His thumb brushed her cheek gently. He watched the soft contact deepen her blush into a fine crimson.
“I liked you a little too much,” he aired, the words tumbling out effortlessly. “So when I found out the agency had you on their radar, I was thrilled. I wanted you to come in and sign the offer in person, an excuse to see you.
“Now imagine my disappointment when you turned us down to join Starz. I thought that was it. My sign to stop coveting something that doesn’t—shouldn’t—belong to me. You’ve always been too pure, Emily. I didn’t want to ruin that with my selfish desires.”
“HaveIruined it?” she asked softly.
His face twisted in confusion.
“Since you’ve gotten to know me, the real me, have I ruined that fantasy for you?”
He stared at her. “You have.”
Her face fell. “Oh.”
His hand journeyed down and lifted her chin. “You’ve shattered it. Took the pieces and made them into something better. Something that I’m starting to believe is attainable. You haveno ideahow much that fucks with me.”
He saw the way her lips parted, the way air moved through her body, raising her chest. Her face flashed hot. She looked ethereal as she gazed up at him through long lashes.
“It wasn’t just because of Jake or Starz that I turned down your offer,” she admitted meekly.
“Was it because of my father? You didn’t want to work for a man like him?”
She hesitated, but eventually admitted, “Yeah.”
He’d assumed that could have been a reason.
“First impressions tend to stick with me,” Emily continued. “I didn’t think I’d be able to work for him, even while not having to see him twenty-four seven, without being enraged about how he’d treated you.”
He felt his heart stir at her confession.
“Were you that upset at him?”
She looked at him as if he were stupid.
He smiled at the audacity.
“Yes,” she replied anyway. “And weren’t you the one who said to forget about everything? About your crush and that poster on your wall? Why are you bringing it up now?”
“I toldyouto forget about it, not me.”
“That makes no sense.” She huffed.
His lips twitched.
“It makes perfect sense to me.”
“Of course it does.” She rolled her eyes.
It went straight to his groin. As he felt himself becoming semi-hard, Nicolas shuffled away from her.
No surprise that his stupid cock spurred even in such a moment.
Then again, it did have a bias toward her.
Emily’s eyes took in the distance created, a frown marring her features. “You’re so confusing.”
He refocused. “Am I?”
