Page 56 of Boss from Hell

I tried to keep a neutral face as I told them how productive it had been for the company, and how my boss and I had bonded professionally. All the while, an ache wedged itself in the middle of my chest and sat there, refusing to move or melt away.

Damn Max Frost.

Chapter 31

Max

It had been one hell of a week… and it wasn’t over yet.

Pure torture. Keeping my need for Lillian reigned in when all I wanted to do was go back to her apartment and fuck her senseless, or until her wobbly bed broke. I kept thinking of the way she was at the beginning, cool as a cucumber, unflappable, her eyes more serene than a frozen blue lake… until I put her on my desk and opened her legs.

But I’d promised myself to keep away, and no matter how hard it was, that was what I did. The distance did help and I managed to clear my head enough to come up with a workable plan of how to trap my competitor. I realized that whoever was behind the bugs was an amateur.

Only someone who didn’t have any real business sense would try to copy another businessman’s idea in such a way. Also, the fact that they had moved so quickly on the idea showed they had done no research of their own and had relied solely on Chris’s findings. Who did that?

But something also told me this was personal.

Whoever it was knew me.

It could even be someone seeking revenge.

I planned to go back to work as if nothing had happened and let the bugs pick up my conversations with Chris. The conversations would signal my intention to acquire a company that we had, in reality, already acquired recently through a shell company. The moment the people behind the bugs tried to acquire that company they would show their hand.

And then I would find out exactly where Lillian came in.

The plan was simple, but the execution would not be.

When I arrived at work, Lillian was not in. I glanced at her chair and realized that I hated seeing it empty. She brought life and animation to that dead space. The day she left would indeed be a sad day.

I had barely sat down and turned on my computer when I heard her come in. I couldn’t stop my legs from jumping up and walking over to the door.

“Good morning,” I said.

She whirled around. As our gazes met her cheeks flushed and she flashed me a huge smile. She was happy to see me. It was impossible not to see that. No matter whether she was a spy or not that smile was real. I would stake my life on it.

“You’re back. I thought you were away for the whole week,” the beauty said.

My heart thumped rapidly, foolishly as if I was face to face with my latest crush. I disliked myself at that moment.

My gaze dropped to her lips and I found myself longing for their softness against mine. I caught myself.Hold on there, son.This is not how we’re playing this. Either I controlled myself for a few days and got this done, or I ruin it all by allowing myself to act like a lovesick teen.

I forced myself to calm down and summoned grumpy Max. It was not too hard to do.

“I sorted my problem out quicker than I anticipated. Can we go over my updated schedule?" I asked coldly.

She flinched, taken aback at the sharpness in my voice. I saw her swallow hard as hurt squeezed her chest.

“Of course,” she mumbled. Grabbing her iPad, she followed me to my office. Her perfume teased my senses as she trailed after me. My gaze moved to her breasts and I remembered the firm feel of her flesh underneath me. Against my will, an ache formed between my legs and I cursed my body for its disloyalty.

She sat down and pretended to be busy with her iPad.

“I’m ready,” she said, her sexy voice, curling around me and heating my blood.

No woman had ever affected me the way she did. I cleared my throat and forced myself to focus on my schedule. Thankfully, the years of pure self-discipline took over and I became the professional who had grown this company into what it was today. When we were done, I dismissed her and turned my attention to my computer screen. For a few seconds, she stood undecided, but I played my part so well, that she incorrectly assumed I had forgotten she was still in my office.

She was nearly in tears as she hurried out. I had to clench my hands into fists to stop myself from going after her.

I stared out of the window. I was so aware of the bugs. Of someone listening to everything I was saying. My door opened suddenly and I turned to see Lillian enter.