Page 25 of Mated To My Boss

The truth I've been avoiding crashes over me. The hotel wasn't just physical attraction—it was a connection I've never felt with anyone else. And seeing her now, confident and self-assured rather than desperately chasing me, only makes that connection stronger.

I need to see her again. Not in this office, not surrounded by work and distractions. Somewhere we can really talk.

I pick up the phone to answer the client, but my mind is already made up.

As soon as I finish, I'll find her. I'll suggest the hotel—neutral ground where we can be honest with each other without the complications of work.I'm not promising her forever. I'm just promising her a real conversation. That's all this is.

But even as I think it, I know I'm lying to myself. I want more than conversation. I want to understand this pull between us, to see if there's something real beneath the biological bond.

I want Madeline—not the girl who once clung to me, but the woman who now stands firmly on her own.

The client call drags on for twenty minutes, but my mind is elsewhere. When I finally hang up, I waste no time.

I gather my jacket and head out, scanning the office floor for any sign of her. I find Madeline in the break room, quietly sipping coffee as she reviews a document. When she looks up and sees me, surprise flickers across her face.

"Can we continue our conversation?" I ask, keeping my voice low. "Somewhere more private?"

She studies me for a moment, then nods. "When?"

"Now, if you're free."

Concern shows in her face. "What about work?"

"It can wait," I say, surprising both of us. "This is more important."

We walk together to the elevator in companionable silence.

The tension between us is palpable, but it's different now—expectant rather than desperate. As the elevator doors close, I turn to her. "I thought we could go somewhere we can really talk, without interruptions."

"I'd like that," she says.

The honesty in her eyes unravels me. Without thinking, I lean forward and kiss her—not hungrily or desperately, but with genuine tenderness. She responds in kind, her lips soft against mine, a promise rather than a demand.

When we part, her smile is dazzling. "I take it you have a place in mind?"

"The hotel we were at before," I suggest. "It's neutral ground."

She nods, understanding the significance. Neither my place nor hers—somewhere we can simply be ourselves without the weight of our common surroundings.

The elevator doors open, and we walk through the lobby and out to my car. As I hold the door open for her, she pauses.

"Nate," she says softly. "Whatever happens, I want you to know that I'm not expecting anything. This is about figuring things out together."

Her words lift a weight I hadn't realized I was carrying. "Thank you," I say simply.

As we get into the car, I steal glances at her profile. The afternoon sun glints off her hair, illuminating the woman she's become. There's a quiet confidence about her that draws me in more powerfully than any flirtation could have.

As I pull away from the curb, I check the rearview mirror and notice a gray Buick pulling out as well.

"Is everything okay?" Madeline asks, noticing my tension.

"Look through the mirror on your side," I say quietly. "You see that gray Buick?"

She leans and nods. "Yeah, what about it?"

"It's been following us."

"Are you sure?"

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