by Anna Durand
"That's so sad. We should adopt him. Not literally, of course."
"Let's talk about that later." I move in front of her and drop to one knee, pulling out a small box and flipping its lid up. "Fredrika Maria Solberg, I love you more than anything or anyone in the entire universe. You changed my life and showed me everything I'd been missing. I owe you my happiness, a debt I want to spend the rest of my life repaying. Will you marry me?"
She bursts into tears. "Yes, Dane, of course I will. I love you so much."
I slide the ring onto her finger.
Reese whoops. Chance whistles. Their wives shriek and jump up and down. Rika's mother cries while her husband grins. Kyle Linwood pumps his fists in the air and grunts like a gorilla or...something. My mother and father rush up to us to hug me, then Rika, then me again. My mother is crying too.
Grey shuffles up to us after everyone else has gone off to arrange some sort of celebration that I'm sure will be embarrassing. My cousin shakes my hand and kisses Rika's cheek. "Congratulations. And welcome to the family, Rika."
"Thank you." She kisses his cheek. "I hope we'll get to know each other a lot better."
"I'd like that."
My fiancée wants to take Grey under her wing. I love that she cares so much about a man she's just met, simply because he's my cousin. Rika is wonderful in every way.
A few more people arrive for the party, but most of them are mates of Reese and Chance. I don't have any close friends, but I plan to change that.
Rika sidles up to me and whispers, "Who's the hottie talking to Chance? Another cousin?"
"No, that's Richard Hunter. He and Chance have known each other since university. Richard owns a publishing company that he inherited from his father."
"Hmm. Is he a nice guy?"
"Seems to be, yes."
"Is he married? Or does he have a girlfriend?"
"Not that I know of."
She lifts onto her tiptoes to peer across the room at Richard. "You know my sister, Maddie, is coming to visit us next week. And she's single too."
"No meddling, Rika."
She bats her eyelashes at me with fake innocence. "All I want to do is introduce them."
I don't get the chance to order her not to meddle, because Reese approaches me. Rika leaves us alone while she wanders over to Richard.
Reese grins and slaps me on the shoulder. "Told you, mate. I said you'd be next, and here you are volunteering for the ball and chain."
Being chained to Rika doesn't sound like torture. I never want to let her go, so if a wedding ring shackles me to her, I absolutely do volunteer for it.
"That's right," I tell Reese. "I'm signing up for that ball and chain, as long as it's attached to Rika for the rest of our lives."
And if my fiancée has her way, Richard Hunter will be next.
Dane's Version
One Hot Crush
Chapter One
I am an idiot. I know this, but I can't seem to do anything about it. Only an idiot would develop a speech impediment that only manifests itself in the presence of one woman. A woman who works for me. The sexiest, most beautiful woman on earth. I want to get her naked and kiss, lick, nibble, and fondle every inch of her body.
So naturally, I can't speak a complete sentence when I'm talking to my new personal assistant, Rika Solberg.
Today is no different. I exit the elevator and see her---that chestnut hair, those striking hazel eyes, that sensual body. I dream about her breasts every night, and in my dreams, I don't stammer.
But this morning, I do. Of course.
Holding a magazine so I can pretend I'm reading it doesn't help.
"Good morning, Miss Solberg," I say. I make the mistake of glancing at her for half a second. Her lips seize my attention. I want to suck the bottom one into my mouth and---Fuck. I swallow hard and resort to staring at the magazine again. "Do I have any pointers---uh, I mean, appointments today?"
"Yes, Mr. Dixon. Today's agenda is already on your desk."
I knew that. She puts it on my desk every morning before I arrive.
"Oh. Of course," I say, swallowing again. If I keep doing that, my throat will get raw, especially since my mouth has gone completely dry. "Let me know when---if I, uh, have...calls or whatnot."
"I will." Rising from her chair, she tugs her jacket down. "May I get you a cup of coffee, Mr. Dixon?"
"Yes. Thank you, Miss Solberg. One sugar, no cream."
I knife a hand through my hair, trying very hard not to stare at her breasts. Or her legs. Or her mouth.
