Suddenly the air between us felt charged.
“Paige,” Derek said, and my name in his voice sounded rougher. Like a warning or maybe a plea.
I leaned forward before I could think better of it. His free hand came up to cup my face, his thumb brushing across my cheekbone, and I didn’t pull away.
I should pull away and remember all the reasons it was a terrible idea.
“We shouldn’t,” I breathed, still leaning closer.
“I know,” Derek said, and his hand on my face was so gentle it made my chest ache. He tilted my chin up slightly, and I let him.
What am I doing? This is my friend. My boss.
Your boss you find attractive.
“Rule number two,” I whispered. “No kissing unless Jack is around.”
My eyes dropped to his mouth, and I watched his lips part slightly. He was close enough now that I could see the darker ring of blue around his irises, and could feel the warmth radiating from his skin. That close that I could see the rapid pulse at his throat that matched my own racing heartbeat.
“To hell with the rules.”
11
THOROUGHNESS IS KIND OF MY THING
DEREK
I shouldn’t kiss her. Absolutely shouldn’t. Especially after I just punched her husband.
But I couldn’t bring myself to stop. Not when she was looking at me like that.
Just before our lips could meet, her phone rang from the desk. She scrambled to her feet, and I swallowed the lump in my throat.
Paige didn’t meet my eyes as she cleared her throat and went to pick up her phone, her cheeks flushed and eyes hooded.
The moment was broken and whatever had been building between us had shattered.
But I could still feel it. The heat in my palm where I cupped her face.
And from the look in her eyes, I knew she felt it too.
Paige had no right to look that fucking adorable.
She was curled up on my couch with her laptop, working through emails while Lily slept peacefully in her portable crib nearby. She had changed into comfortable clothes. Leggings and one of my sweatshirts that was three sizes too big on her. Her curves seemed delicious beneath the oversized gray cotton, and her hair was piled in a messy bun on top of her head.
She looked exhausted, beautiful and absolutely nothing like the broken woman who had shown up at my door days ago.
Jack didn’t deserve her. He had never deserved her. And the fact that he cheated on her with Olivia, Paige’s friend from college, made my blood boil every time I thought about it.
She was mine to protect now, and I wanted to crush the man who had dared to hurt her.
“I want to propose something,” I said. “Hear me out before you say no.”
“I’m listening,” she said looking up, her fingers pausing on the keyboard.
“We make it public,” I said, moving closer. “That we are dating each other before we get fake-engaged. Make Jack think you’ve moved on with his friend. Hit him where it hurts. I want him to know what he threw away every time he sees your hand in mine.”
Her eyes widened. “Right away?”
