Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Admitting momentary defeat, I headed to my office and spent the rest of the afternoon trying to focus on work.
Thank you.
Thank you.
The bland statement played on repeat, stealing my attention.
I hadn’t realized until she faced me with an unresponsive stare how much I enjoyed our banter. Our back and forth like a tantalizing form of foreplay without expectations for more. The disappointment sank awkwardly into the void her fiery response should have been, and it became impossible to ignore how much I craved it.
Irritation coiled in my mind, making it impossible to focus.
I didn’t want the cold, frozen relationship she tried to impose on me today, but didn’t know where to begin to fix it.
Relationship. Fix it.
The words shouldn’t appear anywhere near together when it came to Aspen and me. That they did should have stopped every thought in its track. The accompanying warning flag waving somewhere in the back of my head should have made me laugh and turn away.
Yet, I couldn’t stop rolling over the possibilities that created the change. I couldn’t stop the want from pulling ahead of reason. I wanted to fight with her. I wanted the enticing back and forth.
I needed to understand.
I imagined her indifference came from fearing her reaction when I spanked her. I’d only ever seen her in complete control and assumed she’d never met anyone like me—someone to show her how amazing releasing the tight grip on the reins could be.
And, unfortunately, if she was determined to keep her distance, I wouldn’t have another opportunity, either. That thought plagued me more than any of the others, thoroughly wiping away the lingering whispers of caution.
Before I knew it, the sun went down, and I’d barely managed a handful of phone calls. I dragged my hand down my face and closed my eyes, giving them a break from the bright screen. A soft knock on my door pulled them back open.
“Come in,” I called, surprised anyone was still there so late.
The door slowly opened, revealing the last person I expected to see. I rubbed my eyes, making sure I hadn’t fallen asleep and dreamed Aspen into existence.
“Hey,” she greeted quietly. “Do you have a minute?”
“Yeah.”
She entered and shut the door behind her. I attempted a blank stare, but the pinching tension between my brows let me know I failed. She walked between the two chairs in front of my desk and stood there, looking anywhere but at me, doing something I never thought I’d see her do—fidget.
Attempting to wait her out and let her break the silence, I took my time and categorized each inch of her. From her nude high heels, up her smooth legs, over the curve of her hips, stretching the cream dress wide before dipping back in at her waist and back out over her breasts. I lingered at the hint of cleavage before moving up her slender neck, past the bold splash of red staining her lips, currently pinned under her white teeth. When I finally reached the dark waves of her hair cascading against her shoulders, she still hadn’t spoken, and my curiosity won out.
“Can I help you with something, Miss Quinn?” Despite hating the formality, I followed her lead from earlier and avoided the familiarity of using her first name. If she could be cold, then so could I. Maybe receiving the placid reactions in return would spark her back into her snapping retorts.
Her teeth released their hold on her lip, quickly followed by her tongue soothing the bite. God, what I wouldn’t give to follow the same path—to taste her.
She took one step and then another. Slow at first, until finally closing the gap to my desk with a purpose. “I had to fire someone today,” she announced.
“Oh.” The lame response was the best I could manage in my confusion.
“It was just…stressful,” she explained.
Her eyes finally met mine, and I caught a glimpse of the raw emotion usually there. Flashes of steely strength within a nervous energy. I didn’t know what to make of it, but I took the opening to test the waters—pushing her buttons for a reaction.
“Too much for the boss’s daughter?” I taunted with my usual smirk.
“No.” A thrill shot down my chest to my cock when she gave a deadpanned stare and eye roll. “You just never know how they’ll react. So, you can only do so much to try to prepare for their response. Will it be quiet, polite, aggressive, rude, or something else entirely? Will they lash out and try to blame you for not doing enough to cultivate a better employee? Will they incite doubt among the office?”
I let her words sink in, taking time to read between the lines because I knew there had to be more behind what she said. I saw it in how she rubbed her thumb and forefinger together. I heard it in her hesitation to explain something that could be seen as a weakness. I didn’t know if Aspen went to anyone when she needed to talk—but she surely never came to me. So, why now?