: Chapter 29

“What do you think?” I say, leaning forward and watching him closely. Wait for it, I think, wait for it, any moment now … Boom! I see the moment he bites into the donut ball, and I laugh at his expression.

“Holy fucking shit!” he says, his eyes wide. He carries on chewing, and I grin at him. I would have been so disappointed if he hadn’t reacted exactly like that.

“Wow, they really do explode, don’t they? What’s in these things, fucking cocaine?”

We’re sitting on the benches that line the river, looking across the water. You get way better views from Brooklyn because you’re looking at Manhattan, and I’ve really enjoyed showing Drake around my neighborhood. Obviously, he’s been to Brooklyn many times before, but not my Brooklyn.

“I know, right?” I reply, delighted with his response. “I told you they were great.”

“You did. In fact, this whole day has been great. I’ve got the sneaky feeling that’s because … you’re great.”

“Aw,” I say, pulling a goofy face. “That’s so sweet—and undoubtedly true. So, I showed you my old school, and I showed you Wanda’s and O’Kelly’s, the bar where I first got drunk.”

“You did. I think I’ve had the complete Amelia-in-Brooklyn guided tour.”

“More of a highlight reel. I wish … I wish I could have shown you my mom’s house. I mean, I did show you my mom’s house, but I wish we could have gone in, you know? I’d love for you to meet her. I feel like I always talk about her when she’s sick or when I’m stressed, and I skip over the fact that she’s a lot of fun.”

He smiles at me, his head tilted to one side and sunlight glinting from his dark hair. He’s wearing the most un-Drake clothes I’ve ever seen him in—a pair of gray sweatpants and an I-heart-NY hoodie that he picked up from Mr. Aziz’s Mini-mart. He was wearing his usual suit when he turned up at my place, and I think we were both surprised that he spent the night.

“I know.” He raises my hand to his mouth for a kiss. “I’d love to meet her too. And maybe I will. I suppose we have a lot to figure out, don’t we, Miss Ryder?”

“We sure do. Is it … Is it too complicated for you, Drake?”

He pulls me into his arms and holds me so tight I can’t breathe. It’s the absolute best hug I’ve ever had. “It’s complicated, yeah. But too complicated? No. You’re worth a little complication. What about you? Any second thoughts?”

I wonder what he’d do if I told him I’d decided it wasn’t worth the risk. Because I am taking a risk, more than he even knows. This isn’t only about my job or my career or my reputation. It’s about my heart. I haven’t told him that I’m in love with him, but there’s no getting away from it—I am hopelessly in love with Drake James.

“None,” I say firmly, luxuriating in the simple pleasure of being with him. We’ve carried so much tension around with us for so long that this feels like paradise. To finally be able to relax, to enjoy each other’s company, is bliss. That and all the orgasms, of course. “I don’t care how messy it is. As you said, worth it. Like those exploding donut balls and the calories.”

“I’d better be careful with those. I don’t want to get fat. You’ll find some new guy with a six-pack to take care of your insatiable appetite.”

“Drake James, are you fishing for compliments? Because you are so not fat, and I can’t imagine you ever will be. But even if you were …”

“Even if I were?”

“Well, even if you were, you’d still have your magic tongue, wouldn’t you?” I blush as I say it but force myself to meet his eyes.

His pupils flare, and he growls, “You’re really becoming quite forward, Miss Ryder.”

“I know,” I say, laughing. “I’m different when I’m with you. It’s not just a Scarlet or Amelia thing. It’s all of it. The way you make me feel. The confidence you give me. I like the new me.”

“So do I. Though I do think the new you is a little on the bratty side. I suspect she needs tying up and punishing.” He arches an eyebrow at me, and his words go straight to my core.

I feel a familiar little throb between my legs, a pulsing heat that tells me I’m interested. “Hmmm. Maybe she does.”

He takes hold of my face, one big hand on either side, and kisses me so thoroughly that I’m dizzy when he lets me go. It’s lucky I’m sitting down. “There are so many things I want to do with you, Amelia.”

“Like what?” I ask, looking up at him from beneath my eyelashes.

“Like tying you up and spanking your bratty little ass. Maybe doing something else with it too.” He squeezes my ass cheek hard.

Does he mean …? “Drake!” I say, shocked. Shocked but unexpectedly thrilled at the prospect.

