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2023-07-14 19:52:48Bab terkait
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 57
“I…” She hesitated, shrugged a shoulder and started again. “I can cook if you have something in the kitchen.” She said. Scott burst into laughter. “You can cook?” Dubious, he scanned her beautiful hair, gown and shoes. “In that? Impossible!”Jennifer snorted. “You’re not starting off this truce thing well. And yes, I can cook.”If he hadn’t been watching her so closely, he might’ve missed the flash of insecurity that was there and gone in an instant.“Show me to the kitchen? That is, if you don’t mind me…?”“No, this I have to see for myself,” he assured her, and strode past her toward the room he rarely used. His housekeeper often prepared dinners for him that she left warming in the stove. So the pantry and refrigerator should both be stocked. “I’ll even supply you with clothes so you don’t get anything on your dress. See how accommodating I am?”“Until tomorrow,” Jennifer added from behind him.“Until tomorrow,” he agreed.—---------“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t tast
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-14IN BED WITH THE BOSS 58
Scott rolled his eyes. "Now you make me regret my decision to open up to you" he said, "It's a good thing you're not a real therapist because your patient would leave your office even worse than they came. And now that I've opened up to you about my dark, dark secret about my PA, you have to do the same. Why are you alone with me then, anyone special in your life?" Jennifer shook her head and looked at her feet, "No" she replied, but Scott was not deceived. "You're such a horrible person, you know that?" he asked with a smile. "You give me so much trouble about my romantic life, and yet you have a secret of your own. Now spill!" Jennifer chuckled. "I'm being truthful. I might have someone I have feelings for but I'm not in a relationship with her…so it doesn't count" she said. "It's the same situation with I and my PA and you still gave me a hard time." Scott said, "You're not getting out of this. Spill!" "You're not dwelling on the fact that this person is a 'she'. Most people w
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-14IN BED WITH THE BOSS 59
Bethany invited her to join her and a few other friends for a drink that night and Vivian thought emptily, why not?When she arrived at the wine bar the place was so crowded she almost chickened out and went away again, but Bethany saw her and waved her over. Bethany’s group of friends were lively and noisy and Vivian was surprised an hour later to discover that she was almost—almost—enjoying herself. Most of them were going on to dinner, then a nightclub, but the thought of eating anything made her stomach go queasy so she declined with a smile and some excuse that was something else she could not recall minutes afterwards. On Monday morning, she just couldn't do it anymore. Her head was filled with thoughts of Scott and she couldn't take it any more. She was sure now that the only reason why she was able to bring herself to work the previous week was because he wasn't present but she was sure he would be now and she couldn't face him. Not after his cruel rejection. So, after crying
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-14IN BED WITH THE BOSS 60
She paused, and a sob escaped her.Jennifer grabbed her hand, offering her support, and Sara went on.“When I told him about the pregnancy, he told me he didn’t want me or the baby. To get rid of it because I was no longer useful to him. Then he walked away, like I was garbage he’d tossed out the window. He used me to get back at my brother. At the time, I worked at Scott's company as his executive assistant. I was so naive, so snowed by Bruce, that when he asked me questions about Scott's agenda, who he was meeting with, I gave him the information. He worded it to make it sound like he was only asking about my day, what I had on my plate, but he was pumping me for inside information. He never loved me, never had any intention of creating a family with me.” She shook her head, her throat working, as if swallowing back another sob. “I refused to end the pregnancy, but it didn’t matter. I miscarried and lost the baby.”Jennifer remained sitting next to Sara, but inside she reeled, enrag
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-14IN BED WITH THE BOSS 61
"Just truth" He leaned against the car and the jut of his hips was like an open invitation. Vivian looked him straight in the eye. "I’m not interested in being one of a long line of willing victims, Scott" she said. He thought that victim was an unusual choice of word. "I’m not as indiscriminate as you seem to imply, Vivian," he said softly."No? So what was all that? And besides, apart from me, when did you last have a lover?" He frowned with memory, and the wry knowledge that, having admitted honesty, he could not now refuse to answer her question. "Months ago. I was seeing this… lady, but I haven't been with her in months." He met her eyes. He sure as hell wasn't going to tell her that she was the reason why he stopped calling Olivia. "Hardly evidence of a man who’s engaged on a mission to seduce every woman in sight—no matter what my reputation. Satisfied, Vivian?" It was an ironic and poor choice of word. Satisfied was the last word she would use to describe herself, not when
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-14IN BED WITH THE BOSS 62
"Then take my sweater off," he instructed.But she felt so weak that she couldn’t have moved from the spot, drowning in sweet anticipation. "No." He smiled. "So you’re going to defy me, are you, Vivian? You’re going to force me to strip for you?" The roles were now reversed and, wordlessly, she nodded, watching with unbearable excitement as he peeled the sweater off and tossed it aside, then began to unbuckle the belt of his black jeans, his eyes not leaving her face.He kicked his shoes off, then unzipped the trousers slowly, provocatively, wincing very slightly as they rasped down over the undisguisable evidence of how aroused he was, and despite her hunger, her excitement, color flared in Vivian's cheeks and he smiled."Am I making you feel shy?" he purred"A little." she replied. He slid the jeans down over the hard, muscular shafts of his thighs, kicking them off impatiently, until he was wearing absolutely nothing but a pair of boxer shorts, their silken sheen emphasizing the
