Page 185 of The Rebel Billionaire

“Would you like me to?” she asks, her tongue moistening her bottom lip.

My hands encircle her waist, pulling her towards me.

“Most definitely…”

A knock at my door has us jumping apart. I stifle a groan.

What do they say? No rest for the wicked? I want to do wicked and inappropriate things to the woman in front of me.

“Come in,” I say.

I shoot Brooke a look of apology, but she simply grins, moving further away.

Mother enters.

“Sandro,” she says. “I was in the area.”

She looks between us. “Am I interrupting?” she asks.

“No,” we both say together, causing her to raise her eyebrows at me.

I smile. “I was about to dictate a thank-you message to the team,” I say, wanting to deflect.

“I heard this week proved quite successful. I wondered if I could treat you to lunch? Catch up on what happened in Milan and Paris,” she says, stepping further into the room.

Mother was with us in London but returned to the US before the second leg.

I look at Brooke.

“You go,” she says with a smile. “No one was expecting you in today.”

“Thank you, Brooke,” Mother interjects. “See? No one is expecting you. I’ve made a reservation at your favourite restaurant.”

I close my eyes and reopen them, forcing a smile.

“Great,” I say, knowing it’s either now or later. “I’ll meet you downstairs in five minutes.”

“Perfect. Lovely to see you, Brooke,” she adds before sweeping out of the room.

“Sorry,” I say, shooting a look of apology to the woman I want to take in my arms and kiss until we’re both breathless. Who am I kidding? It’s not only kissing. I want to worship her. But the office is not the place, and she still has a job to do.

“I’ll see you later?” I ask again.

She smiles, inclining her head. “If you want to?”

“I most definitely do.”

I move to my desk drawer and pull out my spare keycard.

“This will give you access to the penthouse,” I say.

She takes it, staring at it and then at me.

“Tonight,” she says, and I nod.

“Tonight.”

I don’t kiss her, not with Mother waiting downstairs. I’m going to need to set myself some boundaries. I’m a professional. The office is not the place to conduct a clandestine affair. I’m not some lovesick teenager who can’t control himself, and there’s still the issue of HR, something I’ll need to address once Brooke and I have talked tonight.