Seducing Daddy's Boss Read online

  “What do you mean?” Griff asks softly into my hair.

  “I don’t know,” I mumble into his chest. “It’s just… there are like literally millions, no, billions of women out there. Why obsess over me?” It’s a question I keep asking myself that I never thought I’d say aloud to anyone.

  “Julia, you may not know it, but you’re pretty amazing,” Griff says in his low, sexy voice. “But he should learn to take no for an answer and move on.”

  My head still hurts, and my body feels the exhaustion of the last few days. All I can focus on is what Griff just said. I look up at him and meet his gaze. “You think I’m pretty amazing?” I whisper.

  Griff nods, his lips edging closer to mine. If I just lean a little closer, I can taste them. I move my focus from his mouth to his eyes, and I see it. It’s not my imagination. Griff wants me, too.

  Before I can overthink it, I act. My mouth leans in the last few inches, and my lips taste his. A feeling of warmth and contentment rushes over me initially, but that quickly changes to a fiery heat in my center. As Griff gently deepens the kiss, one thing becomes very apparent.

  There’s no chance in hell I’ll ever be the same after experiencing this man.

  Chapter Eleven

  Griff

  Holy fuck! She tastes incredible, just like I knew she would. Sweet, like strawberries, sugar, and honey. I kiss her long, slow, and deep. It feels as though I’m one with her.

  I’m beginning to wonder if I might be.

  I’m torn in two—half of me wants to stay just like this and greedily consume her mouth for every second I can. I want to ravage her, take her, here and now on the couch, sink into her heat and claim it as my own. I try to calm that half down. Julia’s surely in far too much pain already.

  The other half of me feels nervous, insecure… guilty even, and I wonder how I allowed myself to lose control when she offered her lips to me. I’m her boss for fuck’s sake, thirteen years older, divorced. And worst of all, her father—a man I’ve employed for years—put his trust in me to look after her, and here I am on the very first day in my care, betraying that trust and my own integrity. I can’t stop myself devouring her mouth... but with everything that just went through my mind, I know I must.

  I break the kiss before she does and breathe heavily. “Julia, if we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She stifles a sigh and says, “I know. Me, too. I’m sorry, Griff. I shouldn’t have done that,” she says coyly, looking anywhere but at me.

  “Don’t be. It’s my fault for letting it happen. I could have said no, but I didn’t,” I reply.

  I rest my chin on the top of her head and begin to stroke her hair softly again while I think of something to break the palpable tension in the air.

  “Listen. Do you want something to eat? For your meds?”

  She sighs, “Food isn’t exactly what’s on my mind,” and I laugh nervously at her response.

  “I understand. But you need to eat,” I say.

  “Yeah, I know.” By her tone, I bet her face is displaying some type of adorable pout. “I’m not really picky about food.”

  “How about some choices?” I try a different approach. “Chinese, pizza, or something different?”

  “Chinese.” She seems to perk up and the awkwardness between us dissipates a little. “General Tso’s Chicken sounds pretty good.”

  “See, that was easy,” I say and pull out my phone, and a few moments later the order is in. “I’ll have to go grab it soon. Is there anything else you want while I’m out?”

  Julia shakes her head. “No, but I should get up and walk for a bit… maybe to the bathroom,” she hints.

  “Of course, I’ll show you to your room.” I gently place her on her feet and it takes her a moment to stand. Once she’s upright and steady on her feet her steps are short, but she gets around okay. I already have her bags on top of one side of the bed so she doesn’t have to bend for them.

  “Thank you again, Griff. Your home is lovely,” she says, taking in her new surroundings.

  “I’m just glad that you’re safe. I’ll be back shortly,” I say and shut the door behind me to give her some privacy.

  In the car, I sit for a moment and try to figure out a rational explanation for why Julia would kiss me. It’s not that I’m upset that she did, quite the opposite. It’s just her intentions, I suppose… What could I be to her?