The fact that I'm thinking about those parts of her means I'm failing to not look at her body. Bollocks.
"Do I have a meeting with Celeste today?" I ask because I suddenly can't remember what the fuck I'm supposed to do today.
Well, at least I spoke an entire sentence with no hiccups.
"Yes, sir," Rika says. "Ms. Arnaud is coming at ten."
I nod, bowing my head. Don't look at her. "Thank you."
Before I can do anything else stupid, I rush into my office and shut the door. Sitting at my desk eases some of my anxiety. Why I get anxious around Rika, I have no bloody clue. She's pretty and clever and desirable, but I've been around women like that before. Something about this woman turns me into a complete idiot.
Once I've sat down at my desk, I turn my computer monitor on, intending to browse my emails. But my mobile makes that irritating noise that means I have a text message, so I dig it out of my pocket to check for texts. I do have one, from my brother Reese.
He asks, How do you like your personal assistant?
She's fine, I type. I cock it up four times before I get it right. Texting has never been my strong suit. My fingers are...uncooperative. Though telling Reese "shit's phone" might make him laugh, that's not what I meant to say.
Fine? Reese responds. She's sexy as hell.
Yes, she absolutely is. But my little brother is being sarcastic and trying to annoy me, so I reply with Rika is my employee, you daft arse. Yes, I insult my brother. He knows I'm just reciprocating his attempt to irritate me.
Go on and shag her, Reese replies. If she sues you for sexual harassment, Chance will defend you.
You're not as funny as you think.
He sends me a series of emojis, most of which I don't understand. One is what looks like a laughing face with tears pouring from its eyes. The rest are too bizarre to comprehend.
I'm hilarious, Reese tells me in words since he seems to be done with the moronic emojis. You are an uptight arse.
Thank you. Bugger off now.
See you Thursday.
He ends that statement, and our conversation, with an emoji of a winking face.
At least I understand that symbol.
Reese and his wife, Arden, are flying in from London late Wednesday. Reese travels back and forth between England and New York for his job as vice president of advertising at Bonsoir Beauty Inc., and I'm positive the CEO, Celeste Arnaud, ordered him to stay in New York for the duration of the re-launch nonsense.
I have to admit it will be nice to have both my brothers on the same continent with me. Chance is in New Hampshire with Elena.
But why did I ever agree to merge my company with the second-largest cosmetics corporation in the world? What do sexual wellness devices have to do with makeup, anyway?
Someone knocks on the door.
It's Rika, of course. So I call out for her to come in, and she waltzes into my office, setting a cup on my desk
Naturally, I do the worst thing I could possibly do. I glance up at her. And immediately avert my gaze. She's too perfect to look at, which is barmy. But if I let myself drink in the sight of her, my cock will do things it shouldn't be doing in the office.
"Thank you, Miss Solberg," I mutter.
She leaves, and I stare at the papers on my desk.
Rika Solberg, the most enticing woman I've ever seen, will be my right hand for the entire ordeal of this bl
oody re-launch business. I'll work closely with her---and her body. She doesn't seem to notice me in the same way I notice her, which only makes the problem worse. Unrequited lust might drive me insane.
I drink my coffee while I try to figure out how to survive nearly two months with Rika.
Go on and shag her, Reese said.
Yes, that sounds like the perfect solution. But I can't. I won't. She works for me, and I have never and will never violate the employer-employee relationship or compromise my ethics. No, never.
Absolutely never.
Unless she sashays into my office again.
Rika's Version
One Hot Crush
Chapter Two
On her way out of Dane's office, Celeste gives me marching orders. I'm supposed to print out some stuff and take it to him so he can review and approve it. As soon as Celeste leaves, I print the documents and knock on the door to Dane's office.
"Come in, Miss Solberg." His sexy voice makes me horny even when I hear it through a wood door.
I summon all my willpower and walk into his office, straight up to his desk, and offer him a folder. "Celeste wanted me to give you the latest projections for sales in the first month after the re-launch of Dane's Delights."
"M-Miss Solberg," he stammers, "please---I mean, thank you. It---yes, I needed this."
He snatches the folder from me and squints at the papers inside it like he's poring over them.
