Dating the Boss (Blue Harbor #2) - Jaclyn Osborn Page 0,51
slipped beneath the bottom of his shirt and touched his soft skin.
“I thought you said we couldn’t do this,” Reed said after tearing from my lips, his chest rising and falling with his panting breaths.
“We really shouldn’t.” I cupped his cheek. My heart dipped when he turned his face and kissed my palm, his big, hazel eyes meeting mine. “But damn if I’m gonna stay away from you. I can’t. I’m too selfish.”
“I don’t want you to stay away.” Reed softly smiled and gripped my waist. “What does this mean?”
“I don’t know.” I truly didn’t. “But I’m done fighting against what I want.”
“And I’m what you want?”
“Yes.” I kissed him lightly on the lips. As happy as I was to be there with him in that instant, I was also terrified. “If anyone at work finds out, my reputation and my job will be on the line.”
“Guess they better not find out, then,” he said, resting his face on my chest and holding me tighter. “We can pretend nothing’s going on while we’re here and then fuck or whatever outside the office.”
“You’d be okay with that? Keeping it secret?”
“It’s not the first time,” Reed responded. “Before I came out, I had a few secret relationships.”
“The last thing I want to do is make you relive that.”
“I can still quit,” he suggested. “Then it wouldn’t be a problem.”
“I don’t want you quitting a good job just for me. Besides, what other job would you find that pays better than this one and offers the same benefits?”
“Not many, sadly.” Reed stood on his tiptoes to nuzzle my neck and then stepped away. “I’ve searched everywhere already. And to be honest, I love my job here and hated even considering leaving. Sure, it can be monotonous at times, but I get to be creative and my ideas count. I feel like I really make a difference here.”
“You do,” I said. “I wasn’t flattering you when I said you’re the best I’ve had.”
The corner of Reed’s mouth twitched. “The best you’ve had, huh?”
“Get out of my office,” I said, crossing my arms. But I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. “And don’t make any dinner plans for tonight.”
“Oh yeah?” Reed walked backward toward the door, taking slow steps. “Why is that?”
“Be ready by six thirty,” I said.
“Pfft. That’s not an answer.” Reed mirrored me by crossing his arms, although he made the stance look sassy by cocking his hip. “Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll see.”
“I hate surprises, Daniel. I need to know everything all the time.”
I grabbed my suit jacket from the back of my chair and put it on. “I have a meeting to get to.”
A thin brow arched high. “That you do.” He opened the door and waited for me outside of it. “I’ll order your lunch from the usual place so it’ll be here when you’re done with the meeting.”
“Thank you.”
I didn’t give him a second glance as I turned down the hall to head to the conference room, but I sensed him watching me. Even though I was outwardly composed, I was celebrating on the inside.
Ever since my dad died, I had stepped up and did what was expected of me, shoving away all of my wants and desires. My whole life, I’d worked hard, very rarely partied even in college, and focused on my career. My mom had always talked about me getting married one day, and so when I’d met Olivia, I had considered that to be another expected thing. Marriage and children were part of the model of success that had been planted in my head for as long as I could remember.
But with one decision that Wednesday morning, I had finally chosen something for myself.
Consequences be damned.
Chapter Thirteen
Reed
“I need you. Now.”
“Hello to you too,” Quinn said over the phone. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m going on a date tonight,” I said, holding the phone between my cheek and shoulder as I searched my closet for something to wear. “I want to wear something that’s hot but that doesn’t say I’m a two-bit ho. Any suggestions?”
“Nothing you own makes you look like a ho, Reed. Who are you going on a date with? I thought you were still hung up on your boss.”
“Um.” I bit my lip. “Well, you see… he’s the one I’m kinda going out with.” When Quinn was quiet, I got nervous and started blabbing. “I know what you’re thinking. Okay? And I know it’s bad. Dating the boss is morally wrong or whatever,