by Ella Arden
Chloe goes pale, then clears her throat and squares her shoulders. “I think if you have hardworking, reliable employees, they would never let a workplace relationship impact their job in the first place. In that sense, I would agree that, yes, it is unnecessary. And if you disagree, perhaps you need to take a closer look at the people your company is hiring.”
Well said and daring. If my mom wasn’t here, I’d kiss Chloe senseless right now.
Humming thoughtfully, my mom sips her iced tea then sighs. “I can guess what this is about, but you have to understand how it looks if I removed the ban just for my son. Favoritism never goes over well. And Holden, you’re the one who worries so much about your employees thinking you’re getting some sort of special treatment.”
“I do,” I agree. “But here’s where I’m at right now—Chloe isn’t willing to put her job on the line, which I’m sure you can respect. It means too much to her and she means too much to me to put in such a position. Which leaves me with two choices—continue to work with her and repress my feelings, or quit my job to be with the woman I love.”
Chloe goes stiff beside me, shock practically radiating from her.
“I can tell you.” I continue, not looking away from my mom, “I’ve already tried the first option and it didn’t work so well. You know how much this job means to me, so please understand how serious I am when I say that Chloe means more. I’ll walk away if I have to. In a heartbeat.” I echo Chloe’s earlier words.
The table is silent. I can feel Chloe’s burning gaze on my face but I can’t look at her just yet.
Across from me, my mom starts to laugh. The sound is so out of place that my mind goes blank, all of my arguments vanishing.
“I’m sorry,” she chuckles a second later, “you’re just being so serious. I hope you can teach him how to lighten up a little,” she says to Chloe. “Holden, the truth is, the board and I have already talked about revising the ban as part of our initiative to update outdated company policies. We voted to remove it and the announcement will be made in the company newsletter at the end of the month.”
I’m so relieved that it doesn’t feel real. I expected to have to fight for it, to pack up my desk and be halfway out the door before she agreed. It didn’t even occur to me that I could win just like that.
“You could have just told me that from the beginning,” I grumble. That was just like her, basking in the drama of the moment.
She laughs again. “You clearly marched in here with a plan, I didn’t want to step on your toes. And I was curious about what it entailed. Blackmailing me with your resignation was a solid move. Well played indeed.”
Blackmail is a little strong but I’m not going to push the issue.
Beneath the table, Chloe takes my hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. I finally look at her but she’s beaming down at the table, her cheeks pink.
My mom sees me staring. “Take your lunch to go,” she says, waving over a waiter. “I’m sure you have a lot to talk about.”
We did. I suppose, in hindsight, maybe I should have told Chloe that I’m in love with her before I declared it in front of my mom. I was just so focused on trying to explain to her how much Chloe means to me, that it came right out. It's the truth though, I've never felt more sure of anything.
“It was so nice to meet you,” Chloe tells my mom, shaking her hand again. “Thank you, Mrs. Hamilton.”
“Violet, please. And when you get tired of working for my son, send me an email. I’m sure any department would be happy to have you.”
Chloe looks stunned.
I give my mom a thankful look and a kiss on the cheek as we get our lunch packed up to go. As I’m about to leave, she grabs my arm.
“Bring her over for dinner next weekend.” She isn’t asking. “I’d like to get to know the woman you were willing to walk away from your job for.”
I know better than to say no.
Chloe's silent as we leave the restaurant and cross the street. She nods hello to Dan at the security office but it isn’t until we're in the elevator that she turns to me.
“Did you mean it?” she asks softly. “That you’d quit for me. That you...love me?”
“Yes,” I tell her honestly. “Every word.”
She pulls me to her, curving her body around mine as she kisses me. It’s soft and sweet, and I can feel it through my whole body. This woman makes me feel so alive.
“I love you too,” she murmurs, then kisses me again.
I take her words and tuck them away, letting them warm every part of me. I hope she knows how much I'm going to cherish them.
The elevator doors ding and she pulls away quickly, her smile brighter than the sun streaming in through the windows. I want to remind her that really, there’s no need to hide our relationship now, but I won’t push her. If she wants anyone to know, she can be the one to tell them.
“Do you have plans after work?” I ask her quietly as I follow her to her desk.
“I did—ice cream, bubble bath, you know, all things that I’d be more than willing to pass up if I got a better offer.” A playful smirk curls at her mouth. She looks so carefree, so beautiful.
“Come home with me,” I say, heart pounding. “Let me make you dinner and…” I trail off, my thoughts leading in a direction that definitely isn’t work appropriate.
“And?” she prompts, her eyebrow cocking up mischievously.
“Anything you want.”
“I can think of a few things.” Her grin is positively wicked. “I’d love to come home with you, Holden.”
How did I get so lucky?
Chloe’s eyes focus on something over my shoulder and I turn to see Ana Gonzalez from marketing walking over. I shift to the side to make room for her, trying to look like we were just in the middle of conversation about work.
“Mr. Decker.” She gives me an appraising look and a smile. “Chloe, would you mind sending this list to the stockroom? We’re running low on a few things.”
