Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods #5) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,61

this. Maybe I need to forget the NDA and the other part of my offer. Maybe we can just discuss it and go from there…

Not a fuck!

No!

I need to cover my ass. Full-fucking-stop. An agreement like this will be better for her too, in the long run. I just have to make her see that. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I wasn’t a good negotiator. I can do this.

I pick up my desk-phone and call her. “I need to talk to you about something important,” I say when she picks up.

“Um…okay. Now, though…?” She sounds hesitant. “I was just shutting down…but absolutely. I’ll be there in ten seconds.”

“Thank you.” I put the phone down. I sit on the edge of my desk and put my hands in my pockets. I’m trying to come across as casual. When, in truth, I’ve never been this tied up before.

It doesn’t take long before she knocks and then enters. I stand and walk around my desk, sitting down. Her eyes are huge. Some of her hair has slipped out of her bun. Her makeup has long since worn off. There are remnants. I’m struck all over again at how gorgeous she is. Her eyes are even prettier than the harpy’s were. She has more curves, and yet she looks so much like Gabby, I’m still floored at times. She’s wearing another suit like the one she wore yesterday. It’s far more formfitting than the black one she usually wears. This one is in a light pink that works with her skin tone. I think she has a lace camisole underneath. Thoughts of that camisole have consumed me for half of the day. At least it feels that way.

“Are you okay?” She looks unsure. “You look…I don’t know. Did I forget to do something?” She lifts her eyes in thought before leveling them on me.

“Take a seat, Miss Shaw.” I gesture to one of the empty chairs on the other side of my desk.

I’m happy to note that her heels are back to being low and more manageable. She doesn’t trip this time when she walks over to my desk, which is a win, since I’m not there to catch her today. It took everything in me not to kiss her yesterday. Not to put her on my desk and make her forget her own name. I’m hoping she signs without hesitation so that we can get to it right away. I know that isn’t going to happen, so I rein back my need.

She looks at me with both worry and expectation in her eyes.

I need to pull off this band-aid. To be straight down the line. No sugar-coating things. “I want to fuck you, Miss Shaw.” It’s out. Relief hits. Maybe I could have put it slightly more eloquently, but it’s better this way. Fucking is what we will be doing. Straight-up sex, and she needs to be accepting of that.

Miss Shaw blinks a couple of times and then does a double-take before cocking her head to the side and looking at me like I’ve lost my ever-loving mind. “You want to…? Sorry! I must have misunderstood you.”

“No misunderstanding. I know I’m being crass, but…it’s how I am…who I am. I’m saying it like it is. You’re attracted to me. You admitted as much. I’m very attracted to you. I don’t think you realize it, but I am, Miss Shaw. That’s why I can state with absolute certainty that you didn’t maul me in that elevator. It was mutual and very nearly ended with my cock deep inside you.”

I watch her throat work. “Oh…I see.” Then she frowns. “I thought you didn’t sleep with your employees.” She clutches and unclutches her hands. “This is sudden. I’m…I…I don’t know what to say.”

“I don’t…at least…I’ve never had any kind of a relationship with a staff member before, but I want to make an exception with you.”

“Why me?”

“Like I just said, I think you’re very beautiful. I think you’re fucking sexy!”

“Me?” She has no idea.

“Yes, you. You have no idea how lovely you are.”

“I’m clumsy. I eat too much. I’m awkward at the best of times.” She giggles. “I—”

“Stop!” I practically whisper. “Don’t put yourself down. You’re gorgeous. Incredibly sexy. I want you. It’s as simple as that. We’re both consenting adults, attracted to one another, so why not act on it?”

She looks shell-shocked but doesn’t say anything. I can see her mind racing.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.” For once, I have no idea.