Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
It’s not soft. It’s definitely not planned and it punches through with the force of a bomb blast. The shock of it moves through me so fast I don’t have time to slam up walls, but the kiss is way too good to stop it.
I go completely still but I don’t pull away.
It’s Livia who jolts and then leans back barely an inch. She’s still close enough that I can feel her exhale.
“I’m sorry,” she blurts out, her hands falling away. “I just—you weren’t stopping and I don’t know what came over me, and I swear I’ve never done anything—”
This time, I grab her. My hand finds the nape of her neck, and I bring her mouth back to mine and this time it’s not a question. It’s not an accident. It’s everything I’ve been not-thinking about for days meeting everything I’ve been not-saying, and she makes a sound against my mouth that strikes low in my gut.
Maybe a little lower.
Her hand fists in the front of my shirt, and for approximately ten seconds, we put on a spectacle that has no business being in her parents’ front yard.
I pull back and we’re both breathing heavily.
Her eyes open and find mine. There’s nothing professional in them and for once she looks as undone as I feel and I have absolutely no idea what to do with that, so I do the only thing I know how to do.
I let go of her and turn for my truck. I open the door, slide in and shut the door. I don’t look at her but put my seat belt on, crank the engine and drive away.
Chapter 14
Livia
I’ve rewritten the speech four times, then practiced it in the mirror today while trying to look myself in the eye for its entirety.
I know exactly what I’m going to say, exactly how I’m going to say it, and exactly what tone I’m going to use. Professional. Measured. A delivery that leaves no room for interpretation.
I texted Locke after practicing my speech in the mirror one last time. My office. Ten a.m.
He replied with a single word. Fine.
This tells me nothing about where his head is, which is probably intentional.
I’m behind my desk when he arrives, letting it serve as a boundary. A physical reminder that last night was a moment of spectacularly poor judgment that will not be repeated.
He knocks once and comes in without waiting for an answer. He’s in training clothes, hair doing what it does, those pale eyes finding me immediately but giving nothing away. I ignore the leap in my pulse as he closes the door behind him.
“Locke.” I fold my hands on the desk. “Thank you for coming.”
One eyebrow moves a fraction. “You said ten.”
I motion to a chair. “Please… take a seat.”
“I’ll stand,” he replies, but rests one hand casually on the back of said chair. He does it intentionally to maintain the upper hand and honestly, it flusters me.
“Right.” I take a breath, because this is already going off the rails. He’s assumed control of the situation, but I have to remind myself… this is my show. “I’ll get right to it. What happened last night was completely inappropriate and I take full responsibility for it. I want to be clear that it will not happen again. My behavior was unprofessional and frankly inexcusable, given the nature of our working relationship and the position of trust Mr. Rowe has placed me in.”
“It’s Mr. Rowe now,” he says blandly. “Not Patrick?”
I glare at him.
“Let me guess,” he says in a low rumble, moving to my desk and sitting on the edge of it. His powerful legs are now inches from me. He crosses his arms over his chest. “You practiced this little speech in the mirror this morning.”
I lift my chin, put on my most affronted voice. “I most certainly did not.” I scoot my chair back a fraction and he notices. “There’s nothing to practice when the words are true and heartfelt.”
His expression turns skeptical. “Mmm-hmm.”
I’m totally off balance. He’s not acting like Locke Donovan should act. He should be restrained, detached, but he seems like he’s… enjoying this.
I clear my throat, intent on getting through what I planned to say. “I want to assure you that my professional judgment going forward will not be compromised and that our sessions will continue exactly as agreed with full adherence to appropriate professional boundaries. What happened last night was an aberration and I want you to know that I—”
Locke’s hand shoots out, fingers wrapping behind my neck just like they did last night. I’m too stunned to react and by the time he’s bending my way, all the words in my head have disappeared. Instead, my gaze is locked onto his sinful mouth as it comes closer to mine.
I suck in a breath and when his lips touch mine, every rational thought obliterates. He kisses me with complete confidence, a man who is not second-guessing the decision.