and when he opens the back door for me, I see that a privacy screen separates us from the professional driver, creating a sense of intimacy that makes my heart race.
The ride back to my apartment with Cannon is filled with tension and anticipation. The close proximity of our bodies is almost too much to bear, and I feel the heat radiating off him. Every time he moves, my body responds, my skin tingling with desire.
“You can relax,” he says into the quiet space. “There’s no one here now but us. No need to keep up appearances.”
I exhale slowly. “I know. It’s just…all of this over an accidental text? You’ve never even looked in my direction since I started at Elite, and now you’re giving me private rides home?”
Cannon sighs, leaning back in his seat. “To tell you the truth, it’s a failing on my end that I haven’t noticed you yet. I tend to have mental blinders on when it comes to women because I can’t afford distractions, especially because when men like me try to date, it always comes down to my money or social status. But you…there’s something genuine about you, Candace, and I regret not speaking to you sooner. Now that I see you…truly see you…I can’t look away.”
I’m speechless, but when his hand moves to rest on my leg, I don’t stop him, instead covering it with mine and lacing our fingers together. It should just be an innocent touch, but the sensation of his skin against mine has something deep inside me screaming for attention.
Despite my growing feelings for him, I can't shake the fear that I'm moving too fast. It's not just that he's my boss—it's that I've never felt this way before. It's like he's under my skin, and I can't get him out of my head.
As we pull up outside my apartment, the tension between us has reached a fever pitch, and it’s not even a surprise when he begins to lower his head towards mine.
When he leans in to kiss me, I'm lost in the moment, swept up in the magic of his touch. At first, it’s just a brushing of his lips, but after Cannon discovers that I won’t pull away, he shows me what a passionate man he truly is, deepening the kiss to levels I’ve never experienced before.
I’m thrown, clinging on to the lapels of his suit jacket, letting his tongue sweep against mine demandingly. It's a kiss that leaves me wanting more, and I know that this is just the beginning of a seduction that might make me go down in flames. Willingly.
Which is why, when he lowers the heat of the kiss, eventually pulling away, I almost whimper in dissatisfaction. Cannon escorts me to my door, watching me closely with every step, and each second before he leaves, my mind is still screaming,“More, more, more!”
Leaning all my weight on the closed door, I slide down to the floor, hands clasped to my chest, trying hopelessly to stop the galloping of my wild heart.
2
CANNON
It’s been a long time since something other than work occupied my mind. But now, after a whirlwind of frustration and arousal, there’s nothing occupying my thoughts besides Candace Bennett. Innocent little siren…a dichotomy that I just can’t shake my obsession for.
I had been preparing for the celebratory dinner event without much excitement, even though it was the record gains of my own company that I was going to celebrate. The entire thing had been planned by my assistants, who were insistent that things like the dinner helped to keep employee morale up, and therefore would be beneficial in the long run for even better profits.
There’s no question that I’m disconnected from the more personal side of my business, even if I make sure to speak to each hire before they join the team, but my aloofness is by design.
I expect both high-quality work and a level of respect toward the subjects of our articles and interviews. I never wantElite Editionsto become a gossip rag. It’s much more than that. The reason high-profile individuals don’t mind talking to us is because of the way we treat their stories with seriousness and compassion where it’s needed, and the ease with which we get interviews is why we’re as popular as we are.
That popularity though has a downside that I hadn’t expected—I rank among the celebrities now too, in a way. Self-made millionaire and perpetual bachelor Cannon Croft fascinates the masses, but if they all knew that it wasn’t just a carefully crafted image, maybe they would leave me alone.
I’m not a bachelor because I’m a womanizer. It’s because I don’t care for personal relationshipsat all.They’re just troublesome, and no woman has ever been intriguing enough to change my mind.
