Page 24 of Forbidden Desires

Mae takes my arm, hooking it with hers. “So, you think you can call this place home?”

“You know what? I feel more at home here after one day than I did in all my twenty-three years in New York. I think I’ve found not just my home but my people.” I smile at her, feeling blessed. She hugs me, and I reciprocate, grateful for the newfound warmth in my life.

When I finally crawl into bed, I pull out my phone and stare at the messages from Brody. There’s one more.

MY SOUTHERN HERO: Hope you’re tucked up safely in bed, ready for a big day at work tomorrow.

GISELE:You’re taking this protective hero job way too seriously.

I decide to send another, just so he won’t worry.

GISELE:But yes. Don’t want to piss off my grumpy boss on my second day.

The three dots dance, and I know I’m about to get a response from him.

MY SOUTHERN HERO:I heard he was supportive and approachable, loved by all.

GISELE:Don’t know who gave you that impression. The guy I met today was a real grump.

I laugh to myself as I hit send.

MY SOUTHERN HERO:You better get to sleep, don’t want to get on his bad side. I hear he’s into punishment.

Oh, shit, did he really just write that? I read it again. And yes, he did. Now he’s flirting with me, picking up right where we left off in New York. I think about messaging something back, maybe playing along, but decide to leave it. He’s right, I really do need to get to sleep, and while sexting him could be fun, he’s already made it way too clear nothing can ever happen between us, so why get myself all worked up. Today was massive, and something tells me tomorrow will be just as full-on. Eventhrough my exhaustion, I can’t wipe the stupid smile from my face. My steamy one-night stand just became my boss.

Chapter 11

Brody

Gisele arrives fifteen minutes before our meeting, and I see her rushing past my door like she’s on a mission. The click of her heels against the office floorechoes in the hallway. She’s wearing a fitted sheath dress in black that hugs her curves, but it’s her hot-pink heels that make me move toward the door so I can watch her walk the rest of the hall to her office. When I first saw her yesterday, I knew having her around would be distracting, but I didn’t see myself checking the time impatiently just to catch a glimpse of her.

I lean against the doorframe, subtly watching her as she hurries down the hall. Her flawless little body disappears into her office, and her eyes meet mine as she clicks the door shut. I let out a slow exhale. I fell asleep last night after getting off to the thought of her. I know giving her my number and texting her was a bad idea, but when I saw her sitting at the bar with my buddies, something came over me. A possessiveness. She was mine first, I found her, and now they all got to be friends with her, drinking like old friends while I slaved away at work. I called her outside to make a point. I wanted to be on her mind like she was on mine.

Parker appears in the hallway, an ominous smirk on his lips, and I know I have just made it way too easy for him to catch me acting like a creeper. “You had to pull an all-nighter to get ready for this meeting?” He laughs, implying I look like shit. While work-related stress would normally be the reason for not quite being ready for our management meeting, today it’s the golden-haired beauty wearing the hot-pink heels.

I straighten up and run a hand through my hair, attempting to compose myself. Bumping into her last night had me on edge, reliving every second of the night we had together. I’m worried about her in this new place. The type of friends she’s making, both female and male. I know it’s none of my business, I’m just herboss—I made that very clear yesterday. But I didn’t like seeing her out with that particular group last night. I know all of them well, and while I would trust Elliot and Parker with my life, I don’t want them around her when I know I have to keep my distance.

Parker is one of my closest friends. After spending most of our childhood totally inseparable, I went off to college, and he joined the Army with Elliot. He returned home a couple of years ago with a chip on his shoulder he refuses to talk about and an engineering degree. He’s worked the last five years in construction and property development and was one of the first to offer help reinventing The Alexander. Where I focus on crunching the numbers, he has a groundbreaking vision to revitalize this place. We make a good team, but that doesn’t mean I want him anywhere near Gisele.

As Parker chuckles, I shoot him a half-smile, trying to play off the unease. “Nah, just had a late night. You know how it is.”

He raises an eyebrow, still grinning. “Late night, huh? Anything interesting keeping you up?”

I shake my head, not willing to share the details of my encounter with Gisele. “Just work stuff. Let’s get ready for this meeting.” I turn away, fixing my tie and tucking in my shirt. I feel his scrutinizing eyes boring into me. “How was your evening?” I inquire, searching for any scrap of information he has on Gisele and what she got up to after I left.

Parker leans against the doorway, arms crossed, his lips turning up at the side into an arrogant smile. “Interesting. Your new event coordinator is a lucky find. I can see why you put her straight into the eventsrole,” he says, his eyes still assessing me with curiosity. I wonder what exactly he is trying to imply. That I hired Gisele because she’s attractive? He should know me better than that.

I shoot him a firm look, straightening my posture. “She was employed by Emerson,” I clarify, not wanting him to get carried away with assumptions. The last thing I need is whispers getting around this place that I am just like my father. After that article, it’s been hard enough defending our reputation.

“Uh-huh,” he says, his tone suggesting there’s more to the situation. “She is certainly causing a frenzy wherever she goes. Paisley is obsessed with her already, and the looks she gets from random people on the street—she’s something special. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”

"Where have you been with her that you even noticed how people react to her, apart from McAllister's?" I huff.

He grins, having just gotten the reaction out of me he wanted. “We drove in together this morning. She doesn’t have her own car yet. And since we both had to be in earlier, I let her ride with me.”

“That was nice of you,” I mutter, unimpressed.

“Paisley set it up. I think she’s trying to fix us up. And I had to show our newest resident a little Southern charm since she won’t get it from you,” he says, taking another dig.

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