The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO) novel Chapter 16

He pats the sofa next to him suggestively, a cheeky Carrero glint in his eye but I continue with my notes refusing to make eye contact.

“I think not, Mr. Carrero.” Sighing inwardly at the man I have to deal with every day; he’s never dull anyway.

“Your loss.” He closes his eyes again. We pause as we hear voices in the room next to us, faint and distant, that quickly evaporate as the intruders leave again. Both of us silent and still.

“You’ve a meeting in about fifteen minutes, I’m sure half those suits are going to be in it.” I point out, sounding unamused and bored.

“I’ll just imply I was busy elsewhere.” He shrugs, refusing to open those eyes and managing to look crazily attractive in this pose. I sigh.

“Busy doing what?”

“Busy in a cupboard with my PA, trying out the softness of the couch.” He smirks, opening one eye and then the other slowly, to grin at me.

“I’m not having you imply we were up to no good somewhere in this building. Do you know how quickly that would get around the temp pool?” I respond calmly; this is a repetitive conversation which only makes me sigh again. Only I would be lumbered with a boss as trying as this, who loves nothing more than to stress me out. The sexual innuendos never run out with him or the jokes about implicating us.

“We are up to no good, may as well get on the couch and make it worth your while. I’m sure I could help un-wrinkle that skirt.” I roll my eyes; he’s in his playful mood. I probably won’t get much work done this afternoon at all when he is like this. He’s trying at the best of times, but worse in playful mode. I check my watch in irritation, we should get out of here.

“In your dreams,” I respond drily, trying my hardest to ignore him.

“Always.” He throws me a quick eyebrow lift, a cheeky smile. I remain impassive. He’s tiresome and we have a meeting we should already be arriving at. Needless to say, he no longer intimidates me, and his overly familiar behavior is a sign that we have grown somewhat closer in the past weeks. He stopped behaving quite so properly a while ago and I gave up objecting because he is simply too exhausting.

He’s watching me as I smooth a stray hair back into my French knot, aware that his eyes are on me. I raise mine in question. Throwing him my haughty look. My silent, “What?”

“I miss it sometimes you know?” He’s watching me now, a strange look on his face and a faraway glaze to his eyes.

“Miss what?” I mumble trying to sort my jacket out. He really did a number on making me look rumpled this time.

“Being able to intimidate you.” He’s grinning again and eerily reading my thoughts of a moment ago. Something he does a lot.

“Shame,” I respond flatly. I add a note to my planner for a reservation next week and pull up a new email I received. It’s finance asking for the spreadsheets we finished this morning. Rosalie is obviously having no fun with them today.

“I think it’s safe to leave the closet with you now, Mr. Carrero.” I close my iPad inside it’s protective cover and don’t look at him.

“We’re back to Mr. Carrero, are we? Have I made you pout, Miss. Anderson?” He throws me his most innocent schoolboy look.

I’m fully aware of my using his title when he pisses me off, he thinks I’m mad at him.

Maybe I am. He did haul me into a cupboard after all.

“I think you need the boundaries redefined, seeing as you just manhandled me into a closet.” I pout at him.

“Point taken. I’m so deeply sorry for my terrible behavior.” He’s still smiling at me and I have the urge to smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. This annoys me immensely. I hate that he always manages to make me cave, even when he’s pissed me off. He’s incorrigible and exhausting. I don’t know why I endure this every day. I push it down; I would rather stay pissed or appear to be, as it usually gets him to behave a little more demurely.

“Anytime soon?” I gesture at the door impatiently with a nod, crossing my arms.