Seducing The Boss (Pulse #2) - Mari Carr Page 0,34

Could he?

No. He couldn’t.

She studied him closely, and Kellan was helpless to shield his thoughts, the panic and confusion she must have seen on his face.

Fuck. This wasn’t how he’d intended for things to go down.

“Good-bye, Kellan.”

Before he could form a response, she rose and left the room.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there before his frustration turned to anger. She was walking away because he wouldn’t commit to her?

There was no way she hadn’t felt the strong sexual pull between them. It had been there all weekend and again, just now, when he had taken her on the desk.

Why would she shut those needs down? Refuse to indulge them?

Forget it. If Sara wasn’t smart enough to know a good thing when it bit her in the ass, then to hell with it. He wasn’t going to beg her. Past experience had proven there were plenty of other fish in the sea.

It was time to move on.

Now he just needed to figure out how.

Chapter Six

Kellan walked into Southampton Social Club on Thursday night, cursing himself for playing the fool. Sara had rejected his offer to extend their affair on Monday, and since then, she’d avoided him like the plague. At first, he had taken her refusal in stride, telling himself he could take it or leave it.

That was four days and three eternal, sleepless nights ago. Now he was tired, pissed off, and not going to take no for an answer.

She’d made the wrong decision, and he intended to change her mind. She managed to hide from him at work, but there was no way she could get away from him tonight without making a scene. And Sara didn’t make scenes.

The hostess had just asked him if he wanted a table when he spotted his mother. He pointed to her. “I’m joining that group.”

Tonight was his mother’s birthday. Every year, she celebrated the event here. The Social Club was her favorite restaurant. Seated at the table, in addition to his father, would be Sara and her parents. The table looked the same every year.

With one exception. Him. Typically, he found an excuse not to attend. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his mother—he truly did. He simply found family gatherings difficult.

The shocked expressions on his parents’ faces, which quickly morphed to genuine delight, made him feel a bit guilty for not joining them before.

“Kellan.” His father rose, taking his hand for a firm shake. “We weren’t expecting you.”

Dad lifted a finger to the waiter, requesting another chair be added, as Kellan bent over to place a kiss on his mother’s cheek. “Happy birthday.”

“What a wonderful surprise,” she said, grinning widely. “I thought you and I had done our celebrating yesterday at lunch. This is the nicest gift I’ve received.” His guilt grew, and he vowed that from now on he would attend all her birthday dinners.

Unfortunately, the waiter put his chair in between Sara’s mom and his dad, across the table from Sara. He’d have preferred to sit next to her.

“What are you doing here?” Sara was clearly not as pleased to see him as his parents were. He didn’t blame her for that, but it wasn’t as if he had suddenly morphed into the Emperor of the Galactic Empire. After all, they had made that vow to return to just friends status. And while he was here to break that promise, she didn’t know that.

“Why wouldn’t I be here? It’s Mom’s birthday.”

Sara shot him a yeah right expression that proved she didn’t trust his intentions. She knew him too well. Clever girl.

At that moment, Sara’s dad returned to the table with another man in tow, someone Kellan didn’t recognize.

Mr. Connelly’s brows rose when he spotted him sitting there. “Kellan. Good to see you.”

He stood and shook Mr. Connelly’s hand. He then turned his gaze to the other man.

“This is Gabriel Valladares,” Mr. Connelly said with a friendly smile for the stranger. “Sara’s date for the evening.”

Kellan forced himself not to snarl as he shook the man’s hand. Date? She’d left his bed four nights ago, and she already had a date?

He shook off the unexpected jealousy. They hadn’t been in a relationship. They’d been fucking. His response was wrong, yet Kellan couldn’t make the blood-red haze clouding his vision go away.

“So…” It took every ounce of strength he had to make his voice nonchalant. Casual. Friendly. “How did you two meet?”

“Actually, we met online,” Gabriel said as he smiled at Sara. “Never thought I’d try one of those