“And he’s selfish,” Vander muttered. “Putting his daughter on the line.”
God. Harlow let out a shaky breath. Her father kept digging himself in deeper.
She let Easton bundle her into his car. By the time they parked at the office, she’d mostly calmed down.
“Okay?” Easton asked, leading her to the elevator.
“No, but I think getting to my desk and keeping busy will help.”
He ran his thumb across her lips. “Good girl.”
The urge to kiss him was overwhelming. They were alone in the elevator, but it could stop at any second.
“You shouldn’t stare at my mouth like that,” he said.
“I can’t help it,” she whispered. “Because now I know exactly what you look like under your fancy suits.”
He groaned. “Harlow.”
She stepped closer and toyed with a button on his shirt. “And I know the sounds you make when you’re deep inside me.”
He cursed and yanked her close. He spun her back against the mirrored wall and kissed her.
Oh, yum. She stroked her tongue against his. Right here, right now, it was just the two of them and how they made each other feel.
Then the elevator started to slow and he quickly stepped back.
Harlow pinned what she hoped was a professional look on her face. Crap, she’d need to redo her lipstick.
Two suited men entered.
“Mr. Norcross,” one said.
“Morning,” Easton replied.
The elevator moved again, the men talked quietly about some upcoming workshop.
Harlow stepped a little closer and in front of Easton. She reached back, fingers grazing his belt buckle. She heard his low hiss.
She let her hand drift lower, her fingers dancing over the hard bulge in his trousers.
His head moved closer, his breath hot on the back of her neck.
“Very naughty, Ms. Carlson.” A near soundless whisper. “You’re asking for trouble.”
She knew she shouldn’t do this. They were at work. But when her boss had already blown her mind numerous times, and thrown his body over hers to shield her from bullets, it tended to put some things in perspective.
The elevator slowed again. She felt Easton straighten his jacket across his front.
A woman in a gray suit stepped in with a nod.
The elevator headed upward again. Harlow sensed Easton crouch down. She glanced back and saw he was tying his shoe lace.
Then she felt a light caress on her knee. She controlled her jolt and gasped quietly. Those clever fingers continued up the back of her thigh. They slid through the slit at the back of her skirt.
Harlow bit her lip. His fingers brushed the edge of her panties, and she felt a rush of dampness between her thighs.
The elevator slowed again and his hand withdrew. She missed the touch instantly.
Get it together, Harlow.
The others exited and Easton stepped forward, his suit jacket covering any evidence of his arousal. He held the door open.
“Shall we, Ms. Carlson?”
“Yes. You have a meeting in ten minutes with Albany Capital.”
He paused. “Are you all right?”
He was such a good man. “No, but I will be.”
When she got to her desk, she was sucked into a vortex of work. Easton went straight into a meeting and Harlow was met by a bunch of messages to return, and a stressed-out Gina to calm down.
Harlow had no time to worry about the fact that she was sleeping with her billionaire boss, or about her father’s troubles. She just sent up a silent prayer that her dad was okay.
At lunchtime, she heard Easton on the phone. When she looked in to his office, he was standing at the window, looking mighty fine. She brought his grilled fish and salad in, and set it on his desk. He smiled at her and her belly warmed.
“Okay, Ma. Yes, I’ll tell her. Tonight. We’ll see you then. Love you.”
Harlow stiffened.
“Thanks for lunch,” he said.
“Who was that?”
“My mother. Gia’s been in her ear, and we’re invited to my parents’ place for a family dinner tonight.”
“Dinner. At your parents’.” Harlow tried not to hyperventilate.
He arched a brow. “Ma’s a fabulous cook. Is there a problem?”
“My father’s in debt and breaking laws, and bad guys are shooting at us. You can’t take me to your parents.”
Easton circled the desk. “It’ll be fine, Harlow. My parents want to meet you. I told Ma everything.”
“Everything?” Harlow squeaked.
“About what’s going on, with your dad.”
God, Harlow wanted the ground to swallow her. “It’s too dangerous.”
“I’ll be there, as well as Vander, Rhys, and Saxon.”
So, a small Norcross Security army. She swallowed. “Fine.”
He kissed her nose.
She sprang back and looked at the open door. “Quit that.”
His phone on his desk rang and he just smiled at her, looking sexy and far-too-tempting.
Back at her desk, her phone was ringing, too. The next few hours were a whirlwind. She fended off a businessman who was determined to get a meeting with Easton to sell him a million-dollar idea. The guy was persistent and creative. He kept calling from different phone numbers and using different voices.
The office started to thin out as people left for the day.
A moment of calm in the storm had her thinking about the upcoming evening. God, she was having dinner with Easton’s parents. They must think he was crazy taking on her mess.
More people left. Easton was still on the phone. The man had no off switch.
When she saw he’d ended the call, she opened his office door.
“Rex Vasquez from Pacifico wants you to call him,” she said.
Easton groaned.
“I told him no.”
Easton’s lips twitched. “Even Mrs. Skilton wouldn’t tell him no.”
“You’ve had a long enough day, which included getting shot at.” She straightened. “Have you heard from Vander?”
Easton shook his head. “No news.”
She nodded, fighting back her disappointment. “We have an hour until we’re due at your parents.” There, she’d kept her voice pretty steady, not freaked out at all.
“Sorry, I wanted to give us time to go home and freshen up, but that’s not going to happen.”
Home. Like it was their home. Butterflies lit up in her belly. “I can freshen up here. As long as my outfit is okay.”
His gaze heated. “It’s more than okay.”
“For meeting your mother.”
Easton stalked to her, then closed the office door. Then she was in his arms.
Oh, God. The kiss exploded out of control. It felt like hours and hours since she’d kissed him.
He groaned. “I’ve watched your ass all day. I’ve been half hard in every meeting.”
She moaned. “We can’t do this here.”
He backed her up until she bumped against his desk. “Yes, we can. I’ve thought about this so many fucking times.”
“Easton—”
His hand stilled. “You saying no?”
She realized he’d stop. “No.” Because dammit, she’d thought about it, too.
He spun her, his hands shaping down her body. “These fucking skirts.” He cupped her ass. “Bend over the desk, Ms. Carlson.”