I leaned against the desk as she came and stood right in front of me. Since she’d started working for me, I’d noticed her drastic transformation from a timid, self-conscious person to a self-assured and strong-willed woman.
Whereas she’d been shy, almost frightened to meet my gaze, now she stood upright and boldly looked me in the eye. Her sense of fashion had greatly improved and her full and complete makeover both physical and psychological was remarkable and commendable.
“Olivia, I think we need to address what happened at the penthouse,” I said.
She pursed her lips and nodded.
“You’re an exceptional employee, Olivia. What we did—.” I’d never had this kind of conversation with anyone before so I wasn’t sure how to approach it. “It was out of control. I have a family I need to protect and they come first for me. I know it may seem hypocritical—.”
“Mrs. Gallagher, I understand,” she said.
I was a little taken aback, but greatly relieved. “You do?”
“I do, but—.” She took a step closer to me, leaving appropriate distance between us. “What happened was something that has been building up between us since the day I first kissed you. Yes, it was out of control and I know you have a family to protect. I understand all of that.”
From the deep intense look in her eyes and the way she was talking, it was more than obvious I’d somehow created a situation that wasn’t going to be easy to get out of.
“When something unplanned and out of control happens in a world that has permanent order and operates like a well-oiled machine, it can be frightening. But if you ask me, your world could use a little bit of chaos,” she said.
She was right. What had happened was frightening. It was a weakness. Exposing vulnerability was the first step to destruction. My experience with Isabel had taught me that.
I silently studied her for a moment, recalling those times I’d sought after the impossible only to end up feeling emptier than before. That emptiness was now gone and an overflowing mass of lust and desire had taken its place.
“If you want me to pretend that I’m not attracted to you, that I don’t feel anything for you or that our time together didn’t have any impact on me—,” she moved closer, pushing the limits.
I stood upright. She’s my employee. Even if I give her preferential treatment, she’s just like any other person I have working for me. I told myself.
“I can try and do that.” She finished her statement.
I tried to keep still but she was standing so close to me, I could almost feel the smooth texture of her skin against my hands.
She’d always been so intimidated by me. I couldn’t believe how well she’d taken control of the situation. A little part of me was proud but the other part was weighing the danger of the situation.
“At this moment though, I’m finding that particularly hard to do,” she said.
I couldn’t help it; the flirting, though simple in nature, managed to draw a small smile from me. She must’ve taken that as encouragement because the next second, she closed the gap between us and planted a kiss on my lips.
I moved my hand over her cheek to stop her, but my other arm—as though it had a mind of its own—moved around her waist. The feel of her lips against mine made me linger, making her deepen the kiss which created unexpected longing in me.
I’d always been the one in control, the one taking charge but at that moment, she was the one leading the kiss, brushing her soft lips against mine and making me feel like I was being swayed away from reality into a magical place I’d never known existed.
I didn’t know when I started to respond, but I unconsciously pulled her closer in sudden need to satisfy that hungry part of me that she seemed to know how to please.
She sighed softly against me when I parted her lips and explored her intoxicating mouth. The moment everything in me went silent and rose to welcome the intense arousing sensations the kiss drew from me, I knew I was doomed.
The intensity of the kiss and how temptingly easy it was for me to lose myself in it had me pulling away. I forced my thoughts back to order, released her and opened my eyes.
Olivia’s emerald eyes slowly opened and settled on mine. She had the most tauntingly beautiful eyes I’d ever seen. Her lower lip quivered and I had the urge to pull her back in my arms and continue the kiss, but the warning bells going off in my head stopped me.
“We can’t do this here,” I said as I regained my composure.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to do anything that could hurt you,” she said.
It was sweet that she was concerned about me, but it was also clear that the message I’d been trying to get across had been wrongly interpreted. “This is a bad idea,” I ended up saying because the urge to touch her was becoming increasingly incessant.
“I don’t want to have come this far just to stop when I know there’s a chance you may feel the same way I do,” she said.
I didn’t know how I felt. I’d always been terrible at identifying feelings that were unfamiliar to me and at this stage in my life, I wasn’t sure I was entitled to feel anything at all when I had so much counting on me.
When it came to feelings, I could openly admit that was the one department I’d experienced colossal failure in, and it wasn’t something I was eager to try again.
“I don’t want to go back to what we were,” Olivia said.
I wanted what we shared because it was different from anything I’d ever experienced, but thinking about how negatively it could affect my life was scary enough to make me want to stick to what I was used to.
When I went to speak, Olivia took a step forward and closed her hand over mine. She gently leaned forward and laid a light kiss over the side of my neck—which sent tingling sensations all over me—and then slowly let go of my hand, locking her pinky finger over mine.
“Tomorrow night,” I said, fully aware she was going to be an addictive weakness.
