Page 24 of Redeem Me

‘Wonderful. Speaking of fun, seeing as you’re here to put the kids to bed, I’m going out later.’ I lean back in my chair and swirl the wine around my glass.

‘Look! A rabbit!’ Orla exclaims, pointing to the open patio doors before dashing out into the evening sun. Owen is on her heels and the two of them speed across the lawn.

Caelon’s expression is thunderous. ‘Absolutely not.’ His tone leaves no room for debate.

‘Excuse me?’ I thought he’d have been pleased at the reprieve from the weirdness between us.

‘I said no.’ His black eyes blaze. ‘You’re not going out tonight.’

‘You’re not my father.’ Though, I wouldn’t be averse to calling him daddy, especially if he did that thing to me again…

‘No, I’m not your father. I’m your boss. And you’re needed here tonight.’ He grits his teeth.

‘But on Fridays you said you like to…’ I swat a hand towards the kids, who are still searching for a rabbit that’s long bolted. If I had any sense, I’d do the same. Because the man in front of me is glowering at me like he’s dreaming up ways to punish me.

‘Not every Friday.’ He places his glass on the table and folds his arms across his chest. ‘There’s no way you’re going out to get laid tonight. No fucking way.’ His eyes are cold, but I sense a blazing inferno behind his steely front.

‘Who said anything about getting laid?’ Anyone with an iota of sense would get up and leave the table right now. Instead, I’m egging him on, calling him out on his bullshit. ‘But if I want to, what’s it got to do with you, anyway?’

‘If I can’t have you, you can be damned fucking sure no one else is going to. Not while you work for me, at least.’

I should be horrified. I should be outraged. But no, my Caelon-sabotaged-vagina is positively preening.

So much for Tranquil.

We’re both tortured, because this thing can never happen between us, but tell that to my vagina because she didn’t receive the memo.

No, she glimpsed a neon-green radiant light.

And now she’s intent on driving us all the way to Dickville, even if the road is narrow, winding and entirely uphill.

Chapter Twelve

CAELON

Something about the woman drives me so crazy, I barely recognise myself.

Who the fuck do I think I am?

I know who I’m not.

I know who I can never be.

What I can never be. But being around Ivy does things to me. Stirs sensations in my stomach that I haven’t felt for a long time.

The thought of her going out to a bar, of another man touching her, kissing her, makes me nauseated. I’ve no right to stop her going out. I’ve no claim on her. I’m so fucked up, and she’s so flawless, I can offer her nothing. I could pretend I’m protecting her the way I promised Dermot when he heard his sister was working for me, but this has fuck all to do with Dermot, and everything to do with the way I can’t stop staring at her. Can’t stop thinking about her.

Knowing she’s down the corridor every night is a fresh brand of torture. I’ve never been interested in another woman. Not before Isabella. Not after Isabella. Not untilher.

‘You don’t want anyone else to have me…’ she processes out loud, her pearly white teeth digging into her lower lip.

I hold her gaze as the air thickens between us. Now I’ve basically banned her from going out, there’s no point tiptoeing around the fact she’s driving me insane with lust. ‘The attraction between us is painful.’

‘But you’ve been actively avoiding me since I moved in. You’ve been colder than ice.’ Confusion colours her tone.

‘Because I’m so fucking hot for you, I’m walking around with a permanent semi in my pants,’ I hiss. ‘Because every time I look at you, the urge to tear your clothes off consumes me, and because none of that is okay, for a hundred different reasons, not least because you’re too young, you’re my best friend’s sister, you’re the nanny, and we’re living together in the house where my children sleep.’

She shifts in her seat, arching forwards like she’s about to challenge me. The simple summer dress she’s wearing is so thin it’s practically see through and it’s not helping my resolve.

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