My Boss Can’t Get Enough
Page 13
I don’t care about Carol. Let her have some sort of victory. That doesn’t matter to me.
I care about Taylor.
I grab my jacket and hurry out of the office. I get the first cab I see and give it Taylor’s address. Once I’m there, I climb out and ring her bell.
No answer. Of course there’s no answer.
“Taylor!” I try shouting. Some guy walking his dog gives me a weird look.
I ring her bell. I call her phone.
Nothing. She ignores me every time.
I pace on the sidewalk.
Fuck, I can’t let Taylor go like this. I’m not letting her lose her job just because of some psychopath. There’s no reason we can’t talk at the very least.
But she won’t answer. She won’t let me in.
“Baker.”
I look up, surprised. Taylor’s leaning out of a second-story window, frowning at me.
“Taylor. I just want to talk.”
“Please go back to the office.”
“Taylor—”
“Baker. Please.”
I can hear the sincerity in her tone. She’s close to tears.
I hate myself for it.
“You don’t have to leave.”
“Baker.”
I stare up at her and let out a breath. “Just talk to me.”
“I’m sorry. You deserve that job. I’m not going to stand in the way.”
She disappears back inside, shutting the window.
“She doesn’t want to talk to you!” some guy sitting on his stoop two houses over shouts. “Go home, asshole!”
I look at him. “Fuck off,” I say and turn away with a sigh. I don’t need some dickhead to call the police right now. That would only upset her more.
But still. I just want to talk to her, tell her that we can still spend time together. Just because she’s not working for me…
I can’t let her go. I won’t let her go. I’m not losing her because that psycho Carol told her to quit.
This isn’t about the job anymore. I don’t care about the fucking company. I would burn it all down if that’s what it took to keep Taylor.
This is about her.
I walk around the block, thinking, running my mind through this over and over.
Carol did this. She did it, and yet the board won’t see it that way. They’ll only see the potential scandal. They’ll see Taylor leaving her job and assume that it’s all finished now. They won’t have to worry anymore.
They won’t do anything to hurt Carol. She’ll get away with it, no problem.
I can’t let that happen. I can’t let Carol walk away with nothing while Taylor loses her job… and I lose Taylor.
Most of all, I can’t lose Taylor.
For the first time in a long time, I found something I want. I found someone I can truly be with.
I’ve never felt this way about someone before. I’ve never wanted to be around someone as much as I do with Taylor. I can’t wait to see her, to taste her, to feel her laugh and smile and moan. I want to touch her skin and hold her tight and stay in bed with her for days.
Maybe she was right back in Alaska. Maybe we never should’ve left that bed.
But no, no, we’re here. And I’m not letting this fall apart. I’m not losing her.
I’m getting back my Taylor, one way or another. I just have to figure out how.
20
Taylor
I never, ever, ever want to see the light of day again.
I think that would be easier.
If I just turned into some kind of cave troll, I could live in my little cave, walk around with a big club, and grunt at people. They’d wonder why the cave troll is out again but that’d be okay.
“You look like you’re going to cry,” Lisa says, crossing her legs under her.
I sigh and force myself to smile. “I’m fine.”
“Girl, I’ve seen widows look finer than you.” Lisa gets up and walks over, sitting down closer to me. She puts an arm around my shoulder and pulls me against her.
I don’t let myself cry. Lisa is my best friend and I’ve known her forever but I’m not going to put her through that.
Lisa’s tall, taller than me at least, with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She’s always smiling and laughing. She’s always been the pretty one, the one boys want to date. She’s outgoing and smart and everything I sometimes wish I could be.
I love her and I’m jealous of her all at once.
“Look, you did what you thought was right,” she says softly. “I know it’s hard but you’ll be okay.”
“I quit the job over him,” I say, sitting back up. “I mean, how crazy is that?”
She snorts. “What’s crazy is that lady forcing you to do it.” Lisa gets up and walks into the kitchen. She pours two glasses of wine and sits back down. “Seriously, how did that happen?”
“She cornered me in Baker’s office and just… told me to do it.”
“And you listened?”
“You don’t know her. Seriously, Lisa, she’s insane.”
“I believe you.” Lisa sips her wine, frowning. “I mean, what could you have done? She was going to hurt Baker and you just… you couldn’t let that happen, right?”
“Right. So I quit, like an idiot, and ran away.”
Lisa sighs. “I don’t think you’re an idiot. For what it’s worth, I think you’re really strong. Honestly, I don’t know how you’re dealing with this.”
“I’m not. I’m hiding in this apartment and refusing to go outside.” I hesitate for a second. “Did I tell you that he came over here yesterday?”
She perks up a bit. “Really?”
“Really. Wanted to talk. I just… I couldn’t do it. If I’m going to walk away so he doesn’t get in trouble, I’m not going to do it halfway.”
“But… he wanted to see you.”
“He thinks he can solve all our problems. But sometimes you just can’t. Sometimes you have to walk away.”