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-14IN BED WITH THE BOSS 63
She felt him grow hard against her and slid her arm around his waist. "Okay," she said breathlessly."And then maybe we could cook dinner together. And then we can make love again." Idly, he began to stroke at a rosy nipple and felt it spring into instant life. "And then we can coordinate our diaries." Vivian's hand stopped stroking the skin in the small of his back. "Diaries?" she asked stupidly."I want to know when I’m going to see you again." "You'll see me at the office" Vivian replied. He smiled. "It's good to know that you've decided to come back to work, but I didn't mean that. I meant, when am I going to see you like this… out on a date, dinner…. In bed… like this." "We can figure that out as we go, Scott." Vivian replied, "and I'm a bit worried about our situation at the office. Everyone knows about us" "They do?" Vivian frowned at him. "Of course, they do, Scott. You shouldn't have kissed me in front of Collins. Did you really expect him not to tell anyone?" "Not tha
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-14IN BED WITH THE BOSS 64
Not waiting for his confirmation, she strode toward the rear of the house. Anger bristled under her skin, poking her like thousands of tiny needles. When she entered her brother’s domain, she could barely look at him.“How dare you bring that asshole into my house?” Bruce ground out through clenched teeth as soon as he closed the study door behind them.“Your house?” She crossed her arms. “You were right when you told Scott that I chose to leave. Chose. Because this is our home, Bruce. I can bring whoever I want here, and you have no say. I don’t need to ask your permission.”“I would’ve never thought you were a traitor,” he snarled. “Mom and Dad wouldn’t recognize you right now.”She absorbed the power of that blow and fought not to stagger from it. But the pain ebbed and flowed inside her.Stand tall. He can’t hurt you. Inhaling a deep breath, she pushed past it.“You’re such a hypocrite,” she said, surprised at her even tone. “So righteous and high-and-mighty. And to think I defe
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-14
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IN BED WITH THE BOSS 83
He nodded,"I was so determined to ruin Bruce using his sister Jennifer too, but then I met you, and without even trying, you touched something inside of me. You made me care. Stopped me from becoming a monster, and made me start to care about more important things than revenge. Hell, I even became friends with Jennifer. She had been trying to reach out to me after the accident, but my mother and sister just weren't ready to have her around at such a time. ""Oh Scott" "When I had that accident, I was on my way to you. I wanted to tell you that I missed you. I was still running away from the way I felt about you, and I wasn't ready to admit my feelings to myself, but I missed you… badly. And I was coming to you… to tell you…. And that's when I…. I…. What I'm trying to say, Vivian, is that you're an amazing woman, and I… I…"Enough was enough. She had heard his declaration, seen the evidence of it in his eyes. Now she wanted him close—as close as a man and woman could be. "I understand
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 82
"You’re looking good. I mean, you’re looking well—fully recovered." said Vivian. "I feel it." He raised a dark eyebrow. "Aren’t you going to invite me inside?" "Of course!" She opened the door wide and as he walked into the hall she thought that the fact he had had to ask spoke volumes about the distance which had grown between them. As did the fact that he hadn’t touched her—and the coolly remote look on his dark face which showed no inclination to do so. She faced him awkwardly. "Where shall we go?" He wondered how she would react if he suggested the bedroom, but, while that wasn’t quite the last thing on his mind, that wasn’t the reason he had come here today. "Is it warm enough to sit outside?" "I think so. Shall I make us some coffee and bring it onto the balcony?" But he didn’t want a social ritual. He didn’t even particularly want coffee. He shook his head. "Not unless you really want some. I’m fine.""So am I."He hadn't forgotten just how beautiful it felt to be around
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 81
Vivian could do nothing but nod. She couldn't tell Scott's mother about their troubles, so she simply gave her a hug and wished her well. "Please tell Sara that I'm very sorry I couldn't see her before leaving." she said, and with that she went out of the house. It was only when she got into her car and drove off that she let the tears flow. ________Vivian spent the evening wandering around her house like a lost soul, unable to settle to anything, and her heart nearly leapt out of her chest when her phone began to ring.She snatched it up when she saw the caller. "Hello?". "Vivian""Oh, Scott!" She breathed a low sigh of relief, appalled to realize that she had half expected never to hear from him again. But that would have implied a lack of courage on his part, and he was certainly not lacking in courage. "Are you okay?" she asked. Okay? Scott looked around him, at the luxurious house which was his home. It didn’t feel like home any more. It felt like some gloriously appointed bu
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 80
