The Boss's Orders: Alpha Male Billionaire Office Romance (13 page)

I
stare
up at the painting. Giant red slashes mixed with gold flecks, painted over black lines that look like ribs. I tilt my head and study it, trying to read the energy of the artist in the work.

“What do you think, Claire?” Wendy, my new boss, looks over at me.

“I like it,” I say nodding. I snap a quick picture on my phone.

“Would you show it at the gallery?”

I consider it. “Yeah, I would.”

Wendy smiles and nods. “I knew you had good instincts. I’ve already signed a deal with the artist.”

I flush at her praise. Although I hadn’t gotten the gallery manager job I had applied for all those months ago, they’d kept my resume on file, and when an assistant job opened up they called me. Turned out I absolutely loved working for the gallery, and my new boss Wendy was quickly turning into a mentor and role model for me. She had already told me she wanted to groom me to be her replacement when she retired. I woke up every morning excited to go to work.

Of course, I’d always been excited to go to work for William too, but this was a much different kind of excitement. I finally felt satisfied with my work, and that my career was going in the right direction.

“How am I going to survive without you?” Wendy asks, as we stop for coffees on the way back to the gallery. I get my usual moccaccino — decaf this time — and a ginger cookie.

“It won’t be for too long,” I assure her.

“What if you change your mind about coming back?”

“I won’t. I love working here too much.”

“Good. Now what time is that husband of yours coming to pick you up?”

I look down at my watch. “Not for another two hours.”

Wendy smiles. “Great. I found this fabulous artist in midtown that I’ve been dying to check out. Let’s swing by her studio.”

* * *

W
illiam comes
by at six on the dot. His driver parks outside while he comes into the studio.

He kisses my cheek. “How’s my girl?”

I move my face so that I can kiss him on the lips. “Your girl is great. How was your day?”

He runs a hand through his hair, still sexy as always. “Good. Busy. It looks like that merger is going to go through after all.”

“That’s great. I hope it doesn’t come with any sexy new secretaries.”

He grins. “I have all the sexy secretaries I could ever need. Kenny is a champ.”

I laugh into his chest, nuzzling against him.

I say goodbye to Wendy and William and I pile into the SUV. The driver drops us off at a restaurant.

I look up at the sign and realize we’re standing in front of the restaurant where William and I went to dinner together that very first time. We hadn’t been back here since. I look at him in surprise and he smiles.

“I don’t know what our official anniversary is, but I realized that it was a year ago today that we had dinner here. That was the night I knew my feelings for you had crossed over into something more. Of course, I didn’t admit it to myself until quite a while later.”

I squeeze his hand. “You’re so sweet.”

He actually blushes. Very rare for William, and so damn hot when it happens.

I let him lead me into the restaurant, and the hostess seats us in the very same spot as last time.

William glances down at the menu. “I guess we’ll have to pass on the oysters this time.”

I nod. “I can’t say I’m too sad about that. It’s the wine I really miss.”

“I promise that in six months, I’m going to buy you the best bottle of red I can find.”

“And I will savor every sip. But you better have it ready in five and a half months.”

He frowns. “The doctor says you aren’t due until February.”

I shake my head. “She’s wrong. I know exactly when he was conceived.”

“Oh?” William raises an eyebrow.

I lean in close. “France. That night in Paris? On the balcony?”

William’s eyes flash as understanding sets in. He grins.

“Yes, I was particularly virile that night, wasn’t I?”

“The virilest,” I grin back.

When the waitress comes, I let William order for me, something I know he still loves to do. Although he especially seems to enjoy it now that I’m pregnant.

“Three types of vegetables?” I hiss, after the waitress leaves.

“You’re growing my son in there.”

“I know but … don’t you think a Godrich kid needs steak?”

William shakes his head. “If I let you order, you probably would have just got the cheesecake.”

I consider this. “You’re probably right.”

We sip our drinks in comfortable silence.

“Oh,” I say, reaching into my bag for my phone. “I saw a great painting today. Here, tell me what you think.”

I hand William my phone and show the painting Wendy and I had checked out earlier. “I thought it would be great for the bedroom. Above the bed.” Ever since I moved in, I’d slowly been getting him to redecorate a little. Not a lot, just enough to soften the place up a little.

William looks at the phone, then at me. Then he looks back at the phone and at me again. His gaze darts back and forth a few times.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to see if I can picture fucking your brains out under this thing.”

I cover my mouth with my hand and giggle. “Well? Can you?”

“Yes, I definitely can.”

“Well, if that’s a criteria for bedroom artwork, maybe we should put up a big sign over the bed that says Godrich and Associates? Because I think we did some of our best fucking there.”

William grins. “I like your thinking, Claire. Except for one thing … I think our best fucking is still ahead of us. And if you don’t believe me, just wait until tonight.”

I glow in the dim light of the candles. “Yes, sir,” I say to my husband.

C
an’t get enough
of William and Claire? ME EITHER.

T
hat’s
why I wrote a special bonus chapter, which you can get FREE when you
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I
n the bonus
chapter you’ll get all the steamy details of that sexy trip to Paris — and you might even find a clue about what they’re going to name the baby. ;)

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C
at Carmine is a romance writer
. She’s also a wine drinker, a cookie eater, a dog lover, and a country dweller. She loves — and writes — stories about very bad men and the feisty women who finally tame them.

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