Arrogant Boss

I burrowed my face closer to his neck and reveled in the strength of his body pressed against mine. It had become familiar to me so fast-the hard shapes of his chest, the curve of his biceps, the happiest of happy trails. “Nothing. Just thinking of how I don’t want you to invent a robot to replace me either.”

Julian laughed softly. “Good. I promise I won’t. And hey, you were great with Ryan. Maybe it’s because you have a younger brother too.”

“Maybe,” I said. “Or I’m just the troubled-youth-whisperer.”

“Either way, would you want to meet him again? I have a feeling… maybe you’ll be able to reach him where I can’t. I think you’d be good for him. ” Julian shook his head, the movement jostling me. “But maybe it’s a silly idea. You don’t have to-”

“Of course I want to.””You do?”

“Yes. He’s important to you.”

Julian’s eyes darkened as they gazed into mine, and then I was lifted up and off the kitchen counter. I wrapped my arms around his neck, clutching at him as he moved.

“Where are we going?””I had plans to suggest a quiet walk around the area, something cute and date appropriate. But no.” Julian carried me into the living room and unceremoniously dropped us down onto his wide couch, not loosening his grip on me. “I think I’ll just keep you captive here instead.”

I settled against the pillows, looking down at where he rested against my chest. Julian narrowed his eyes at me and demonstratively lifted my hand back up to the nape of his neck.

I grinned and continued stroking through his hair. “There are dirty dishes in the sink,” I murmured, teasing. “Great big coffee books about tech history to read.”

He didn’t even bother opening his eyes. “Fuck the dishes. Fuck the books.”

“You’re insatiable.”

Julian sighed in pleasure as I continued to stroke his hair. Dark, long lashes against high cheekbones. The straight, strong nose, lightly dusted with a tan. His hair was thick and dark, and somehow naturally fell in an elegant wave. His strong body was a warm and pleasant weight on top of me. I never wanted to move from this spot.

I continued to watch him and run my fingers through his hair, thinking that these were the moments I’d treasure when everything inevitably went south.

The invitation was glossy to the touch, the name printed in bold capital letters. Innovation Awards. The event was massive. I’d attended it for the last four years, but this time was different.

I was one of the nominees in the category: Greatest Outreach and Social Awareness Program. It was all because of the health app, as well as the new solutions to the hospital interface systems we’d developed.

The dating apps, the games-all of that was minor league shit. What I wanted to do was to find creative, tech-based solutions to real-life problems. And the industry had decided to honor that. From the moment I’d received the email about the nomination, I’d entertained the idea that I might win.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

How could I not?

I’d been competitive since birth, and it wasn’t impossible. Hunt Industries was one of the fastest growing players in the business. And if I was lucky enough to win, there was only one person I wanted with me there.

Emily.

But that would mean coming out as a couple. It meant that everyone in the company would know. It meant change. While I was more than willing to say fuck you to anyone who had anything negative to say, I’d learned the hard way that she would have to come to me.

But things seemed to be going my way.

She’d won Ryan over the past weekend, big time. He’d actually asked me later if he could ask her some questions about press and social media marketing, and I’d struggled to hide my surprise.

Emily had very quickly become the most important thing in my life. I wasn’t quite sure how to show her that yet, or how to hint at it without having her freak out. When Ryan had started talking about my feelings towards her, with her just upstairs, my heart had been beating fast with nerves. If she had come down and heard that-heard him saying just how in love I looked? I feared that she might have bolted.

Slow and steady, Julian…

As if I’d summoned her with my thoughts, Emily appeared at the threshold of my home office. Her hair fell in thick waves around her smiling face, her sundress clinging to her body. She was just as beautiful as she had been when I first saw her, in that dark club-but when she smiled at me?

It took my breath away.

“I’ll order some food before I have to head out. What do you want?”

“Pizza.”

“Again? Can’t we do sushi?”

I grinned. It had become a habit of ours-she’d come over, we’d sleep together, and eat takeout before she left-despite my attempts to get her to stay over again.

“Get whatever you want, Ace. We can order from two places.”

“That’s such a waste.” She frowned down at her phone. “We’d have to pay two delivery fees.”

I laughed and rose, crossing the room to grab her around the waist. I hoisted her up easily.

“Julian!”

“You’re ridiculous.” I carried her down the hallway. “Get whatever you want. It’s my app and account, anyway.”

Emily’s laughter was soft and sweet in my ear. “You really know how to be romantic.”

I gathered her closer and sank down onto the large couch in my living room. “I can be romantic.”

“Mhm, sure.”

“You’re the one who won’t let me, you know.”

Emily bit her lip and watched me with amusement. “Is that so?”

“Yeah. Not being seen in public, no dinners with candlelight, no flowers…” I trailed off and pressed kisses to her soft skin. “What’s a man to do with those restrictions? The only thing I have to offer is a wide selection of takeout options.”

Emily chuckled and rolled her hips against me. I couldn’t help groaning at the sensation as she ground right across the growing hardness in my pants.

“How about we skip takeout,” she murmured, “and go straight to dessert?”

“You’re very persuasive.”

I felt her smile against my lips before she kissed me. There was something about her touches that always managed to completely undo me. She was sexy as hell, don’t get me wrong, and she knew how to please a man. But she also touched me with tenderness and just a hint of nervousness. As if this meant more to her than her words let on.

As if I meant more to her than her words let on.

So I tugged her closer and kissed her back, willing my own kisses to tell her all the things I longed to do. To coax her into accepting this thing between us-into accepting to become more.

I was deep into my work, phone momentarily forgotten, and obsessing over a new print layout. We’d settled on a logo but there were still things to be decided with the slogans, the color schemes, and more importantly-the new website overhaul.

The door to my office was slightly open, a habit I had yet to shake. I glanced up only to see Julian slip inside with a devilish grin. He gently shut the door behind him, a cup of coffee in his hand.