The Boss Upstairs - Roya Carmen Page 0,78

see the boys these days. They’re always locked up in their rooms. And Tristan and his girlfriend…” She rolls her eyes. “I’ve been hanging with Ava a lot lately. She’s such a sweet girl.”

“How’s Brian?” I ask.

Her face lights up. “Still busy brightening young minds.”

“How about you, Abby?” Claudia pipes in. “Any progress on Project Baby?”

She sighs audibly. “Not yet,” she says. “I’m no spring chicken I guess.”

“It’ll happen,” I tell her. I know it will. I can feel it in my bones.

“Well, I’m sure you’re having fun trying,” Claudia gushes.

Abigail brightens up. “We definitely are.”

“How is the new beau?” I ask Claudia, my tone teasing. “Keeping you busy?”

“Hell yes,” she says. “We pretty much have sex every chance we get. And it’s amazing.”

I smile, brought back to Weston’s desk. I’ll never be able to look at that desk the same way again. I’ll never be able to look at my pink Louboutins without remembering him slipping my panties back on. God, I hope this doesn’t end badly, because if it does, I might never be able to wear those heels again.

“Speaking of boyfriends,” Claudia says. “I can’t believe Samuel turned out to be a crazy rapist.”

“Well, he was never my boyfriend,” I point out. “That was the problem. He wanted to be.”

“So… Mr. Dark & Mysterious,” she coos. “What’s up with him?”

I blush. I’ve never been good at lying. I might as well fess up. “Well…”

Claudia perks up, a brow arched. “Well what?”

“Well… we kind of have a thing,” I confess. “It’s just fun.”

“Really?” Mischa asks with wide eyes. “You have a thing with your boss?”

“Well, don’t make it sound so tawdry, Mischa,” Claudia scolds. “I think it’s fantastic.”

I shrug, a little uncomfortable.

“Does he do you over his desk?” she asks. “I bet he does.”

I shake my head, remembering again. I blush at the memory.

“He soooo does,” she teases. “You lucky bitch. The man is fine.”

Ethan reaches his hand out to Claudia. “Cookie!”

“No, no, Ethan… this cookie is bad.” She pulls a face. “It tastes so bad.” And then she takes a bite.

He looks at her, dumbfounded.

“Here, buddy.” I reach for a shortbread and hand it to him. “Have this one.”

He happily takes it and shoves it in his mouth.

“So we’re all having amazing sex,” Claudia announces. “Cheers to us.”

We all break into laughter, and bring up our mugs and clink, and I wonder, for the umpteenth time, what I would do without these girls.

“Hey, little buddy,” Weston sits down next to Ethan. “What are you working on?”

Ethan smiles up at him. “Blocks.”

Ethan reaches for a nacho on the coffee table. Once he’s eaten it, he resumes his play.

Weston hands him a red block. “You like building?”

Ethan’s tower is making good progress. I watch them intently. The sight of them together is so sweet.

“I build buildings,” Weston tells him. “Really big ones.”

Ethan’s eyes widen, and a second later, he’s back to his project.

“Well, I’m finally ready,” I announce. “What’s the verdict?”

They both turn to me. “Dress,” Ethan cheers.

Weston’s mouth hangs and he’s speechless.

“Well?”

He smiles. “The verdict is great,” he says. “You look stunning, Gretchen.”

I like when he says my name. Sure, my monikers are fun and cute, but nothing arouses me more than hearing my name on his lips.

I stare down at the long skirt of my chiffon dress, and my expensive Chanel heels. “Claudia should be here any minute,” I tell him as I reach for my phone. I fish it out of my new bag. I still can’t believe I own a Chanel bag.

Just as I’m about to call her, the doorbell buzzes. I hurry to go greet her, and when I swing the door open, her jaw drops to the floor.

“Oh my God… you look a-mazing!”

I smile. “Thank you.”

“That dress!”

I pull on my black cardigan. “I know, right?”

“Hello, again,” Weston says as he offers her his hand.

“Hello,” she sings. She gives him an unapologetic once-over. “Damn.”

Weston smiles politely.

“Don’t mind Claudia,” I say and turn to her. “I’ve written down all the instructions you need. They’re on the kitchen counter.”

She nods. “You two have a great time, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Well, that leaves a lot of options then,” I joke.

“Exactly.”

I’m still smiling as Weston and I walk to the elevator. As soon as we slip in, he wraps his arm around my waist and kisses my cheek. “I’m so excited.”

“Me too.”

I’m surprised when he leads me to the front of the lobby and not the back exit, where the carpark is. As we exit