She rewarded me with a pleased smile and slowly let go of my pinky as she pulled away, turned and walked out of my office.
I exhaled and instinctively placed my hand over my chest to notice how strong my heartbeat had grown.
I had no idea what was happening to me. The way I felt; my body’s unexpectedly eager response, my excessive thoughts, unbelievably arousing sensations, the lingering longing and disastrous desire in me, it was all new.
It wasn’t an old memory that had been reawakened. It felt more like a portal had been opened to a whole new dimension because of the newness and intensity of everything I was experiencing.
The frightening part was, the last time I’d started to feel something new, it had ended with tragic results.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The very idea of thinking there was a chance I may never get to be with Mrs. Gallagher again drove me crazy all through the week. I had to be professional, she was my boss but every time I was around her, I couldn’t help wondering if she thought about our weekend together because there wasn’t a second that went by that I didn’t think about it.
When she called me to her office and finally said she wanted to talk about what had happened between us, I was absolutely terrified. I knew she’d renounce everything, probably transfer me to some far away office or maybe even make an attempt to fire me.
But something deep within me rejected that. I knew what she’d say and I expected it because I’d obsessively thought about it all week, but I didn’t know how I’d respond until I stood in front of her.
I told myself I was going to be brave enough to look her straight in the eye, take what was coming and respond as I was supposed to. But when I was standing in front of her, when she started talking, everything I’d thought of, everything I’d planned to do, all of it just vanished.
At that moment, I didn’t see her as my boss. I saw her as a woman I’d desired for far too long, a woman I’d shared something special with and all I wanted to do was remind her of what she was about to throw away
.
So I flirted, partly because I was curious to see if she’d respond but mostly because I desperately missed her and wanted her again. When she took me in her arms and kissed me back, I lost whatever power I’d been trying to exercise.
God, she was such a good kisser and her amazingly soft lips provoked such arousal in me. I almost expected her to push me away when I kissed her, but she didn’t and that changed everything for me.
I couldn’t believe she was holding me in her arms. I would’ve been willing to do anything she desired of me at that moment but when we parted and she expressed her concern, it all came back to me. We were in her office, at her home. Anyone could’ve walked in on us.
I didn’t know what to expect from that point forward, but again, I refused to give her full control of the situation. I needed her to know exactly where I stood and what I wanted. I was taking total shots in the dark, but I was brave and confident and that might’ve been what won out in the end.
I headed home with a broad smile that day. I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen between us the following evening. I wished I could fast forward the hours to that moment.
I couldn’t wait to lose myself in Mrs. Gallagher’s kisses. Our previous encounter was still glued to my mind. I dreamt about her touching me again, over and over, every single night since she’d left me at her penthouse.
Sometimes at night I woke up writhing in bed from dreams of her making love to me. Other times I’d stay up and thoughts of her touching me and kissing me would make my body burn in desire. It was so much torture, I was almost tempted to touch myself but the fact that it wouldn’t be the same put me off.
Her exquisite taste still strongly lingered in me because it was something I never wanted to forget. It had the ability to intensify in depth whenever I remembered how passionately she’d responded to me.
I tried to chase away the thoughts now because I was getting turned on and headed up to my apartment when James dropped me off.
My routine hadn’t changed and Rex was graceful enough not to complain about my time-consuming schedule because it barely left enough time for us to spend together.
I found a male form standing at my door with his back turned and slowed my speed along the corridor. He must’ve heard me approaching because he turned around to face me. When our gazes met, I cursed under my breath.
“Hey Liv,” Greg said.
“What’re you doing here?” I asked, slowly walking up to him.
“Is that any way to greet your older brother?” he said.
“You know there’s a reason why people have cell phones, right?” I said.
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“How did you even know where I live?” I opened the door and he followed me inside.
“Quite a place you got here,” he said, admiringly looking around the apartment.
I placed my bag and keys on a table next to the door and turned to face him as I waited for an answer.
“When you sent home the money, I thought it’d be a good idea to come check up on you. Mom and dad were very supportive of the idea,” he said, slowly making his way over to me.
“How are they?” I asked.
“Mom’s okay but dad has been a bit unwell.”
“What do you mean he’s been unwell? What’s wrong with him? Has he seen a doctor? Is he on medication? Is he going to be okay?” I asked in concern.
“Slow down, it’s nothing serious, probably just a cold or something. Mom’s taking care of him.”
I took my phone from my bag to call home.
“What’re you doing? It’s late. They’re probably sleeping. Call tomorrow,” he said.
“Are you sure it’s nothing to worry about?”
He nodded, then smiled and stretched out his hand to run his fingers over the outline of my trench coat. “You seem to be doing well,” he said.
I smacked his hand away. “What’re you really doing here, Greg?” I knew him well enough to know it was money that had brought him there.
