Like a Boss - Annabelle Costa Page 0,75

like that,” he says. “When I was a kid, he was so proud of me, of everything I did. He used to bring me to work with him and show me off. There were pictures of me all over his office. We were really close.” His eyes are glassy. “Then after I got hurt, there was nothing I could to please him. Even with all the money I made for the company, it meant nothing to him. He was ashamed of having a son who was disabled.”

He buries his face in his hands. “Ellie, I was so ruthless. I did everything I could to make as much money as possible, just to get his approval. I was a total asshole—I admit it. I did what I had to in order to make Thayer Industries the most powerful company in Boston. I didn’t do anything illegal, but Christ, it was hard to sleep at night.”

I can’t believe he’s confessing all this to me. He was so adamant in his insistence everything he did was in the interest of good business, and he never fired anyone who didn’t deserve it. All I can say is, “Oh.”

“That’s why I went ahead with the layoffs at Mediapp.” He lifts his face from his hands and his eyes are bloodshot. “I didn’t want to do it because of you, and my father saw I was reluctant so he kept leaning on me. He kept pressuring me to make the company profitable. So I did it. Just to prove to him I wasn’t as weak as he said I was.”

I remember how Mr. Thayer kept bringing up the company the last time I was at their house. It suddenly makes sense.

“But it didn’t fucking matter,” he continues bitterly. “No matter how much money I made, Dad didn’t care. I thought if I made enough money, I could show him that… that I was just as good as before.” His voice breaks. “But I couldn’t. All he cared about was that I couldn’t walk. And once I gave up on that, he gave up on me.”

“I… I’m sure that’s not true,” I say gently.

“It’s true,” he says. He looks up at me with brown eyes that are so sad, I want to reach out and hug him.

I look at Luke—God, he’s so sexy. But he also looks so sad and vulnerable, the opposite of his tough and confident work persona, which somehow makes me want him even more. Luke’s body isn’t what it used to be, but so what? It’s sexy as hell to me. Nobody’s perfect, especially me.

He seems almost shocked when I lean over and start kissing him. At first it seems inappropriate, considering his father died last night, but he’s not stopping me, and in fact, seems to want it just as bad or even more than I do.

He transfers onto the couch and we peel off each other’s clothing, all the while kissing each other desperately. God, these hormones are making me horny.

I put my hand on Luke’s penis as we kiss, but I notice my attempts aren’t getting him hard enough. “Sorry,” he whispers when he realizes what’s going on. “I didn’t take my pill, so I can’t… you know. Do… do you want me to take it?”

“No, it’s okay,” I say. I do want to have sex with him, especially now that I know he’s free of STDs. (At least I am. All the tests came back negative.) But I also like the idea of just lying naked with him and kissing and touching. After all, Luke is probably better with his mouth than any other part of his body.

Luke and I lie there on the sofa kissing for over an hour. We are so sweaty by then that our bodies are nearly stuck together. I’m wet as hell by that point, but Luke doesn’t try anything. I’m glad because I doubt I’d have the willpower to refuse him.

Luke kisses me on the lips. “Ellie,” he murmurs. “I really love you.”

“I love you too,” I almost say. But then I remember that as attracted as I am to Luke, as much fun as we have together, I know things about Luke that can’t be taken back. He’s a heartless, ruthless businessman. Is this the man I want to date? To marry? To start a family with?

Absolutely not.

And I need to get out of here before I say or do anything I’ll regret.

“I have to go,” I say.

Luke’s eyes widen. “Ellie, no,