Crossing the Line Read online

  “Are you going to let her pitch with you?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Don’t you think she’s going to want in on that?”

  I let out a big breath. “Probably.”

  “What are you going to tell her?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Well, you’d better figure it out soon because times flies.”

  The sinking feeling in my gut falls deeper because I know Piper isn’t going to take no for an answer without a fight. I need to figure out quickly how I’m going to get around this.

  11

  Piper

  Against my better judgment, I let Noah take me to his place, and I allow him to be an asshole to me all night. And after another night of cumming so many times I lose track, I want him and hate him even more.

  He makes me tell him all the things I don’t want to tell him.

  How much I love fucking him.

  How no one on earth makes me feel the way he does.

  How I can’t stand sitting next to him all day and not touching him.

  Yep, he makes me spill every thought that is in my head, and I hate him even more for it.

  And then he kisses me and whispers things in my ear.

  That he loves fucking me.

  That no one on earth makes him feel the way I do.

  That he can’t stand sitting next to me all day and not touching me.

  And then I want him more, and that’s before he tells me all the other things.

  How beautiful I am.

  How I’m the smartest person—not even woman but person—he knows, including himself.

  How he holds himself back all day long because I made him promise he wouldn’t kiss me at the office.

  As his lips and tongue crush against mine, he pulls me into him, making everything else in the world disappear because only our beating hearts and pulsing bodies exist.

  By the time the darkness turns into light, I want him so much that I have to leave. We’ve fallen asleep, and I’m curled up to his body, and nothing feels safer, or righter, than him.

  So I carefully sneak out, but not before I figure out his code on his phone and send the girls a text to find out who has mine. Vivian has it. I meet up with her for breakfast and tell her all about my night, and then I go home and sleep because I’m exhausted, and my mind is running a million miles a minute about the pros and cons of Noah.

  The biggest con is blinking at me like a neon sign. He is your boss. Your job is too important for you to mess with. Friends, work, that is your life. Stop playing Russian roulette with it.

  I wake up around three and pick up my phone.

  Noah has texted me. “Why did you leave?”

  My heart thumps. I don’t know how to answer his message, so I ignore it and hope he will just leave it.

  It’s been an hour, and I get another text.

  “Xander and I are going out. Do you and your friends want to come?”

  Yes, I want to see him, but I know if I do, I will break down, and my career will surely be destroyed. I will have to give in, and I’ll become known as the girl who slept her way to the top. So I don’t reply.

  After twenty minutes pass, he texts, “Are you back to ignoring me?”

  “I told you not to text me. Email is how you can communicate with me.”

  “You really want me to put this through email?”

  I bite on my lip. “No. So stop texting me. I have a life and plans.”

  “Hot date?”

  Before I can think, I write, “Yes.” I instantly regret it as the phone goes quiet. For the remainder of the weekend, I don’t hear from Noah, and while I told him not to text me, I’m secretly disappointed.

  Monday comes slowly. Saturday night and Sunday drag by, and all I can think of is him. I don’t sleep well and get to work at 7 a.m., thinking I’ll be the only one there, but I arrive at the office just as Noah does.

  “What are you doing here this early?” he asks me.

  I shrug. “I woke up early. What are you doing here?”

  “Same.”

  We stand frozen for a few moments, in awkward silence.

  “Want to go grab some coffee?” Noah finally asks.

  I debate in my head.

  “Seriously? It’s just coffee, I promise I won’t touch you.” He rolls his eyes.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I glare at him.

  “And you’re back to hating me. Awesome. On second thought, just forget it, Piper,” he says in a pissed-off voice.

  “Why do you have to be nasty?”

  Noah sarcastically laughs. “I’m being nasty?”

  “Yeah.”

  He steps forward so he’s only a foot away from me, and my pulse increases. His sexy clean scent flares in my nostrils, and I ask myself why I’m such a bitch to him, but I don’t want to back down. Scowling at me, he appears like he’s going to say something then shakes his head. “Feel free to text me, or better yet, you can email me if you want me to bring you anything back.” He spins and exits the office.

  I let out a big breath that I wasn’t aware I was holding, as I try to regulate my heartbeat.

  This is so stupid. Why am I treating him like shit? He’s still my boss.