At least that’s what I’ve been telling myself. I keep hearing him, shouting my name over and over. Telling him to leave was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. But I had to do it.
For him and for me.
Sometimes you just have to rip off the Band-Aid and move on.
“Think about that though,” Lisa says softly. “He came here and wanted to see you.”
“So what?”
“So he wants you, girl. You see that, right?”
“I know he does….” I trail off a little, frowning.
“You want him too, right?”
“It’s not just… like that.”
“Like what?” She raises an eyebrow.
“Sexual.” I can barely even say the word without feeling stupid. The thought of the board looking at that text exchange hits me again and another fresh wave of embarrassment hits me.
“I know,” she says, smiling at me. “I don’t think you can separate the two things even if you tried.”
“Oh, what, and you can?”
“Sure. Dicks are just dicks. But we’re not here to talk about my views on the male anatomy.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Come on. So what if I like him?”
“He likes you too.”
“I don’t know.”
“He does. He’s been killing himself to keep you. Guys like him don’t do that just for some pussy.”
I flinch at that word, but she’s right.
Guys like him don’t do that for someone they don’t care about. Clearly, he likes me… he likes me beyond just the sex.
“I don’t see how it matters,” I say softly.
“You guys don’t need to work together to be together, idiot,” she says with an exasperated sigh. “Seriously, you can just, like, be normal human beings for one second.”
I frown a little bit. For some reason that thought hadn’t occurred to me…
“Okay, but what if Carol finds out?”
“Who gives a fucking shit?�
� Lisa throws her hands up. “Seriously, forget about that crazy bitch.”
“I can’t. If she hurts Baker…”
“Sweetie, he’s a big boy. Baker can handle himself.”
I bite my lip and finally drink some wine. Maybe she’s right. Baker can definitely handle himself. Maybe running away wasn’t a good idea. Maybe he could’ve…
But no, no, I can’t do that. I can’t second-guess myself. I made a decision, a hard decision, and I have to live with it.
Even if it’s an impossible thing to live with, I just have to deal.
“Look, I’ve known you forever, right?” Lisa asks.
“Sure. Second grade.”
“God, you were such a loser before me.” Lisa sighs dramatically. “Anyway, I’ve never, ever seen you feel like this for a guy.”
“Come on. I definitely have.”
“No, I’m serious. Never like this. Never the sort of feelings you’d actually sacrifice something for.”
I frown at her over my wine but… maybe she’s right.
I’ve had other relationships. None of them were super serious. I thought I was in love once but that didn’t work out. I’ve had crushes, stuff like that, but…
“Okay, it doesn’t change anything.”
“You’re being so stupid.” Lisa glares at me now, getting annoyed. “You can just let yourself be happy, you know.”
“No, I can’t.”
She rolls her eyes. “Taylor.”
“Lisa. He’s not just some random guy. He has a life, a career. If I just waltz in and screw that all up, what kind of person am I?”
“He can make that choice,” she says softly.
I shake my head and get up. I have to walk away for a second. I can feel myself getting angry but I don’t want to get angry with Lisa. She doesn’t deserve it. I know she’s just trying to do what’s best for me but I don’t want to hear it.
I’ve already made up my mind. I’m walking away so that Baker won’t get hurt. We’re going to both get past this and move on and be happy. He’s going to be fine and I’ll be fine.
Right? That’s going to happen. It feels like I’m ripping a piece of myself off right now but that feeling will go away. It has to go away.
I don’t know if I can live with this ache if it doesn’t.
I turn back to Lisa, ready to explain to her how I just have to keep my distance if I’m going to survive, when the doorbell rings.
Lisa raises an eyebrow at me. “It’s nine at night. Who’s that? You got another friend I don’t know about?”
I feel a strange dread in my chest. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s a delivery.”
“At nine at night?”
“Maybe they’ll go away.”
The bell rings again. Lisa gives me a look and gets up. Before I can stop her, she’s at the monitor, hitting the button to talk with whoever’s at the door.
“Hello, this is Taylor’s apartment, how can I help you?”
I glare at her. Stop it! I mouth at her.
She grins at me.
“This is Baker.”
The voice stops me dead in my tracks.
Lisa’s eyes go wide.
She blinks rapidly.
I stare at her.
Time stops.
“Uh, hi, Baker,” she says.
“You’re the famous Lisa, huh?”
“That’s me. Famous… real famous.” She laughs nervously. What do I do? She mouths at me.
I just stand there, not sure. I didn’t think he’d be back again… not after I told him to go last time.
“Listen, famous Lisa, let me talk to Taylor. Please?”
“I, uh… she’s right here.”
Lisa steps back, releasing the button.
“No way,” I hiss. “I said no!”
“Talk to him,” she says. “Just talk. Okay? Just talk.”
I stare at the button, at the little box his voice is coming from. That’s him down there… that’s him for real.
I walk over and hold down the button.
“Baker?”