  * * *

  Julia

  Griff doesn’t seem to mind that I kissed him, but I can’t help wondering if I overstepped the mark as I over-analyze every word we said. Even if I did go too far, I would never take it back. He’s a fucking good kisser.

  I’ve had boyfriends and crushes, even a handful of men I drool over on a regular basis, but somehow Griff dwarfs all of them. He’s so different to anyone I’ve ever met before, and the connection I feel to him is unworldly. There’s just no rational explanation for it. But then love isn’t rational, anyway.

  I don’t know what will happen from here, and that scares me. There are too many variables to know whether or not I’m going to get my heart hurt. Because whether I like it or not, my heart’s in it now. Yes, there’s a passion with this man—it’s undeniable the way Griff makes me feel complete. It’s like my soul found its mate.

  I frown at myself in the bathroom mirror. For better or worse, I’ve fallen for my boss—and fallen hard. I wish I had some clue of how things will turn out. It was almost better when I could pretend I didn’t care. Only it turns out, I do. I really do.

  * * *

  Griff returns quickly with the food. We eat in companionable silence while we watch TV. It’s easier for my ribs when I lean back a little, and Griff’s quick to suggest the sofa instead of the more customary table. When we finish, Griff insists I take my pain medicine. It doesn’t take long for its effects to kick in, and my eyelids grow heavy.

  “Maybe we should call it a night?” Griff asks.

  I yawn. “Yeah, maybe we should,” I reluctantly agree. Regardless of how many things I want to do to this man, my body’s just not up for it this evening.

  “Do you need help with anything?” Griff asks.

  “I think just standing would be good,” I say with a hint of embarrassment since I don’t like to ask for help.

  “Of course.” He leans down and lets me wrap my arms around him. Once I’m up, he holds me gently for just a moment and places a kiss on my head. “Goodnight, Julia.”

  The sweet gesture almost makes me melt. “Goodnight, Griff.”

  He waits until I’m down the hall before shutting off the living room light. “Just yell if you need anything,” he calls over his shoulder as he disappears into the darkness.

  I get ready for bed and ease myself into it. Though the bed is extremely soft, my ribs still pang in pain through the medicine. I toss and turn—slowly and deliberately—to no avail. I must drift off sometime around dawn because the last thing I remember is hearing birdsong with the sunrise.

  * * *

  Griff

  I peek in on Julia early after I wake up and drink my coffee. She’s sleeping peacefully, and I decide it’s best not to wake her. She needs her rest to heal, and at least she’s not in pain while she’s asleep.

  It’s a situation I’m unprepared for. In every scenario I’ve considered this morning, I thought Julia would be awake. She’s still not awake when I’m ready to leave for work, so I leave her a note. I end up writing five because I screw four of them into a ball and throw them away. Finally, I write something that doesn’t seem totally stupid and leave it on the table next to Julia’s bed. I take one more moment to admire how beautiful she looks before I pry myself out of the house and into my car.

  Something tells me it’s going to be a very long day without her.

  I get to the office, but it’s not as exciting as usual without Julia there with me. In fact, all I can think about is going home to her. That thought is like a slap in the face to my e
go. I’m not playing house here. I need to remember my place. Surely, Julia’s kiss last night came from some perceived sense of duty from the caring attitude I’ve shown her and nothing more. As much as I want to, I must stop imagining things that aren’t there. No, I need to get through the day and remind myself when I get home that this infatuation is all in my head.

  * * *

  Julia

  It’s hard not to groan when I wake up. In fact, I do just that. It’s not a stretch groan, or a what-a-great-sleep groan. It’s a pain groan. The meds obviously wore off sometime while I was sleeping, and now it feels worse than it was yesterday.

  Having a pee is definitely the most pressing order of business. I make it to my feet and slowly stand until I’m straight. I make it to the bathroom without any further incident and when I come out, I notice a slip of paper on the table by the bed that wasn’t there last night and it makes me smile when I realize it’s a note from Griff:

  Hey, you looked peaceful. I figured you needed sleep. Text me if you need anything at all. Otherwise I’ll see you later.

