I squeezed my eyes shut. I didn’t want to keep living my life so isolated. I wanted freedom and independence—but I didn’t want to live on a deserted island with only myself for company.
I wanted that warm feeling of Cal making sure I was fed, even when I pretended to resent it. I remembered what had happened in that billiards room, and how freeing it had been to give myself to his care. How since then, my heart sped up every time our eyes met.
How I’d taken this job because I needed the money…and because nothing felt quite as good as being in the same room as Callum Frost.
My computer dinged with another notification. I’d left it too long. Alba knew there was some juicy gossip coming her way.
With a deep breath, I hit reply and wrote the only thing that could sum up the situation before I lost my nerve.
DEENA
I have a crush on my boss.
I sent it, heart fluttering, knowing Alba would reply in an instant. She could relate, after all.
It took me five full seconds to realize that Alba wouldn’t bethe one to reply, though. Because that other ding hadn’t been from her. It was a new email from Willa, informing the whole company that there would be a fire drill scheduled for later in the month.
And I’d hit reply all.
Panic was a jolt of adrenaline to my system. I gasped as my lungs suddenly constricted, my legs beginning to tremble. A little countdown timer appeared at the bottom corner of my screen, informing me that I had only a few seconds left to unsend the email. The timer counted down…down…down.
My coordination was shot. The cursor went wild on the screen as I tried to mash the unsend button, my heart pumping so hard I felt like I was about to pass out. I clicked, and clicked and clicked?—
Message sent.
I stared at the little box in the bottom corner, not understanding. Horror dawned. My stomach went hollow, and a keening whine began to sound in my ears.
Outside the door, silence reigned. Was anyone still here? Most days, I was the last to leave. It was late; maybe everyone was gone.
But Willa had sent the email. Was she still here? It wasn’tthatlate.
I half stood and froze. I’d pull the fire alarm. All the computers would be drenched, and no one would read the email. I’d probably get fined—would I go to jail? Didn’t matter. My pride would be saved.
That’s not how emails work, my brain reminded me. Half the company had probably already read my confession on their phones. They were chewing on dinner, glancing at the notification on their screen, doing a double take, reading again.
Mortification froze me in my seat. Embarrassment burned through me like a fiery lance. I’d never done anything so careless in my entire life. I held myself completely still, forcing my breaths toslow. Exhaling all the air from my lungs, I waited for the laughter that never came.
As the seconds dragged by, slow as molasses in the middle of winter, my panic grew from a tightening at the base of my spine to the clenching of a giant fist around my body. I lowered myself into my seat, then glanced over my shoulder. How hard would it be to break that big, plate-glass window so I could jump out?
My gaze snapped back to the screen. I’d just torpedoed my entire reputation with seven little incriminating words. My head was full of white noise. My vision was blurry around the edges.
I leaned my elbows on my desk and dropped my head in my hands. I sucked in labored breaths as my legs trembled and bounced.
Thiswas why I didn’t open up to anyone. This was the universe was telling me loud and clear that I had to keep my problems to myself, otherwise they’d explode in my face.
I stared at my desk, seeing nothing, and began to formulate a plan. I would gather my things, leave, and never come back. I’d send my resignation. I was kissing away more than a hundred thousand dollars, but it didn’t matter. I could never show my face here again. Never, ever, ever.
My breaths became easier. Calm settled over me as my plan came into focus.
Until I heard the scuff of a shoe in my doorway, and I looked up to see Cal. The lights behind him outlined his broad shoulders, his tapered waist. He moved in an unhurried manner, but when I looked at the darkly triumphant look in his eyes, Iknew. I just knew that there would be no resignation. No running. No relief.
Cal took one leisurely step inside my office, touched the edge of the door, and closed it. Its gentlesnickwas as loud as a gunshot in my ears. Then, with a casual flick of his fingers, Cal threw the lock.
TWENTY-ONE
CALLUM
I havea crush on my boss.