“Taylor.” His voice sounds so relieved. “Listen. I just want to talk. I know how we can get past this.”
“We’re already past it,” I say.
“You want her to win?” he asks softly. His voice sounds angry… but just as hurt. “You want to walk away from me?”
“I don’t want any of that. It’s just what’s happening.”
“I’m not letting this be the end. I’m not letting you just walk away from me, sweet.”
I blush a little bit at the nickname. “Baker, please. I told you what I want.”
“Taylor, I—”
Lisa steps forward and speaks over him. “Come on up.”
And then she hits the unlock button.
I stare at her and pull my hand away like it’s on fire.
“What the hell did you just do?” I ask her.
“Buzzed him in.” She opens the door and slips out. “Good luck!”
I stare at the open door as she disappears out into the hall. I stand there, heart pounding. I hear her go downstairs… and I hear someone come up past her. They say something softly to each other but I can’t make it out.
Then his steps in the hall, echoing.
I back away as Baker pushes the door open.
He’s dressed like he just left the office. Perfect, beautiful, crisp and clean. He’s immaculate, and it drives me insane.
I hate him for it. I hate myself for how happy I am that he’s standing here.
“It would be so much easier if you hadn’t come here,” I whisper.
He smiles sadly and shuts the door behind him.
“Cute place.”
“Baker.”
“I’m just saying. I pay you a lot now. You can probably find a bigger apartment.”
“You’re seriously insulting the size of my apartment right now?”
“Sorry. Good point.” He leans against the door for a moment and watches me. “Listen. I have a plan.”
“I don’t need to hear it. I already did what I want to do.”
“Taylor—”
“No, Baker. Listen to me. You think walking away like that felt good? You think it’s what I wanted?”
“No,” he says simply.
“No, it felt like shit and I hate that I gave in to her. I hate myself for it. But I don’t want it to ruin what you have going. You have a good career, you’re successful. I’m not going to drag you down just because…”
“Because what?” he asks softly, stepping toward me.
I step back. “I don’t know.”
“Because what, Taylor?” He keeps coming until I run into the kitchen table. He stops inches in front of me. “Say it. Say what you mean.”
“Just because we like each other.”
He smiles softly and reaches out. I don’t move away. I can’t move away. His fingers trace across my cheek and end in my air, tangling in the long strands. His head cocks slightly to the side.
“We like each other?” he asks softly. “Is that it?”
“What else should I call it?”
“We want each other. We crave each other. You think you’re not waking up in the middle of the night, dripping wet and thinking about me buried between your legs?”
I shiver. I know he’s right about that.
“Just because we want each other doesn’t mean we should throw it all away.”
“No. And we won’t. But I’m not prepared to walk away from this, not when I haven’t gotten my fill of you, sweet. I haven’t gotten nearly enough.”
I blink and bite my lip, staring in his eyes. I don’t know what to do. I want him so badly it hurts and having him touch me like this is driving me wild with desire. I want to taste him… to feel him. It’s so bad, so, so bad.
But it’s so incredibly deliciously good.
“What’s your plan?” I ask him finally.
His smiles almost pisses me off. It would infuriate me, if he weren’t so
damn gorgeous.
“It’s easy. Simple, really. Stupidly simple.”
“What?”
He leans forward, lips brushing past mine. “I can bug my own office.”
“You can… bug it?”
He’s so close to me. Shivers are running down my spine in cascading waterfalls and I want him so bad, so bad. I want him right here, right now.
“Just a little recorder tucked away. We just need Carol to say something stupid. And I think if you come back to work, she’ll walk right into our trap.”
“How will that work?”
“I’ll play the recording for the board. They’ll be more worried about a scandal involving one employee blackmailing another. They’ll have to let her go, even if she releases the information about us.”
I stand still, running it all through my mind…
Can we really do this?
I don’t doubt I can get Carol to say something awful. She did it once in his office. I know I can get her to do it again.
But if they let her go, she might release those texts, and everyone will see what I said. She might shame me, just because she can.
I don’t know if I can handle that.
“I’m afraid,” I admit, barely able to say the words.
“I promise, I’ll protect you,” he says. “If Carol releases that screenshot… we’ll figure something out.”
I groan, confused, angry… but I want this to be real.
Because if it is, I can come back. I can be with him again. I can let him have his fill… and give me mine.
“I don’t know,” I say.
“I know. I’m not going anywhere, Taylor, sweet. You aren’t, either, even if you think you can.”
I groan as his lips find mine.
And he’s right, he’s so right. I knew it the instant he walked into this apartment.
I can’t go anywhere.
I need him, I need him so badly it almost hurts.
“Baker,” I groan as his hands roam down my body.
21
Baker
I kiss her neck, her lips, and I know I’m willing to throw away my entire career for her if it comes to that.
She’s afraid, I can tell. I know and I don’t blame her. But I’m not going to let anything bad happen to her, not because of that psycho Carol.