other reason there could be.
Her eyes bulged. “No!”
“Then what is it, because the way I see it, there is literally no reason that we can’t—”
“Because, James,” she broke in with a cry, a pained expression marring her face. “Because you’re my boss.”
I must’ve gaped for several long seconds because it felt like I blinked and she was already ascending the wooden stairs.
Cursing under my breath, I jogged to catch up, taking the steps two at a time.
I didn’t even care about the massive rush of water, a cascade of a powerful white and blue blur as I approached her, reaching for her shoulder and turning her to face me.
This time, I didn’t have to ask.
Hurt and shame mingled on her features as she confessed, “My ex-fiance owned the previous hotel I worked for. I met him a few months after starting the job; his family owned a few local hotels, and he’d just been put in charge of the one where I worked.”
She had to yell the words because of the falls, but from the expression on her face, I had a feeling that yelling the story of her past was the only way she’d have enough strength to get it out.
“At first, everything was fine because we kept it quiet and casual. But then things grew more serious and as soon as the rest of the staff found out, then the rumors started—rumors about all the reasons why I had my job, all the reasons why I did well at my job.”
My stomach turned.
“All my hard work. All my dedication… it meant nothing. I no longer earned anything on my own merit in their eyes, because I was sleeping with the boss.”
“Carrie—”
She held up a hand and stopped me.
“The thing was, I didn’t really care too much about what they said. It was hurtful and frustrating, but I knew the truth,” she continued. “Anyway, I had goals of where I wanted to be in the hotel, so when he proposed, I agreed, but I said that we couldn’t get married until I was promoted—on merit—to manager. The last thing I wanted was to be in charge of people who believed the only reason I held my authority was because of a ring on my finger.”
I clenched my teeth, the mist from the falls slowly but surely soaking us with its cool spray.
“Carrie, we met before I was your boss. And I don’t give a shit—”
“James.” She placed her hand on my chest, the contact like a hot brand sizzling through the cold water. Her gaze flickered. “That’s not it… that’s not all.”
Whatever else there was, I wasn’t going to let her say it feeling like she was alone.
Reaching a hand up, I placed it over the one she’d laid on my chest, trapping it there.
“It turned out that it wasn’t just words being spoken to diminish my position in order to advance their own,” she said hollowly. “Some of the other female staff decided that if I could ‘sleep my way to the top,’ so could they. And my fiancé…” She gulped. “Well, he realized the unspoken benefits of having a business where one-third of the females working for you were dressed as maids.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I growled.
Her head swiveled in the slightest, saddest shake. “They teased and flirted and… at some point… he must have decided ‘why not?’”
“Why not?” I growled. “Why fucking not? How about because he had you?” I reached out and cupped her cheeks, holding her gaze pinned to mine. “How about because he had the promise of a future with the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen—the most fearless, kind, funny, and utterly fucking charming woman I’ve ever met?”
“James…” She licked over her lips, almost sending my raging, possessive erection over the edge.
“So that’s why this is a problem? Because I’m your boss, and you think I’m just as dumb as that motherfucker?” I growled.
“No, but…” She shuddered. “I just had so many plans. So many dreams of things I wanted to do, places I wanted to see. Experiences I’d been saving for before I met him. And when I broke up with Andy, I had to take everything I’d set aside for my future and use it to move here—to escape my past.”
“Carrie…” My voice was deadly. “Did he threaten you?” Because I’d fucking kill him.
Her eyes went wide. “No. I mean, not like that.” She shook her head in dismay. “I made the mistake of breaking up with him publicly.