Jeez, I feel bad for the guy. And I wonder for the umpteenth time if he struggles to speak to other women or if it's just me. Would Celeste have brought him into her company if he couldn't hold a conversation? Not even an itty-bitty one?
"Can I get you more coffee?" I ask.
"No. No, I---" He swallows visibly. "I'm fine, thank you."
I should leave. Shouldn't I? But my feet seem to have gotten stuck to the carpet, and I can't tear my gaze away from him. As usual, his glasses obscure his eyes, leaving me to imagine what they look like without those lenses in the way. I fixate on his kissable lips and imagine nibbling on them, then I wonder what they would feel like pressed against my lips.
He pretends to study the papers I gave him, but he keeps glancing up at me without lifting his head. Every time he does that, he swallows hard again.
"Celeste told me to stay until you've gone over those numbers," I tell him. "Then I'm supposed to get you to sign off on it and send all of it back to her."
"Oh." He flips through the pages, seeming not to pay attention to what's printed on them, then he signs the last page and hands the folder back to me. "Here it is."
"You looked at the numbers so fast. Are you sure you don't want to take more time?"
He waves like he wants me to leave. "It's fine. Thank you."
"Okay, if you're sure." I bite my lip, and he stares at my mouth when I do that. Which makes me look at his mouth. At those sexy, sexy lips. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
Dane freezes, not looking at me or anything, but seeming to stare into a distance no one else can see. He compresses his lips, scratches behind his ear, and clears his throat. But he's still focused on something I can't see---something inside his mind, I assume.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
He straightens his glasses, which don't need straightening, and aims his gaze directly at me. "Actually, there is one more thing you could do for me."
"What is it?"
He opens his mouth, but the only sound that comes out of it is a soft croaking noise.
Oh God, what if he's having a stroke? Or a panic attack? A seizure, maybe?
I lean over his desk, peering into his eyes. "Are you sure you're okay? Should I call a doctor?"
"No, I'm all right." He takes a swig of his coffee. "No need for a doctor."
"Okay." I keep leaning over the desk, and his attention flicks down to where my blouse has fallen away from my chest, revealing a hint of my cleavage. "What did you want to ask me?"
"Uh..." He tugs at the collar of his shirt. "Would you have lunch with me? I need to discuss some business matters with you."
"Lunch?"
"A business lunch," he says. "Nothing untoward about it. I'd like us to get to know each other a bit, strictly to improve our working relationship."
Yeah, of course he's not asking me out on a date. Duh. Maybe I'd thought that for a second, but no, he doesn't want anything of the sort.
I straighten. "Okay, sure."
What the heck? At least I'll get a nice meal. He's paying, right? I can't ask that, but I really hope he doesn't want us to split the bill. I mean, he asked me to lunch. And he's my boss. Shouldn't he pay? It's a business expense.
Dane stands up. "You should choose the restaurant. I don't know the area."
"Um, it's nine thirty," I say. "I guess you're still on UK time?"
"Oh. Yes, I suppose I am." He doesn't sound sure of that. "You settle on a restaurant, and we'll take our lunch at one o'clock. All right?"
"Sounds good."
I walk out of his office and sit down at my desk, then I consider the options for lunch. Does Dane like fancy places? Or homey diners? Maybe he's into ethnic cuisine. Is there such a thing as British cuisine? No idea. Maybe I should ask Elena or Arden. They're married to Brits, and they know Dane, so they ought to have some pointers for me.
When I call Elena, Chance answers her phone. He tells me she's out doing research for one of their clients. They own a law firm, with Chance as the attorney and Elena as his paralegal, so she's often doing stuff like that. Next, I try Arden. She and Reese are in England until Wednesday evening, when they'll come back to New York for a while. But I get her voice mail, and I don't bother to leave a message.
Okay, I'll have to guess about what my smokin' hot boss likes. Not me, that's for sure. He might've ogled my boobs a little bit, but he clearly doesn't like being around me. Which means lunch ought to be a blast.
I grab the bag of chocolate-covered almonds I'd hidden in my desk, tear it open, and start stress eating.
And I fantasize about Dane's lips.
*****
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