  It’s a simple gesture, but it means a lot to me. It means Griff was thinking about me. Sometimes that’s all a girl can ask for.

  I make my way out to the kitchen and find coffee. I have to reheat it, but that’s okay. I spot some bread on the counter and make some toast. Breakfast isn’t my usual thing, but I need it for the pain medication and there’s no way I’ll make it through the day without it.

  I finish the toast and take the coffee back to my room to take my meds. On my way, there’s a knock on the front door. From down the hall, I see a definite silhouette lurking through the glass. I’m unsure what to do because, frankly, I don’t feel comfortable answering Griff’s door with him not home.

  Another knock, more persistent this time and, reluctantly, I approach the door. I don’t want to get too close to it, so instead, I gently move aside a curtain from a nearby window to take a look out front. I see a couple of guys leaning up against an old SUV that looks a little too familiar. In fact, the guys look familiar, too.

  Suddenly it hits me. They’re Pete’s friends. My heart ices over and falls into my ass as I realize that’s who must be knocking. How did they find me?

  I creep back quietly. For all I know, this is just some crazy weird coincidence. Even as every warning bell sounds off in my head, I remain calm and quiet. I go to my room and lock the door, then do the same with the bathroom. Only once I’m inside do I pull out my cell. I try to text Griff, because I don’t want to interrupt anything important, but my hands shake too much. After three tries I give up and hit the call button instead.

  Griff answers right away. At the sound of his voice all my composure falls away, and I begin to cry. Even the rib pain can’t quell the panic inside me.

  “Julia?” Griff’s voice is instantly full of concern. “Julia, what’s the matter.”

  “The—” I can barely speak. I hold my breath for a moment and try again. “They’re here. I mean, Pete’s here with his friends.” It takes me a second to realize that he has no idea what I’m talking about.

  “I’m on my way,” Griff says. “Get some place safe.”

  “I’m locked in the master bathroom,” I tell him.

  “Stay there. I’ll be there soon. Have you called the police or do you want me to?” Griff asks.

  “You,” I say in a small voice as I notice a figure outside the bathroom window.

  “Okay, I need to hang up. I’ll be there in just a few minutes, okay? Just hang in there, Julia. I’m coming,” Griff promises.

  “Okay,” I whisper, “please hurry.”

  * * *

  Griff

  I don’t usually drive like a maniac, but I break every traffic law possible as I make my way across town. Between speeding, cutting in and out of lanes, and dialing the police on my cell, I know I’m being reckless and breaking all kinds of laws. But, right now, I couldn’t give a shit. Only one thing concerns me, making sure those bastards don’t get their hands on Julia.

  I dial Mac direct instead of 9-1-1, and he answers quickly. It surprises him to hear that Pete’s at my house. Mac’s been searching for him ever since the night Julia got hurt, to no avail. He promises to send backup and meet me there as quickly as possible.

  “Griff? If they’re on your property, you have rights. Use them.” Mac disconnects.

  I hit the gas pedal even harder at the intensity of his words.

  Chapter Twelve

  Julia

  It’s difficult, but I manage to keep silent and still. Thanks to the blinds and curtains on the bathroom window, there’s no way any of those assholes can see inside, but I’m not taking any chances. Time almost stands still as my heart pounds in my chest. It’s the most predominant thing I hear besides the occasional shuffling of leaves outside.

  The sound of an engine grows louder, and I know in my gut that it’s Griff. I begin to worry. What if he’s alone? What if they hurt him?

  Shit.

  A car door slams, and I creep quietly from the bathroom to the bedroom so I can watch out of the window. Griff practically leaps from his car. He’s so angry. I’ve never seen him like this.

  “All three of you dumb asses get the fuck over here now,” Griff yells loudly.

  Two of the three guys slowly come out from around the house. Neither of them is Pete. I glance at the bedroom door again and ensure that it’s still locked. It is.

  “Where’s the other asshole?” Griff asks the two loudly.