“Have you ever been fucked in the ass, mi rosa?” he asks, his lips quirked up in a half-smile, his eyes blazing. He tugs his hoodie down over his groin, and I know what’s going on in those sweatpants. An enormously hard cock is what’s going on, and it’s all for me.

“No,” I reply quietly, forcing myself to meet his eyes even though I’m nervous.

His gaze runs over my lips. “You’re trembling, Amelia. Don’t worry, I’m not going to do it right now. I’m not going to do it at all if you don’t want me to.”

I suck on my teeth and snuggle closer into his embrace. Who am I kidding? Of course I want him to. “I want to try everything with you, Drake. Everything. I mean, you tried Mario’s exploding donut balls for me.”

“I don’t think Mario’s exploding donut balls are in quite the same category of experimentation as light bondage and anal, baby, but I like your spirit.” He brushes his fingertips over my cheeks. “I can’t fucking wait to explore it all with you. We just need to make sure we always communicate, okay? Let me know if you need something I’m not giving you.”

I can’t imagine ever needing anything that this man can’t provide, but I nod. “I will.” We spent too long apart because we weren’t communicating properly, and I don’t want that to happen again. In that vein, I should probably ask him what’s been on my mind all morning. “Would you stay over again tonight? I mean you don’t have to, it’s just … It would be really nice if you could.” The thought of him leaving is already making me sad, and I can’t bear the idea of saying goodbye when we’ve only just said hello.

He’s silent for a few moments, and I think I’ve blown it already. I curl into myself, anticipating his rejection. “I can’t bear the thought of being away from you tonight, mi rosa,” he replies eventually. “I was just trying to figure out some logistics. I do have some work I need to do, and I’m not sure I want to buy more of my clothes from Mr. Aziz’s Mini-mart.”

“Why not? They suit you.” He gives me a “yeah, right” look, and I carry on. “I’ll come back to your hotel with you instead if you prefer. Or you could work from my apartment, and I’ll take your shirt and suit to the laundromat.”

The shocked look on his face is a picture. Suits like his require expert cleaning, but I enjoy pushing his buttons so much. “The laundromat?”

I swallow a laugh. “Uh, yeah. It’s a place where normal people wash their clothes.”

“I know what a damn laundromat is, you cheeky minx. But that suit is bespoke Armani. Dry-clean only.”

Unable to contain my laughter any longer, I let out a very unattractive snort that makes him laugh too. “Some secretary I turned out to be, huh?” I say, my eyes wide with fake innocence.

He hums softly. “You have other skills. I especially liked that thing you did with your mouth this morning. Fuck, how the hell am I going to keep my damn hands off you now? It’s going to be even harder at work.”

I slip my hand along his thigh. “So far, it’s been hard everywhere.”

“Can’t help it. I can’t get enough of you, and neither can my cock. And that’s fine everywhere else, but in the office? There’s no way I can cope with seeing you every day and not fucking you. How will I look at you in your sexy little outfits⁠—”

“I do not wear sexy little outfits.”

“That, baby, is in the eye of the beholder—you always look sexy to me. I’ve been fantasizing about that wrap dress of yours for way too long. You, the dress, my desk. Me, balls-deep in your tight wet pussy. Choking you with those strings of pearls. Fuck, keeping this a secret is going to be impossible.”

I’m feeling a little short of breath after that speech, and my pulse is pounding away in time with the throbbing in my core. His fantasies have become mine too.

“Unless you want to tell everyone?” he asks. “And not only because I want to fuck you over my desk, but because I want to make this work, mi rosa. So, whatever you need …”

My heart almost explodes with happiness when he says he wants to make this work. “I don’t think I’m ready for everyone to know yet, Drake. As much as you’re worried about being known as the guy screwing his secretary, it’s way worse to be known as the woman banging her new boss.”

He sucks on his top lip and nods. “I get it. We’ll keep it under wraps. It’ll be a piece of cake, right?” He winks at me, and I almost melt into his lap.

“It can’t be any more difficult than the last few months, can it? I swear, the amount of times I’ve imagined kneeling at your feet and unzipping your pants while you’re dictating …” I press my hand over my mouth to stifle a snigger.

“Miss Ryder.” He gasps loudly before burying his lips against my neck. “I hope you know that is how all dictation is going to go from here on out.”

He tickles me, and I burst into a fit of giggles, wondering how on earth my world got so big and bright so quickly.