Page 54 of Boss Abroad
“Are you serious?” I spit in the sink and lean one hip against the counter. “What happened to lay low? Not feeding the hyenas?” I puff out my chest and do a poor job mimicking his voice. “It’s in your contract.”
“Like I said, I make the rules. If I don’t like them, I change them. Do you want to do this or not?”
“I do! I do!”
“You’ll stay with Terry until we believe it’s safe. I’m working on having your street cleared. Until then, you’re not leaving this room.”
I throw a challenging look his way. Does he realize he just dared me to leave this room?
“I hate that I didn’t see it coming.” I run the barely used toothbrush under water and apply more toothpaste to keep me busy as I talk. “We ditched paparazzi on our way in, but I never considered they’d take photos from inside the parking lot, and least of all, take it out of context like that. I’m his doctor, not a celebrity.”
I stare accusingly at him, but the guilt is mine to carry. “I was worried about elevator cameras when I should’ve been concerned about Max’s fucking paparazzi.”
“I get that you were worried about being seen with me and what that might do to your reputation. But yes, tabloids are ruthless, and Max is a big deal around here.”
“So are you, Mr. UK’s Most Eligible Bachelor.”
“Ha! Saw that, did you?” He casts his eyes down with the first glimpse of self-consciousness I've ever seen in him. “You don’t need to stress about me, though. I’ve been worried about my privacy for the better half of my life. I’ve learned how to protect it. This?” He motions a finger between us. “I can make it stealth. I made it in and out of your flat yesterday and no one caught wind of it.”
“Oh, my God. Yes. How did you do it?” He just flashes me his eyebrows and I resign to never knowing because I’ve done my share of begging to this man already.
“I had a feeling you’d agree to this, so I’ve already started the arrangements to make it happen. For today, you stay here. Work on your statement.”
“I have to go to work. I’ve scheduled a bunch of exams for Max and?—”
“Don’t worry, I told them not to expect you today.” And that sucks all the joy out of my body.
“Excuse me?” I put the toothbrush down with a clatter. “You said what? Them who? What exactly did you say, Liam?”
The whole world thinks I’m in bed with Max. I don’t need my coworkers to think I’m in bed with my boss. Doesn’t matter if the latter is accurate.
“Do not take me for stupid or careless, April. I wasn’t expected at the club today. I told my PA I’d be working from home and sent an email telling the physiotherapist and Sinclair that I made you take the day off. Said you’d been told to keep a low profile until the paparazzi leave your doorstep. I didn’t say or act in any way that would raise suspicions.” His condescending tone pushes me over the edge.
“You made me?” I stand taller and move away from my toothbrush before I’m too tempted to hit his head with it. “I’ve been told to?”
That earns me a smirk out of him and I feel my scalp prickling with anger. Heaven help me right now. My temper boils over and it looks like Liam finds my state highly amusing. Which makes me angrier, of course.
And believe me, it’s a freaking challenge to stay mad as I look at him soaping himself in the shower.
“Would it be too much to ask that you show me some respect, Liam?”
“I did not disrespect you. That’s how I communicate with my employees. People would find it suspicious if I treated you differently.”
“I don’t care if you’re a jackass to everyone, all the time. It doesn’t make it better that it’s not personal. You will not order me around.” I’m close to screaming by this point, about to lose my high ground.
I take a deep breath, inhaling calm and exhaling murderous inklings, then I say it again, with the most poise I can gather, “You will not order me around, Liam,” I repeat.
He’s unaffected, holding in a smile with his neck tilted mischievously to one side. Then realization dawns on me, and I know exactly what kind of ordering around he’s thinking of.
I look down to hide my own smile, trying to hold on to my anger, but I can’t help but laugh at yet another side of this man.
Liam is bossy, intense, borderline too much, but he can also be silly and funny. He makes me relax and laugh and I bet not many people get to see that side of him.
I can tell he’s going to keep surprising me if I stick around. Which I won’t, of course. So I’ll indulge in it right now, because we’re on a countdown and I want my fill of him while I can.
When I cast a look his way again, he’s pouring soap on his dick and rubbing it up and down temptingly slowly. He’s not smiling anymore when he says, “Tell me again you don’t like being ordered around, April. Or shall I remind you of last night yet one more time?”
My legs go weak at the sight of him and the roughness of his voice. Liam’s eyes hungrily run through my body and I realize that I’m standing here naked while he feasts at the sight of me.