She thought that he spoke it like a word he was unfamiliar with. "Yes, us." He smiled, but Vivian thought that it was a cool smile, even though he touched the tip of her nose with his lips."I know that we’ve been having a relationship and that it’s a very agreeable relationship." Very agreeable? He made it sound like a piece of classical music playing on the radio!"I see." Vivian said. He wondered if she did, but in the sweet afterhaze of making love his mind had been busy. "Shall we get dressed and go and find ourselves a drink?" If it had been anyone else, she might have thought he was searching for Dutch courage, but Scott was not the kind of man who needed alcohol to spur him on to say something, no matter how unpalatable.She sensed that the end was coming, and that, if it was, she would face it calmly and with dignity. "I’d love a drink," she said lightly.He might not need courage, but she certainly did. They dressed in silence, bending to pick up discarded pieces of clot
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 79
He had changed. The dark eyes were no longer so restless. The glittering, predatory eyes of the shark had gone.But a jolt to his memory might bring them back, surely? And the coldly ambitious Scott McCall might reemerge from the chrysalis of his coma."Ready?" she asked.He drifted his hand over her hair and followed it with the butterfly touch of his lips on the back of her neck. "Maybe we should go back to bed for a while?" he murmured.Vivian closed her eyes, tempted. If there was one thing that Scott had recovered quickly, it was his prowess as a lover. "But we’ve only just got up!" she objected."The doctor said that I was to rest as much as possible." "I think that your idea of rest and the doctor’s are not quite the same thing." Vivian replied. Reluctantly, she pulled her neck away. "Shall we drive or shall we walk for a while? We can order a cab later to my place or call your driver." "Walk," said Scott. "You won’t get too tired?" "Vivian," he sighed. "I’m fine. You know,
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 78
He sucked in a low breath of appreciation as she stood before him wearing nothing but flimsy underwear of soft green lace, her skin gleaming like silk. Her breasts spilled over the low-cut bra and the matching knickers made her legs seem to go on and on forever.He must have seen her like this before and yet it seemed as though he had never really looked at her. Never appreciated the satin fall of the dark hair which tumbled all over her shoulders."Dear God," he murmured. "You are unbelievable. Unbelievable." "No, I’m real." She began to unbutton his shirt."You’re wearing all this, while I’m not wearing nearly enough," she complained.He gave a low laugh, sucking in his breath as her palms skated light, sensuous circles over his nipples. "You’re wearing too much, oh, Vivian—" This as she unzipped his trousers and teased her fingertips over his straining hardness. He slid his hand between her thighs and her eyes widened in helpless pleasure as he began to move his fingertips agains
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 77
With Scott it had never been more than what they had today. And while that made her appreciate what she had got, it also made her long for what she had not. Commitment—and that was one thing she would never get from him."I’ll sleep next door for the time being. I think you need a little space," she said lightly.And so did she.He pulled a face of objection, but he was too tired to object too much. He lay down on the bed and it felt like heaven."Okay," he yawned. "If you say so." But within a couple of weeks he began to show very definite signs of improvement—physically, at least. The sleep showed in the renewed brightening of his eyes and the familiar healthy glow of his skin. Often they took him outside, to sit in the restorative sunshine and to sit quietly in the haven which Felicia's garden provided. He was eating proper meals, too—the freshest, most delicious food that Felicia and sometimes Vivian could conjure up.She put two plates of salmon down on the table one evening and
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 76
Scott drank his tea. It was very comfortable here by the fire—warm and welcoming. If only his head didn’t feel as though someone had jammed it in between a giant nutcracker, and in the process managed to take away some of the thoughts and associations and familiarity which made him what he normally was. But how did he know what he normally was? He didn't know what to believe. He still had childhood memories. He knew his family and his job, but most memories of the past months were missing so he was confused. He put the cup down and looked at Vivian, which was halfway to a cure in itself. She was wearing a soft wool dress, the color of blueberries, and her hair was loose—like the moon against the backdrop of a nearly dark sky. Her legs were spread in front of her and she had kicked her shoes off. He might be only two days out of a coma, but that didn’t mean that all his senses were dead. He might have a little difficulty wanting food as he usually did, but the stirring leap of awarene
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 75
"I can get myself dressed!" he protested. "Not yet, you can’t," the nurse fussed. "You’re as weak as a kitten, although I must say that you don’t particularly look as weak as a kitten!" "Why can’t Vivian help me?" he demanded, his heart sinking as he saw the nurse begin to roll her sleeves up over her rather hefty forearms. He’d much rather that dark-haired angel be at hand.The nurse coughed. "Well, she was a little taken-aback when you didn’t recognise her, of course—but, as I told her, that’s perfectly normal in these circumstances." "You mean I know her?" The nurse helped him with his jeans and began to get rather pink around the neck."Yes, Scott" said Vivian, in an odd, strained kind of voice as she walked into the room. "You do know me—you just can’t remember." Scott was still feeling groggy, but not too groggy to wonder how well he had known her."Here." Vivian began to slide a sweater over his head, her fingers automatically colliding with the silken flesh, and she saw h
