Sweet Surrendering (Surrender Saga #1)(36)
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron

“So,” he said.

“So.”

“We sucked at that, didn’t we?” he said.

“Sucked at what?” He put his hands behind his head and I pushed the evaluation sheet aside.

“At the one night plan. When . . . when I woke up and found you in my arms . . . I knew that I couldn’t have just one night. I wanted more. Still do.”

Oh, these were all the things that girls want boys to say to them, but they were wrong in this context.

“Just because you want something, doesn’t mean you can have it,” I said.

“Actually, it’s been my experience that it does. I always get what I want, even if I have to work for it.” He was incorrigible.

“Why are you making this so hard on me, Lucas? Oh, and why did you ask me to call you Lucah?”

That caught him off guard. Hmm.

“It’s . . . it’s a nickname I had when I was young. Only certain people are allowed to call me that.”

“And I’m a certain person?”

Our eyes met and locked.

“You are.”

I took a shaky breath.

“I can’t deny that one night wasn’t enough for me, but I can’t let this, or whatever it could be jeopardize my job. This is my life. I’ve known I was going to work here since I could crawl down those hallways. I took my first steps outside Dad’s office. This is who I am and I don’t know how to add you to the picture without wrecking everything.” He waited, because he knew there was more.

“With that said, how about we continue our . . . nights outside the office. Just nights. And then we’ll come in the next day and we can function, because right now, I don’t feel like I’m functioning. I’m still doing my job, but it’s not the same.” I didn’t mean to tell him all that, but it was pointless to try to hide how I was feeling.

“I know. I’m . . . I’m so sorry about all of this.” What did he have to be sorry for? I could have slapped him with a harassment suit at any time and tossed him out on his ass. But then he could have thrown it in my face, since I was his boss and in a position of power to leverage him for sex.

“It’s not your fault. We just have to figure out how to work around this. Maybe . . . maybe I can get you transferred to another department. Then at least we wouldn’t have to stare at each other all day long.”

He half smiled. “But I like staring at you all day long.”

I bit my lip. “Yeah, me too. I mean, staring at you. I don’t stare at myself.”

That elicited another real smile from him.

“Nights?” he said, the smile widening and becoming more wicked.

“Nights. Only nights.”

He got up from his chair and walked around my desk, then turned my chair to face him.

“Well, it’s night in England right now. And you know, this country was founded by Englishmen, so as far as I’m concerned that makes it night here by proxy.” He got down on his knees so our faces were at the same level.

“Is that some twisted way of saying that it’s five o’clock somewhere?”

“More or less.” His mouth was so close to mine. I felt like I hadn’t tasted it in so long. I could have a kiss, right? Just one little itty bitty kiss.

He stopped with his face only an inch away from mine and our noses almost brushed. He crossed his eyes at me and I couldn’t help but laugh.

And then my phone rang, shattering the moment. He groaned and I saw that it was one of the other executives, so it was important.

“I need to take this.” He nodded and stood up, but didn’t leave. I gave him a look and he put his hands up as if he surrendered and backed out of the room as I answered the phone.

He left my door open, and I swiveled my chair back around so I could watch him as he sat down at his desk. The call was quick, something that could have been taken care of via email, and I spent most of the time rolling my eyes and miming shooting myself as Lucas tried not to laugh at his desk. Whenever someone walked by we had to stop looking at each other.

I hung up from the unnecessary phone call and immediately dialed Lucas.

“We didn’t finish your three week evaluation.”

He hung up the phone and walked back into my office and shut the door.

“You rang?”

How could I be serious with him?

“You know that you’re doing well, and that there isn’t anything that’s a major problem. So just keep doing what you’re doing. The next time you’ll be evaluated, it will be in three months and I won’t be the one doing it, so you’re not going to be able to get away with all the stuff you’re getting away with right now. Don’t screw it up and don’t make me look bad. Here’s a copy of your evaluation to look over and sign. Now get out of my office,” I flung the piece of paper at him and pointed to the door.

“Bitch,” he said grabbing the paper and pretending to storm out, but when he got to his desk he stuck his tongue out at me, minus the silver bar. I still needed to ask him about that.

I picked up the phone again.

“When did you get your tongue pierced?”

“You know, telling me to leave your office and then calling me back sends a bit of a mixed message.”

“Just answer the question and get back to work.”

“In my wild youth. Good-bye, Miss Clarke.” He chuckled and hung up. I glared at him and shook my head. And then I went back to work.

16

“So,” he said as we got into the elevator at the same time that night. I knew he’d totally planned this, but I wasn’t complaining.

“So.”

“Your place or mine?” he said, moving closer to me and taking my hand. I pulled mine away, because we were still in the building and I wasn’t taking any chances.

“Well, I have a roommate, sooo . . .”

“Ah, right. My place then. I’d like to see your place though.” I didn’t want him to see it until I’d cleaned it and then the housekeeper had come and then I’d cleaned it again.

“Maybe sometime. But do you mind if I go home first and get some things? Not that I don’t love using your shower gel, but your shampoo sucks.”

He nodded and the elevator reached the ground floor and we exited together.

“See you . . . in an hour? Don’t worry about eating. I’ll take care of dinner.” Ah, a man who took charge. Sexy.

“Okay.”

“Okay.” There was a pause, as if both of us wanted to kiss the other good-bye, but we couldn’t. People walked around us, oblivious.