Sweet things dirty boss.., p.10
Sweet Things (Dirty Boss Book 1), page 10
I didn’t know what to say. Suddenly, I worried something bad had happened to Eric.
“Okay, thanks. I’m glad you liked the cookies. Is everything okay?”
She forced a smile but said nothing else, so I hurried to Eric’s office and hoped he hadn’t gotten hurt. I looked into the room and saw him sitting at his desk, his eyes closed, and he wore an expression like he’d lost his best friend.
Had something happened at the restaurant?
My mind whirled with ideas. Had there been a fire? Had his partner been hurt, or worse, killed?
I wanted to reach out and take him into my arms to make him feel better about whatever had happened.
Poking my head in, I quietly said, “Eric, I heard you wanted to speak to me.”
His head snapped around and he looked at me with surprise in his eyes. “Maddie? You’re here.”
“Of course, I’m here. I did go out for a little while, and no, I didn’t ask your driver to take me anywhere, but I’m back now. What’s wrong? You look like you’re having the worst day of your life.”
He stood from behind his desk and rushed over to take me in his arms. “I thought when he didn’t call back that you didn’t…”
His words trailed off, and he squeezed me to him. “What are you talking about? Who didn’t call back?”
“Nobody. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is you came back.”
I pulled away from him, unsure what had happened while I was out. Studying his face, I couldn’t make out why he thought I wouldn’t come back here.
“Eric, what’s going on? Why would you think I wouldn’t come back here today? Didn’t Mr. DeVille explain that I was leaving the agency, not you?”
“What are you talking about, Maddie?”
“I told him that I wasn’t going to be working as your cook anymore. I know I didn’t discuss it with you, but after you said you didn’t want me to work for you at all and that I could still stay here, I wanted to make it official. I know you never cared what anyone else thought, but I do. I don’t expect to just freeload off you or anything like that, so I hope you don’t think I’m being presumptuous.”
Eric stared at me for a moment and then shook his head. “I don’t care about any of that. I have more than enough for both of us, but if you want to get a job somewhere, that’s fine too. As long as you’re here with me and every night you’re in the bed beside me, I don’t care what happens.”
He seemed relieved by my explanation and didn’t even care that I had resigned from DeVille Staffing without telling him. I wasn’t sure why he thought I would leave him, but the happiness I saw in him now made me not want to push any further for details.
“Magda told me you wanted to speak to me. What’s up?”
A big smile spread across his lips. “I just wanted to tell you I love you and I’m happy you’re here.”
The way he said those words—I love you—so easily, like he’d said them a thousand times before, surprised me. We’d never said that to one another, and even though I’d only known him for about a week, I loved him as much as I could any man.
“You love me?”
He nodded. “I do love you, Maddie. I didn’t realize it until this morning when I thought I might lose you. All of a sudden, life felt empty without you, and I knew it wasn’t just your sugar cookies.”
“I love you too, Eric. I know this whole thing has happened at warp speed and I know most people would say we’re not in love, but—“
Pulling me to him, he stopped my talking with a kiss that nearly took my breath away. “I don’t care what anyone thinks or says, Maddie. You make me happy, and if I do the same for you, then that’s all that matters.”
I looked up into his beautiful blue eyes gazing down at me like I was the most important thing in the world to him and I felt loved. He was right. That’s all that mattered.
“You do make me happy. I guess there is such a thing as love at first sight,” I said with a smile.
“I never believed it before, but I guess there is. What do you say to me telling Jack to run the restaurant again today and you and I spend the day together?”
“Can you do that?”
He smiled. “Of course I can. I’m one of the owners. And Jack has left me alone dozens of times for far less.”
“What are you going to tell him is the reason why you aren’t coming back today?” I asked as he took my hand in his and began to lead me down the hall to his bedroom.
Eric stopped and kissed me softly on the lips. “I’m going to tell him to mind his own business, and if he asks again, I’ll tell him the truth. I’ve fallen in love with the woman who was supposed to be a cook for a man who never eats at home. He won’t understand, but he probably won’t ask again.”
As strange as that answer sounded, it wasn’t wrong. I’d been sent to Eric’s home to cook for him, even though he never needed a cook. For whatever reason, Mr. DeVille had gotten this job wrong. I didn’t hold it against him, though. He couldn’t be right all the time.
