Page 47 of Forbidden Desires

I pull her on top of me. “If that’s what you want.”

“I don’t like keeping secrets, but I understand the importance of this one. I don’t want you or Emerson to miss out on what's yours because of me. So, for now, we make this work. And you don’t have to worry about Mason, I was never interested in him. You’re the only one I want.”

She kisses me, and I know I am. Now I just need to work out how to save the hotel and keep her as well.

Chapter 22

Gisele

Paisley comes barreling toward me with a bundle of roses wrapped up in brown paper cradled in her arms. “Hey, girl, have you been avoiding me this week?”

I laugh at her dramatics and drop my nose to the soft-looking flowers, inhaling their sweet scent. “Not avoiding you, I just had a big week. I’ve been stuck at the office more than usual trying to get it all figured out.” Not to mention Brody and I can’t keep our hands off each other and sneaking around to his private meeting spots is taking up a lot of my day. Not that I’m complaining, messing around with him is hot. And the way he makes me feel when we're together is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Who knew having a secret relationship with your boss could be so exhilarating? But it has left little time for the girls.

“Well, alright then.” She assesses me, a sassy smirk on her red lips. “So, what happened with the grump? Did you get a detention on Monday for staying out too late and getting drunk?” She laughs at her own joke.

I would like to tell her he found his own way of punishing me with his mouth, his hands, and his dick, but that would go against our agreement to keep this thing to ourselves. “Um… nothing,” I lie, knowing how guilty I look. I’m not good at keeping secrets, so I figure it’s best to say nothing at all.

“You expect me to believe you went home with the guy who’s been eye-fucking you since you got here and didn’t return until nearly twenty-four hours later and nothing happened? I wasn’t born yesterday, darlin’.”

I raise a brow, telling her this won’t be discussed, especially here at work. “How did your night go? You end up realizing Jake was the one you should have been with all along?” I bat my eyelashes playfully, and she laughs.

“I love the guy, but I think he’s been in the friend zone way too long. There’s no spark.” She pouts, sounding disappointed. “We’re just really good friends.”

“There has to be a spark,” I agree dreamily, thinking back to the electricity between me and Brody. When we're together there is no denying how right it feels, it’s explosive.

“I tried. I keep trying, but no one seems to give me that feeling anymore. You know the one where you get all tingly inside, and you just know that you need to jump their bones.”

I nod. I know exactly what she’s talking about. “How long has it been?”

Sadly, she shakes her head. “Too long. Way too long.”

“What about the guy with the holiday house? That wasn’t all that long ago.”

“He was just a distraction. He didn’t do it for me either, but it was easy to spend his money.” She sighs, sounding sad about it. I feel bad for her, she’s normally so upbeat.

For the first time since I met Paisley, I feel like she’s being real with me, not just putting on a show for attention. Someone hurt her terribly, that much is obvious, and I feel kind of sad for her. Here I was thinking she was a party girl just out for a bit of fun and whatever guy she could get her hands on. But she’s a fragile little flower just like the delicate roses she works with. She’s just better at hiding her pain than the rest of us. “Got to look on the bright side. There are plenty more fish in the sea,” I offer. It’s what I always try to do when things feel hopeless.

She shrugs, and I know she’s not convinced. “What about Mason? What did you think of him? He’s your type, right? Big and burly.”

“I don’t have a type,” I mutter, knowing the only one who is my type is Brody. And yes, he might be big and burly, but that’s beside the point.

“Uh-huh.” She rolls her eyes. “Looked like you two were getting along well. If it doesn’t work out with the boss man, you should go there.”

“He was nice.” I shrug, not sure what else to say. He was nice, but nice isn’t what I’m looking for. Not even close. I want dirty, forbidden screwing with a man who makes my heart race.A tingle runs through me thinking about our escapades over the last few days. It’s so hot with Brody.

“Hmm, nice isn’t the reaction he normally gets. Most girls would be lining up for a date with Mason, that’s why I picked him for you. That and the first night he saw you sitting with us in McAllister’s he was all flustered over you.”

“I guess I’m not most girls then, am I?”

“No kidding. You’re so different from any of the girls around here. But don’t look now cause I think you might have a fan.”

I glance over my shoulder to see Mason strutting toward us with way too much swagger. He smiles all sexy, and you can tell he’s a massive ladies’ man, one who’s used to getting what he wants. My heart drops. I’m not up for this conversation today. He didn’t message after our date, and I took that as a good thing.

“Well, fancy seeing you ladies here,” he says like he didn’t know this was where we both worked.

“Nice to see you again, Mason. I better get back to work. These roses aren’t going to arrange themselves.” She beams at me like it’s a good thing he came to see me. I beg her with my eyes not to leave me alone with him. But she either doesn’t understand the silent message I’m sending her, or she doesn’t care, because she offers a cheeky wave then wanders away.

“Jake says you should call him,” Mason tells her.

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