“Of course.” Chloe takes the paper Ana's offering her, setting it next to her keyboard. “Oh, and Ana?”
She stops midstep, turning back to face Chloe curiously.
“You know that conversation we had earlier in the breakroom?” Chloe asks, and Ana’s eyes dart to me. “All the stuff I said was true. And,” she lowers her voice conspiratorially, “he’s amazing in bed. Very focused, if you know what I mean. Great hands, too.”
Ana’s mouth drops open in surprise and she’s pointedly not looking at me.
What—Oh. Oh.
Chloe winks at me as Ana hurries away with a peculiar expression on her face.
“What was that?”
“Oh, nothing,” Chloe says innocently. “Just making sure she knows that you’re spoken for.”
I’m unbelievably turned on by this amazing woman.
“You know the whole office will be talking about us by the end of the day, right?” I couldn’t care less, I want them to all know she’s mine. I’ll go run into the street and tell every stranger I see if it will make her smile. But her co-workers don’t know about the ban removal yet and might give her a hard time. Maybe I should ask my mom to move up the date on that newsletter.
“Let them talk,” Chloe responds with a grin. “I want to see if anyone guesses that we got it on in the elevator.”
I can’t help but groan at the memory. If she keeps bringing it up, I’ll have to ask her to stay late again. There are a few more places I wouldn’t mind trying out with her.
Our eyes meet and I know she’s thinking the same thing.
EPILOGUE
CHLOE
“Hurry up, honey, we don’t want daddy’s lunch to get cold.” I take Madeline’s hand and lead her over to the elevator. Her footsteps are reluctant, her feet practically dragging across the linoleum, and while we wait for the doors to open, she’s fidgeting like crazy. I don't say anything, knowing she’ll speak up when she’s ready.
“I don’t like the elevator,” she final
ly blurts out. “It scares me.”
I smile and crouch down to look her in her eyes, brushing her bangs out of her face. “Elevators are perfectly safe, but they can still be scary, I know. Did I ever tell you that I once got stuck in one when the power went out?” Her eyes go wide and I lean in. “But daddy was with me the whole time and he kept me from getting scared until everything was okay. Just like I’d do for you if anything ever happened.”
Her face brightens at that and when the elevator doors ding and open, she takes a deep breath.
“Here.” I take her hand and lead her in. “Do you want to know a secret?” I ask to distract her.
She nods as I press the button for the top floor and the doors slide closed.
“Daddy and I had our first kiss in an elevator,” I whisper.
“Ewww.” Her little freckled nose scrunches up but she’s grinning. “Daddy wasn’t very romantic, was he?”
I laugh. “He was, believe it or not. It was a very nice elevator.”
She clearly doesn’t believe me but we reach the top floor before she can ask anything more. She’s out of the elevator like a bullet the second the doors open, running across the floor in her sparkly tennis-shoes.
“Daddy,” she hollers, flinging herself at Holden, who turns in his chair just in time to catch her.
“Hey, baby girl. What did mommy do to your hair?” He tugs on one of her lopsided pigtails playfully.
I hand over the bag of take-out from his favorite sandwich place and press a kiss to his cheek. “Madeline wanted to do her own hair this morning,” I tell him meaningfully.
“I should have known, mommy never does such a beautiful job,” he tells our daughter who giggles and sticks her tongue out at me. “You should do hers next time too.”
Our daughter looks delighted by the idea and Holden winks at me. He’ll think it’s funny until he’s getting decorated with sparkly hair clips and makeup. I’ll be sure and plant the idea with Madeline later as payback.
She starts telling him about her morning ballet class as he pulls out his food and I take a seat in the nearest chair, relaxing and listening. She only stops to steal his chips and let him ask the occasional question, her sweet voice blending with his deep one, and I think I could stay here and listen to them forever.
Holden looks over and gives me a slow smile. My heart is so full and warm.
“Honey,” I finally say, “we need to let daddy get back to work and we’re supposed to meet grandma at her house, remember?”
Madeline is the biggest daddy’s girl but she got a soft spot for Grandma Violet, probably because she gets spoiled rotten. She jumps out of Holden’s lap, stealing one last chip with a shrieking laugh as he tries to grab her hand.
I give him another kiss. “I’ll see you tonight. Tacos for dinner and your mom got this little munchkin Candyland, so get ready.”
“I can’t wait.”
As the elevator doors close, Madeline takes my hand again and blows him a kiss.
About The Author
Ella Arden
Ella Arden spends her days writing fun, flirty stories with confident, relatable women and the sexy men who can't resist them. She's a firm believer that the perfect story has lots of sweet, just enough heat, true love, and an always happy ending.
Books In This Series
Love in Unexpected Places Series
The Love in Unexpected Places series are short, standalone sweet and steamy enemies-to-lovers romances with alpha men and sassy, confident women. Always guaranteed to have a happily ever after with no cheating and no cliffhanger.
Criminal Temptation