So Eric Pierce, a man who came to me looking for a maid, got what he truly needed. He thought if he could have someone keep things tidy in his home that would make him happy, but as always, I knew better. You see, the human soul isn't a difficult thing to understand. Not for me, at least. I knew the moment I met him what he truly needed was someone to make him understand that all work and no play makes for a very dull life.
Maddie was just that someone. No, she couldn't cook, but I hadn't convinced him to hire a cook so he would eat at home. One glance at her and her sweet nature, and I knew she'd be perfect for him. Then it was just a matter of making him jealous and then making him think he'd lost her to nudge him to the realization that what he needed was her.
As I said, the human soul isn't difficult to read. You all want the same thing. I just do what I can to supply it. And in return, I ask for nothing. Well, that’s not true, but I ask for nothing most won’t willingly give up.
Love is worth it, right?
Have you checked out the NeXt series? The second generation of the Club X family is here, and you’re going to love their stories! Click HERE to find out more!
About the Author
K.M. Scott writes contemporary romance stories of sexy, intense, and unforgettable love. A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, she's been in love with romance since reading her first romance novel in junior high (she was a very curious girl!). Under her Gabrielle Bisset name, she writes paranormal and historical romance. She lives in Pennsylvania with a herd of animals and when she's not writing can be found reading or feeding her TV addiction.
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BOOKS BY K.M. SCOTT
Crash Into Me (Heart of Stone #1)
Fall Into Me (Heart of Stone #2)
Give In To Me (Heart of Stone #3)
Heart of Stone Volume One Box Set
Ever After (Heart of Stone #4)
A Heart of Stone Christmas (Heart of Stone #5)
Return To Me (Heart of Stone #6)
Forever With Me (Heart of Stone #7)
Heart of Stone Volume Two Box Set
Hard As Stone (Heart of Stone #8)
Set In Stone (Heart of Stone #9)
Silent As A Stone (Heart of Stone #10)
Heart of Stone Volume Three Box Set
All of Me (Heart of Stone #11)
Temptation (Club X #1)
Surrender (Club X #2)
Possession (Club X #3)
Satisfaction (Club X #4)
Acceptance (Club X #5)
The Complete Club X Series Box Set
Notorious (NeXt #1)
Infamous (NeXt #2)
Ravenous (NeXt #3)
Ambitious (NeXt #4)
If I Dream (Corrupted Love #1)
If You Fight (Corrupted Love #2)
If We Fall (Corrupted Love #3)
The Corrupted Love Trilogy Box Set
Crave (Addicted To You #1)
Adore (Addicted To You #2)
Shatter (Addicted To You #3)
Claim (Addicted To You #4)
The Addicted To You Box Set
In The Darkness (Project Artemis #1)
After The Storm (Project Artemis #2)
Behind The Scenes (Project Artemis #3)
The Project Artemis Box Set
Hard Work (Finding The One #1)
Big Love (Finding The One #2)
Sweet Things (Dirty Boss #1)
Private Secretary (Dirty Boss #2)
Play Date (Dirty Boss #3)
K.M.'S BOOKS ARE IN AUDIOBOOK TOO!
Books by K.M. Scott writing as Gabrielle Bisset
Vampire Dreams Revamped (A Sons of Navarus Prequel)
Blood Avenged (Sons of Navarus #1)
Blood Betrayed (Sons of Navarus #2)
Longing (A Sons of Navarus Short Story)
Blood Spirit (Sons of Navarus #3)
The Deepest Cut (A Sons of Navarus Short Story)
Blood Prophecy (Sons of Navarus #4)
Blood Craving (Sons of Navarus #5)
Blood Eclipse (Sons of Navarus #6)
Blood Ascendant (Sons of Navarus #7)
The Sons of Navarus Box Set #1
The Sons of Navarus Box Set #2
Stolen Destiny (Destined Ones Duet #1)
Destiny Redeemed (Destined Ones Duet #2)
Love’s Master
Masquerade
The Victorian Erotic Romance Trilogy
K.M. Scott, Sweet Things (Dirty Boss Book 1)
