Chapter Seven
Derek
What the fuck does she want from me? I’ve been nothing but polite and distant for the past two weeks, keeping to my end of this bloody bargain.
Nothing personal. No crossing lines. When all I’ve wanted to do is ignore every fucking line there is and have my way with her.
Jesus, last weekend, I thought about taking her home with me. Home! Me! I’ve never taken a woman to my house, yet this particular female—whom I’ve known for less than a month—has turned me inside out.
“Thanks for the coffee.” She forces a smile and then turns on those goddamn fuck-me heels and marches out the door, leaving it open behind her.
I’ve done what she asked me to do. I apologized, and we’ve managed to keep things cordial and easy. Sure, there are moments when I’m an ass, but she lets it roll off her back and handles me as if she’s done it all her life. Hell, she does such a good job for me that I asked the agency to extend her contract. If things continue to go well, I’ll offer her a full-time job and just suffer through this bloody yearning for her, because she’s the best assistant I’ve had in months.
I thought I simply wanted to fuck her.
Now, I find myself wanting to know her, and that’s bloody baffling to me. Perhaps I simply want to ask her personal questions because I’m not allowed to, and we always want what we can’t have.
Unable to stop myself, I randomly grab a file and walk out to Maya’s desk.
“This needs to be filed. Please.”
She nods but doesn’t look me in the eyes as she takes the folder from me and crosses to the filing cabinet. She frowns when she turns back and sees that I’m still there.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Yes. You can tell me what in the shagging hell you want from me, Maya.” I haven’t raised my voice, but it’s hard. “ You set the boundaries, and you’re my employee, so I’ve done everything I can to make sure you’re comfortable.”
“I’m comfortable,” she assures me. “Don’t worry about me.”
And yet, I do worry about her. I think about her all fucking night and weekend whenever I’m not near her.
She’s in all my thoughts.
And I can’t have her.
“I’ll go ahead and extend the contract,” she continues with another forced smile. “I got the call this morning. Thanks for that, by the way. Now I don’t have to worry about being unemployed for a while.”
“Maya.”
“Yes?”
“Fucking talk to me .” I push my hand through my hair in agitation. I hate feeling like I’m begging her to open up to me.
She bites her lip and then shakes her head. “I don’t have anything else to say.”
“Fine.” I bite out the word and want to shake her. Make her tell me what’s going on in that gorgeous, stubborn-as-fuck head of hers. “Whenever you’re ready to stop acting like a child, you know where to find me.”
I march away. Seconds later, she comes in after me, her face full of anger.
“ I’m a child?”
“You called me out—rightfully—but now it’s my turn. I don’t know what you want if you won’t tell me. I can’t read your mind.” I’m throwing all her words back at her, and she frowns down at the carpet.
I notice she’s barefoot. She must have taken the shoes off at her desk.
“I want you ,” she finally says with a shrug. “And I know I’m not supposed to. You’re grouchy, and you were such an asshole that first week, but damn it, I like you, and I’m so freaking attracted to you. So much so that I dress to impress you every morning and think about you when I’m at home. And I want to ask you a million questions that have absolutely nothing to do with work. But we set rules, and I made a promise to be professional, and that’s what I’ll damn well do until this job is finished.”
“And then what?” Calm again, knowing she feels the same way I do, I steeple my fingers and watch her. She’s breathing harder, her blue-gray eyes flashing, and her hands balled into fists at her sides. “After the job is finished, that is.”
“Then I’m just done.” She crosses her arms over her chest.
“So, let me get this straight. We’re attracted to each other. We think about one another all the time, even when we’re not together. The sex is ridiculously stellar, even though it’s only happened once, and we’d like to get to know each other better. But when the job is done it’s just… done ?”
She scowls and shuffles back and forth on her feet. “Yes.”
“That’s bloody ridiculous.”
“Well, when you say it all like that, yeah, it does sound ridiculous.”
I’ve never felt tender toward a woman in my life, but right now, I want to cuddle her. I want to touch her, and it has nothing at all to do with sex.
“Come here.”
She bites that plump lower lip, and I simply lift an eyebrow, waiting for her to decide if she’ll comply.
Finally, after an internal debate that shows all over her gorgeous face, she walks across the room and stands in front of my desk.
“Closer.”
“I don’t know if—”
“Oh, bugger it.” I stand and round the desk, taking her into my arms and hugging her. “I just want to hold you, Maya.”
“Oh.” Her arms circle around me, and she holds on tightly as I bury my lips in her hair and press a kiss there. “You have to be in court in thirty minutes,” she says.
I grin and tip her chin up so I can look down at her, loving how she fits against me. Now that I have her in my arms, I want to do much more than simply kiss her.
But I do have an important court appearance that I can’t miss.
Her skin is soft and warm where I drag my fingers down her cheek. Finally, I lean in to brush my lips over hers, gently at first but then deeper. Her hand fists my tie, and the kiss becomes hotter, much more desperate, as I growl against her lips.
“If I don’t stop now,” I murmur, moving down her neck, “I’ll be in contempt of court.”
She giggles and then pulls back, her whole face lit with an amazing smile that makes me feel like I’ve won the lottery.
“You’re bloody gorgeous. And as soon as I get back to this office, I’m going to show you exactly what I want to do to you in those heels.”
She blushes and smooths my tie. “Sounds like a date. Except you’re due in court all day for the next two days. You won’t be in the office.”
I sigh, knowing she’s right.
“Let me take you out Friday night.”
She looks up in surprise. “Like, on a date ?”
“People still go on those, don’t they? When they’re attracted to each other and want to ask personal questions?”
She grins once more. “Yes, I’d love to go on a date with you. I’ll cancel the other plans I had.”
I narrow my eyes, feeling jealousy worm its way in. She seems to notice and shakes her head, wraps her arms around my neck, and boosts up onto her toes to kiss me.
“I was going to a party with all my sister-in-law’s cousins. It’s easy to bow out.”
“Over my dead fucking body.”
I stiffen, and Maya whirls at the voice. Neither of us heard the outer door open.
Standing just inside my office is Grayson Sterling.
“What are you doing here?” Maya asks her brother.
“I was in the building for a meeting and thought I’d pop in to say hi.” His face is mutinous as he glares at me. “You’ll keep your fucking hands off my sister.”
I shove said hands into my pockets and rock back on my heels.
“The last I heard, she’s a grown adult, Mr. Sterling.”
“She’s ten years younger than you, Langley. Add to that, you’re a prick, and I don’t trust you.”
“Stop,” Maya says, holding up her hand. “Stop it right now. I am an adult, he’s not a prick to me , and I can kiss anyone I like, Gray.”
“Fuck that.”
“Speaking of being a prick,” I mutter, shaking my head.
“Enough,” Maya says, frowning at both of us. “This is ridiculous.”
Gray shakes his head and stomps out, and Maya flashes me an apologetic grin before rushing after him.
I have to get to the courthouse, so I gather my things, shove them into my briefcase, and hurry out.
Neither Maya nor Gray are at Maya’s desk when I get there, and I frown. I don’t know where they went, and I want to check in with her and make sure she’s okay. But I’m going to be late, so I make a mental note to call her before I walk into the courtroom.
However, when I call, she doesn’t answer.
So, I send her a text.
Me : I’ll pick you up at six on Friday evening. I won’t need you in the office before that. Let me know if you need anything.
Just as I sit at the table in the courtroom, Maya texts back.
Maya : I’m looking forward to it. Good luck. x
Relieved, I turn off the phone and get to work.