Page 17 of Reluctantly Yours

He went still before leaning past me, touching his forehead to the door while I was still pinned in place.His chest and shoulders heaved, and that steel rod in his shorts still prodded me.I was just as breathless, aching and wetter than I’d been in way too long.That didn’t change anything.

What was right was right.

And this wasn’t it.

Even if it felt that way.

“Of course.”He pushed away, backing up, giving me plenty of room to escape.“Please, don’t hold that against me.I shouldn’t have done it.”

“You don’t have to apologize… I mean, it was…”Incredible.Something I would fantasize about probably for the rest of my life.“It was just something that happened.We can move past it.I’m going to go now.”Because really, what else was there to say that wouldn’t make things worse?He didn’t say a word before I fled down the hall and into my room, where I closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath.

Now, what was I supposed to do?We were about to fly to Manhattan together.I had another four-and-a-half months at this job.It would be impossible enough to say goodbye to Sofia when it was over without this stupid, awkward, incredibly hot complication.

7

TRAVIS

“Ladies!Let’s go!The car is waiting downstairs.”I patted my pockets, checking for my phone and glancing at my watch.“Hurry up!”

They had been together all day, with nothing better to do than be ready for dinner tonight.As for me, I’d been on the go since we landed the jet this morning, taking one of the two waiting cars straight to a meet-up with my new contacts at the port authority.Since then, I’d been in back-to-back meetings, finally arriving at The Plaza with barely enough time to shower and get dressed for dinner with Colton and the others.

She wasn’t stalling, was she?Last night was inevitable, like something I was compelled to do, but the timing couldn’t have been worse.I needed this kind of distraction like I needed a hole in the head, not to mention the tailspin life would dissolve into if I lost another nanny with no warning.

So far, she had given me nothing to worry about.Not a single hint of what happened last night was visible in the way she acted throughout the flight.In fact, she and Sofia both ended up sleeping through a lot of it.Sofia, I could understand.She had gotten out of bed earlier than usual and might not have slept very well because of all the excitement.

Penny, I had to wonder about.Was she up as long as I was, wondering what it meant, beating herself up for letting it happen?Not that she had any reason to.I was the stupid shit who couldn’t control himself.She was my employee, for fuck’s sake.What was she supposed to do, push me away?Slap me across the face?

“Coming, coming!”Penny’s bright, sunny voice sounded the same as ever.For once, I was glad to hear it.

She rounded the corner into the front hall of our suite, running her hands over her hair like she was making sure every rich, brown strand was in place.“Sorry.Shopping took longer than I expected, but we both wanted something nice to wear tonight.We wanted you to be proud of us.”

I would have told her there was no reason to go out of her way, but that would mean possessing the ability to speak.It wasn’t easy for my brain to come up with words when most of the blood in my head was traveling down to my dick.Was I supposed to let her out of the suite looking the way she did?

Something in my face must have alarmed her because she stopped dead.“What?Is this all right?Do I look okay?”

“You look…” Stunning.Gorgeous.Like walking sin in a knee-length red dress that tied around the neck and, from the looks of it, had to be worn without a bra.

“Red really isn’t my color, normally,” she fretted, looking down at herself while I told myself not to stare and definitely not to touch.“But I really liked the dress, and the only choices were red or black.I hate wearing black.”

“It works for you.“ What a stupid fucking thing to say, but when the alternative was to describe how clearly I could see myself throwing her on the floor and tearing that dress off with my teeth, it seemed like the safer choice.“Is she ready?”I asked instead, looking over her shoulder for my daughter.

“Oh yes, hang on a second.I almost forgot.”Penny flashed a grin, clearing her throat, standing straight and tall.“Allow me to introduce the one, the only, Sofia Emelia Knight.”

From around the corner appeared a vision in pink.It was a little much for a simple dinner—more like a princess costume with a puffed skirt and shoulders.Her hair was up in a cluster of curls on top of her head, which bobbed with every careful step she took in a shiny pair of Mary Janes.

“She fell in love with it.I couldn’t help myself,” Penny whispered as Sofia came to a stop in front of me and performed a wobbly curtsy.

It took effort to straighten out my expression.“You are lovely,” I told her, taking her hand and performing a deep bow.

“Thank you, sir.”Then she broke out giggling.“Penny taught me to curtsy!We practiced and everything!”

“You did a very good job.It’s obvious you girls were busy today.”

“I hope it’s all right that I took her shopping,” Penny offered as she checked herself out in the mirror near the door.A gold bag complimented her sandals and the hoop earrings she wore.Her brown locks had been carefully blown out and shaped into waves that brushed her back.This was the polar opposite of the girl I first met in my office.This was a woman I could see tying to my bed, keeping her for myself.Something uncoiled deep in my gut, like a beast coming to life.

“That’s why I gave you the card this morning, so you could use it,” I reminded her, taking Sofia by the hand and ignoring my sudden hunger.“And now I have the pleasure of going to dinner with two beautiful ladies.I’m a lucky guy.”

Sofia giggled, skipping beside me when Penny walked quietly on the other side.I found myself looking at her as we waited for the elevator.I couldn’t stop.All it took was changing coasts for her to appear different in my eyes and look absolutely stunning.

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