I’d sent my parents some money hoping to finally start helping out but I hadn’t expected it to lead my brother to my doorstep. I didn’t want him anywhere near me. He was lazy and greedy, an ironic combination that no one else possessed in the family.
“Told you, wanted to see how you are. So tell me, good job or loaded boyfriend?” he asked with a smirk on his face.
My family didn’t know I liked women. It wasn’t something I would’ve wanted Greg to find out because I was sure he’d somehow find a way to exploit it and use it against me. “None of your business,” I said.
“Must be the latter because all your school loans have been cleared, you’re living in what appears to be a very pricey apartment and dressing up like a pampered little princess…” he ran his finger over the pendant necklace I was wearing and I smacked away his hand again.
“My school loans have been…” I was yet to pay for the school loans so he must’ve been mistaken.
“What’s the name of this rich boyfriend?” he asked.
We’d never had a close relationship because of the extreme differences on the manner in which we’d both chosen to grow up. We had the same background and had been afforded the same opportunities.
I couldn’t get how a grown man who was capable of looking after himself and his family was still relying on his parents for so much. One would think his family would motivate him to make an attempt to work hard, but it didn’t.
I had always been ambitious, but my ambition had never been driven by greed. I wanted a comfortable life and I wanted it through my own hard work. I couldn’t say the same for him. He’d single-handedly managed to screw up every chance he’d ever gotten to build himself a better life.
“I don’t owe you any explanations,” I said.
“Fair enough,” he said as he went to the kitchen, opened the fridge and got himself a soda.
“Where are you staying?” He’d only been there shortly and I was already bothered by his presence.
“I got a rental parked downstairs.” He went to my living room and sat down.
“That doesn’t answer the question,” I said.
He reached for the remote, turned on the TV and put his feet up on my coffee table. I was so irritated I wanted to throw him out.
“You don’t expect me to sleep in my car, do you?” he asked.
“Greg, you’re not staying here.”
“Why not? You’ve got plenty of space.”
“I didn’t ask you to come to New York.”
“Come on, Sis. What? Does your boyfriend have a problem with me staying with you?”
“There’s no—.” I groaned and walked over to him. I took the remote from his hand, turned off the TV and kicked his feet off my coffee table.
“Your brother travels all the way from Minnesota to come see you and you kick him out. How do you think mom and dad will feel about that?” he asked.
Was he seriously trying to manipulate me? “I’ll take you to a hotel,” I said.
“No, I like this place much better.”
“Look, I’m barely ever here. I work from morning ‘til late and attend classes afterwards. I don’t have time for your visit.”
“Doesn’t seem like I’ll get in your way,” he said.
I needed to start getting ready for my classes. I couldn’t get into a long tedious argument with him. I’d let him spend the night then tomorrow after work, I’d look for another place for him to stay. “How long are you planning on staying?”
“A few days. I want to see if I’ll have the same luck as you,” he said.
“By the same luck you mean, get yourself a rich boyfriend?” I asked in amusement and his serious but annoyed expression pleased me. “I have to get ready for my classes. You can spend the night, but tomorrow we’re going to find you another place to stay,” I said as I left the living room and headed to my bedroom to get ready to go meet my professor.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“
You look beautiful.”
“You look wonderful.”
“Gorgeous, as always.”
“Stunning as the first time I met you.”
Compliments went on and on from people I’d met at different stages of my life and the smile I’d learned to force upon my lips came naturally and automatically. I’d done this so much, I didn’t even know if it was real or not anymore.
I would’ve been flattered and happy if I hadn’t been used to it but I’d spent decades hearing the same thing over and over again and somehow over time, it had become countless voices offering different compliments which had all merged into one.
My arm was securely tucked into Patrick’s. We’d attended enough events together to know how to play the role of a happily married couple. He was a very handsome man in his mid fifties and looked like a replica of a younger Richard Gere in any one of his amorous leading roles.
It was no wonder he had so many young women after him. He was extremely successful, looked way too good for his age and he was in an unhappy marriage. I knew him well enough to know exactly what was happening when he was away from home.
Unfortunately, his absence was the main reason for Adrianna’s pining, which was why I was playing along to this surprise birthday party.
We’d grown so far apart that we led two completely different lives now. I’d met up with him earlier in the evening for business reasons. We were supposed to be living in the same house but, our lives had taken such different paths we had to put our meetings on a schedule.
“You know what you were supposed to do,” Patrick said ten minutes into our meeting.
We were at a high-end restaurant and I’d just informed him of the progress I’d made on the Alix Delacroix meeting in Paris. Everything had gone smoothly but it was taking a little bit longer than expected, which was why I was closely monitoring him.
All the necessary terms and conditions had been negotiated but it had been brought to my attention that he was stalling for a reason. I had people looking into what he was working on and was aware he had another similar business that one of his investors wanted to fully acquire with him as a partner, which was illegal per our contract.
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