I just keep staring.
“What?” I manage, at last.
Now that her outburst is over, she’s starting to waver a little. I can see her face turning pink. “I said, I’m the one who told him. Go ahead and yell at me. But aren’t you glad, in the end?”
“I’m not going to yell at you,” I reply, slowly. “But if you ever interfere in my life like that again, you’d better be damn sure it’s for just as good of a reason.”
It takes her a second to parse this, and then she starts to smile.
“Yeah,” I tell her. “So you’re not wrong about me and Devon. But that’s not the point. It wasn’t your place.” I take a long drink of my coffee. “So, you know, thank you. And also, fuck off.”
Becca bursts out laughing. “I love you too, sis.”
***
“…and that’s all we’ll go over for today. Read the first ten chapters of The Social Psychology of Attraction and Romantic Relationships before next week, and bring notes, okay?”
Devon and Becca both stare at me with the bleary-eyed look of exhausted students. I may have pushed them too hard with this. Oh well. They’ll learn.
“Sure,” says Becca, gathering up her notebook and stray papers. “Of course. I’ll get started on it right now.” She hurries out of the conference room, but I’m pretty sure she’s headed home to veg out and binge-watch Drag Race. But I love how hard she’s trying to impress me. I never should have doubted her ambition and drive.
“She’s a good student,” says Devon, as the door shuts behind her. “Better than me.”
“Better than most people,” I concede. “I’ve been underusing her for too long. It’s time to give her the responsibility that she deserves.”
“I’m glad you can see that now,” he says. “I think she’s going to make you proud.”
“And what about you?” I tease, walking around to his side of the table and sitting on the edge.
“I plan to continue frustrating the hell out of you,” he says, with a grin. “For as long as you’ll let me. And maybe I’ll actually get some work done along the way.”
“I can’t wait to bring that back up in your first performance review.” I roll my eyes.
“Performance review, eh?” He stands up and wraps his arms around my waist. “I like the sound of that.”
“I’m starting to think I’ve made a terrible mistake,” I laugh, linking my hands behind his neck, my arms resting on his shoulders.
“Oh, you certainly have,” he says. “But with any luck, you won’t completely figure that out until you’ve fallen too deep in love with me to ever get out.”
I meet his eyes, seeing the unasked questions in them.
“I think it’s too late for that,” I say, softly.
The smile that breaks across his face is beautiful. “Good. I think it’s too late for me, too.”
THE END
Thank you so much for reading! If you'd like to spend more time with Meg and Adrian, pick up her New York Times bestselling full-length novel, HIS SECRETARY: UNDONE.
I’m about to throw an ashtray at my boss’s head.
Turns out, the mind behind my favorite, steamy romance novels...the ones I only read in private...the ones that are my only escape after a long day of dealing with The Boss From Hell? It’s not Natalie McBride, the sweet, rural housewife.
It’s him.
That’s right: my boss, Adrian Risinger, the thirty-three-year-old, maddeningly sexy, pissant billionaire “bad boy" who thinks he runs my life. He is also the author of all my deepest, most secret fantasies. And to make matters worse, he needs me to impersonate “Natalie” at a series of book signings and conventions. But, of course, that’s only if I want to keep my job.
On second thought, I’m going to need something heavier than an ashtray.
READ IT NOW!
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The Rake_Billionaire Seeking a Bride Page 17