Chapter 6
I ’m clearly crazy.
There’s no other explanation as to why I’m here, about to exit the elevator and stroll into work like nothing happened.
The weekend didn’t provide any clarity. I’m still just as confused. But what I do know is that saying goodbye to Dylan is something I don’t want. I can’t walk away from this.
Hence, why I’m clearly crazy.
This is a dumpster fire waiting to happen, but it’s too late now.
I exit the elevator, and the office is in full swing as I’ve purposely arrived late. I walk through the office, greeting my colleagues as I normally would. The moment I’m about to take a seat behind my desk, the phone rings and I see Mr. Fox is paging me.
This was a bad, very bad idea.
Taking a calming breath, I enter his office, preparing myself for everything, but when all I see are red roses, I realize I haven’t prepared for anything. I close the door, unsure if I’m hallucinating or not. But when Dylan appears from behind the endless bunches of roses, I know that this is really happening.
“What?” It’s all I can articulate.
Dylan offers me the bunch of roses he holds. “You’re late.”
A laugh escapes me. “So you decided to buy out every florist in the city as punishment?”
The roses smell lovely, but I don’t get it. “What’s going on?”
“I wanted to express my sincerest apologies for being a dick, hence the—” And he extends out his hand to the roses.
“A dozen would have sufficed.”
“Nonsense.” And there he is, the arrogant jerk I’ve grown to—love?
No, not love, but at least like. And for that to happen, we have to start again.
“Thank you for the roses, but it’s going to take more than that.”
His handsome face drops. “Name it, and it’s yours.”
Placing the roses on his desk, I open my bag and produce something I’ve been working on all weekend. I offer it to him.
He accepts, reading it over and I see it—he knows what I want.
“Very well, Ms. Young. Take a seat.”
The way he says my name heats me from head to toe, but I remain unaffected as I sit.
He, too, takes a seat, reading over my resume.
This is the only way we can start again. For us to start over.
“I see you worked for Audrey Denis.”
I nod, sitting up tall.
He watches me closely. “I heard she’s a real bitch.”
I stifle a chuckle. “I heard her husband is even worse.”
Dylan’s mouth twitches. “Ex-husband.”
I can’t hide my surprise because he did it. He signed the divorce papers. I don’t want to get my hopes up that he did so because of me.
“Your resume is very impressive. How are you at taking orders?”
The walls suddenly close in on me.
“Because I demand perfection and exercise control in everything I do.”
He stands, removing his jacket, while I swallow past the lump in my throat.
“Do you think you can handle that?”
I remain posed and nod coolly. “Yes. But as for taking orders, it all depends on what you demand.”
“Oh, I am very demanding, Ms. Young.”
“So am I.”
He saunters toward me while I cross my legs. His eyes instantly focus on the heels I’m wearing—the same ones I wore when he fucked me senseless.
“I don’t like to lose.”
“Well, I like a challenge.”
His lips twitch. “Seems like a disaster waiting to happen.”
Before I can reply, he drops to his knees before me, and the gesture touches me—he surrenders to me.
“But I’m game if you are. The job is yours if you want it.”
“Oh, I want.” I’m suddenly not talking about the job.
Dylan kisses up my leg slowly, his devilish mouth sending goose bumps all over me. He takes his time, and I watch because the sight is simply hot. He carefully shifts the hem of my dress, but I grip his wrist, shaking my head.
“But I don’t sleep with the boss.”
“Then you’re fired,” he says, lips pressed against my inner thigh.
“But that would be an unfair dismissal? Whatever would HR say?”
“Fuck HR.”
He works his way up my body and slams his mouth to mine. Our kisses are laced with nothing but desire, but the undertone is now different—it’s paved with a possibility of new beginnings.
I yank at his hair as I circle his tongue with mine and just as he walks his hand up my thigh, I pull away.
“I accept your terms, Mr. Fox.”
I push him back, relishing in the way he falls onto the carpet, surprised I said no. But it’s going to take a lot more than some roses and kind words to forget what he did.
“Can I get you a coffee?”
He doesn’t bother rising from the floor. Nor does he hide his erection. For once in this relationship, I’m the one in control. How the tables have turned.
“Yes, black.”
“Anything else?” I ask sweetly while he clenches his jaw.
“No, Ms. Young. That’ll do. For now.”
I smile and go to turn but am stopped when he adds, “You’ve won this round… Bluebird.”
And I finally ask the question which has lingered on my tongue since we met. “Why Bluebird?”
His reply was not what I was expecting. “Bluebirds are a symbol of hope, renewal and… love.”
My heart swells because this proves that Dylan is telling me the truth about feeling an instant connection.
“I’ve won the entire game… Tiger. Try and keep up.” Turning over my shoulder, I blow him a kiss and watch as his desire for me grows tenfold.
I leave his office, the victor, something I didn’t think I’d ever be when Mr. Fox was involved. But victory has never tasted this good because, like a boss, I just won this game.
I look forward to the rematch, however, because I know there’s more to come…