Page 26 of The Substitute
His jaw clenches, and that only makes my smile widen. “I’m a polite professional behaving in such a manner. So, yes, they’re nice.”
I don’t have to take the extension on this contract. I can decline and maybe see if there’s anything here with this man because I can’t seem to get him out of my system, no matter how hard I’ve tried over the past few weeks. Catching my lip between my teeth, I step farther into the room.
“And if you weren’t being professional? What might you say then?”
“Maya.” He doesn’t look away from me, but I can see the yearning in his eyes. “You’re the one who set the fucking boundaries here. Don’t forget that.”
Now I feel like a shit. He’s right, I did. But damn it, I am so freaking attracted to him. He’s like a magnet, and I can’t stay away from him.
“It’s just a question.” I look down into my mug again and then back up at him. “I’m not trying to play games with you or send mixed signals.”
He seems to struggle with a decision and then says, in a hard, firm voice, “I’d tell you that those shoes make me hard and I’d like you to wear them and nothing else as I sling your legs over my shoulders and fuck you seven ways to Sunday.”
Overcome with lust, I swallow hard and lick my lips.
“Okay, then.”
Chapter Seven
Derek
What the fuck does she want from me? I’ve been nothing but polite and distant for the past two weeks, keeping to my end of this bloody bargain.
Nothing personal. No crossing lines. When all I’ve wanted to do is ignore every fucking line there is and have my way with her.
Jesus, last weekend, I thought about taking her home with me. Home! Me! I’ve never taken a woman to my house, yet this particular female—whom I’ve known for less than a month—has turned me inside out.
“Thanks for the coffee.” She forces a smile and then turns on those goddamn fuck-me heels and marches out the door, leaving it open behind her.
I’ve done what she asked me to do. I apologized, and we’ve managed to keep things cordial and easy. Sure, there are moments when I’m an ass, but she lets it roll off her back and handles me as if she’s done it all her life. Hell, she does such a good job for me that I asked the agency to extend her contract. If things continue to go well, I’ll offer her a full-time job and just suffer through this bloody yearning for her, because she’s the best assistant I’ve had in months.
I thought I simply wanted to fuck her.
Now, I find myself wanting to know her, and that’s bloody baffling to me. Perhaps I simply want to ask her personal questions because I’m not allowed to, and we always want what we can’t have.
Unable to stop myself, I randomly grab a file and walk out to Maya’s desk.
“This needs to be filed. Please.”
She nods but doesn’t look me in the eyes as she takes the folder from me and crosses to the filing cabinet. She frowns when she turns back and sees that I’m still there.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Yes. You can tell me what in the shagging hell you want from me, Maya.” I haven’t raised my voice, but it’s hard. “You set the boundaries, and you’re my employee, so I’ve done everything I can to make sure you’re comfortable.”
“I’m comfortable,” she assures me. “Don’t worry about me.”
And yet, I do worry about her. I think about her all fucking night and weekend whenever I’m not near her.
She’s in all my thoughts.
And I can’t have her.
“I’ll go ahead and extend the contract,” she continues with another forced smile. “I got the call this morning. Thanks for that, by the way. Now I don’t have to worry about being unemployed for a while.”
“Maya.”
“Yes?”