  One of them shrugs while the other ignores Griff completely. Just then I notice another car coming down the driveway. It’s an all-black SUV, and to my surprise Detective Mac steps out. It only takes a moment for my frenzied panic to turn to relief. Griff’s certainly safe now.

  * * *

  Griff

  I hear Mac pull in behind me and feel better. Only slightly though, because I don’t see this Pete motherfucker anywhere.

  “I’m going to check the perimeter,” Mac says when he makes it over to me. “Here.” He hands me a hard, cold object that feels heavy in my hand, and I realize it’s a gun. Turning, he addresses the two delinquents before us. “Police,” he says, flashing his badge. “If either of you try to leave, he’s going to shoot you, understand?” They nod quickly. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.”

  More than anything I want to rush inside, grab Julia in my arms, and make sure that she’s okay. Only it’s not safe yet, and I certainly don’t want these two pricks going anywhere. Pete disappearing again is shitty enough. At least with these two morons arrested, maybe Mac can get some information on the douchebag.

  It takes Mac a while, but he finally returns.

  “Looks like he’s gone. There are some footprints in the dirt, so I can see where he went, but then he hit the pavement and the trail runs cold,” Mac informs me. “We’ll pick him up. Meanwhile, these two are coming with me.”

  “Hey, man! What about my car?” one idiot asks.

  “It’ll be towed to impound. Maybe you can get it later. Depends on how cooperative you are in my investigation,” Mac tells him with a mean smirk.

  “Man, that’s messed up,” the guy says, but neither of them argue, and Mac herds them to his SUV, cuffs them, and throws them in the back.

  Mac reads them their rights and arrests them on trespassing charges with intent to harm.

  “I’ll send a tow truck for that.” He motions to the car. “Meanwhile, maybe you need to think about a hotel for a night or two.”

  “Thanks, Mac. I’ll get us somewhere safe. I appreciate all of this.” I try to hand him back his gun.

  “Nah, keep it for now. I have more,” Mac insists. “I gotta go. I’ll call you later.”

  I nod and grasp his outstretched hand. “Thanks, man.”

  Mac takes off, and I finally make it inside. I check all the locks are set and that no one is inside before I find Julia.

  * * *

  Julia

  I hear a soft knock on the b
edroom door.

  “Julia?” Griff’s voice calls out. “It’s okay to come out now if you want.”

  I unlock the door to let him in. In moments, Griff holds me gently in his arms. It’s then I realize I’m trembling.

  “It’s okay, I’m here,” he murmurs into my hair. “It’s a good thing you’re still mostly packed. We’re going to stay at a hotel tonight.”

  “Oh, Griff.” I instantly feel terrible for bringing my shit to his door. “You have to let me pay or something. You’ve already done too much.”

  He pulls back enough to look down at me. “Julia, no. It’s my pleasure to help. I’m just glad you’re okay, and my top priority is to keep you that way.”

  Tears fill my eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry,” he reassures. “Now, let’s get out of here.”

  In the car, Griff calls Bonnie and tells her he’ll be working remotely for a few days. I text my dad to let him know what went down and that we won’t be at Griff’s. It surprises me when we reach the city limits and continue on.

  “Where are we going?” I ask.

  “Some place safe.”

  * * *

  We drive for so long and at some point, I fall asleep. When I wake up, we’re still driving.

  “Feeling better now? Are you hungry?” Griff asks. My stomach growls loudly at the mention of food, and we both laugh. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Griff pulls into a diner soon after, and it feels amazing to stretch my legs.

  “How are your ribs?”

  “A little better today, thanks,” I say. “I’m hoping I won’t need the pain medication much longer.”

  We sit in a booth and I shift slightly to make myself comfortable. The idea of my ribs not hurting anymore makes me think naughty thoughts of other activities that won’t hurt. Activities that excite the fuck out of me.

  “Griff?” I ask after we order. “Where are we going?”

  “I rented us a cabin after Mac’s suggestion of staying away from the house. He thinks he might have a hard time finding Pete and it’s a good idea for you to be far away from town until he does.”