"But I'm not in love with her." He strokes the smooth desktop with his long fingers, caressing it like he's making love to the polished wood. "I want you, Elena, not her. If it weren't completely inappropriate, I'd have you on this desk right now."
My body reaffirms its desire to do anything he wants, making me feel warm all over. No way will I have sex with him at work. Never going to happen. Never, never, never.
I gaze into his eyes, and his lips slide into a soft smile.
Not today, at least.
"Please have dinner with me," he says. "Let me make up for my behavior the other night."
Holy heaven, I want to say yes. Dinner with a sexy, gorgeous, charming British man? Double yes, count me in. But I have to say no.
"That would be inappropriate," I say. "You're my boss."
"I agree, but I can't resist a woman who knows at least twelve German numbers and who makes me so hard I could pound nails into a wall with my cock."
A laugh splutters out of me. "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard."
He grins. "At least I made you laugh."
It's not fair for him to be so cute and so swoon-worthy at the same time.
"Our relationship has to be professional," I tell him. "Nothing more."
He sighs. "All right, I'll give it a go. But I can't stop myself from wanting you, and I can't swear I won't at least try to kiss you."
"I'm sure you can restrain yourself if you really work at it."
"For you, I'll try anything." He leans back in his chair, but his fingers still stroke the desktop. "Raisa has it wrong. I amyourslave, Miss Linwood."
Having no clue what to say to that, I excuse myself and head back to my desk in the cubicle zone.
And I keep thinking about him.
Chapter Three
Chance
I show extraordinary willpower by keeping my hands off Elena for a full three hours. But honestly, it's her fault when my resolve slips. I call her to ask for a file, and she says she'll bring it to me. A few seconds later, she sashays past the open door of my office on her way to the file room, hips swaying, head held high. A slight smile tugs at her mouth, but she doesn't glance my way. The sight of her tight arse and those breasts, covered but not really concealed by her clothes, does me in. I grab a paperweight off my desk and fist my hand around it. Loosen my fist. Tighten it. Loosen. Tighten.
But in my mind, I'm closing my hand around one of those perfect breasts.
Maybe I haven't seen her naked yet and don't actually know what her breasts look like, but I'm positive they are perfect. Elena Linwood has curves in all my favorite places and a mouth that I loved kissing.
How can I work with her and never touch her again?
I should resign immediately, then drag Elena into the nearest closet and shag her until she screams.
But I can't. First of all, it would be very wrong. After the way I behaved on Friday night, I want to prove to Elena I'm not an arse who cares only about his own pleasure. Second, I promised Raisa I'd help her with her little problem. If she thinks she can use this situation to seduce me into taking her back, she will be severely disappointed. I don't love her anymore. I respect her legal skills and determination, and I know deep down she's not a rotten bitch. Still, I don't approve of the way she's been treating her employees lately. Maybe I can convince her to stop taking her frustrations out on them. I'm the reason she's acting this way, so it's my responsibility to set things right.
How the bloody hell will I pull that off?
Maybe I should've accepted Garth Leonard's offer. I'd be in New Hampshire now, far away from Raisa.
And Elena.
No, I don't want to be anywhere else.
Elena sashays into my office and sets the file on my desk. "Here's the information you need, sir. Do you require anything else?"