  Before I can think any more, I get on the elevator and head for the coffee shop. I order a latte. Noah is sitting with his face to the wall and his hands on his forehead like he’s frustrated. I go over and sit down across from him.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He doesn’t respond and puts his hands on the back of his head.

  I tilt my head at him. “Are you going to forgive me?”

  Slowly, a smile forms on his lips. “Sure, I forgive you. How was your hot date?”

  “I think we both know I didn’t have a date.”

  “Do we?”

  “Well, we do now.” I take a sip of my latte.

  “Are you going to keep me on the no-text lockdown?”

  I softly laugh. “The no-text lockdown?”

  He taps his fingers on the table. “What would you call it?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know.”

  “Well?”

  I sigh. I should tell him he’s still banned, but all weekend I kept checking my phone and waiting for him to text me. “Okay, I’ll lift the ban unless you screw up.”

  He rubs his hands on his face. “And what would that entail?”

  I shake my head. “I’m not sure. I’ll let you know when it happens.”

  “Well, knowing how much you hate me, I’m sure it’ll be today at some point.”

  I almost tell him I don’t hate him, but I don’t. Instead, I try to switch the subject. “Did you have a good time with Xander?”

  Noah nods. “Yeah, it was nice to spend time with a friend.”

  “You should make some here.”

  He raises his eyebrows.

  “What?”

  “It’s not that easy when you work a lot, and you’re in your thirties.”

  Not thinking, I put my hand over his and tease, “Aw, do you need lessons on how to make friends?”

  “Funny.” He flips his hand on top of mine so it’s trapped but strokes it with his finger. “I’d kind of like to be friends with you.”

  “Probably not a good idea.”

  He licks his lips. “Why? You can’t control yourself around me?”

  “Ha, ha!”

  “Well? Why not?”

  I tilt my head at him. “One, you’re my boss.”

  He snorts. “Well, I think we already crossed the boss-employee line.”

  While I normally would have gotten mad at him about that, I find myself laughing. “I guess you’re right.”

  “What’s your other reason?”

  “I’m sure we have nothing in common.”

  He squints at me. “Why do you think that?”

  I shrug.

  After a few minutes of silence, Noah says, “Why don’t we make a friendly wager.”

  “A wager?�
��

  “Yeah. Let’s hang out. We do what you want for a day, and, another day, we get to do what I want. My bet is we’ll have fun. If I win, I get my desk back. If you don’t have fun with me, you get to keep my office when Bennett tells you that you can have your old office back.”

  I jerk my head at him. “You’re serious?”

  “Yeah, why not?”

  “You’re going to give up your office and take my old one?”

  “Nope. I’m not going to do that because you’re going to lose.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yep.”

  “Okay, you’re on, except sex doesn’t count as having fun.”

  Noah laughs. “You’re pretty sure of yourself.”

  I blush.

  “And I also think you have lots of fun when we have sex.”

  I swat his arm. “Stop it!”

  He laughs again. “All right. I’ll be good. Sex doesn’t count as fun. Why don’t we create a twenty-four-hour window.”

  “Twenty-four-hour window?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why twenty-four hours?”

  Noah shrugs. “I don’t know. Does that scare you?”

  “Scare me?”

  “Yeah, too much fun with me.”

  I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling. “Do I have to hang out with you for twenty-four hours?”

  “If I plan activities, then yes.”

  “So, whatever I plan, you have to do if it’s within the time block?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hmm. So I just have to make you miserable to keep your office?”

  “Wow. Bring in the strategy.”

  “Yep. So, what if it’s a tie?”

  Noah gives me a cocky grin. “Let me guess. You make me miserable, but you have an awesome time with me?”

  “Sure, however you want to put it.”

  Noah licks his lips. “Let’s sixty-nine, and whoever cums first loses.”

  My face flushes. “You’re such a pervert.”

  Noah shrugs. “I don’t care. Draw straws if you want.”

  I don’t say anything.

  “Do we have a deal, then?”

  I roll my eyes. “Fine, but only because I want your office.”

  Noah leans in and lowers his voice. “There’s one more rule.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You can’t lie.”

  “I only lie to cover your ass.”

  “Okay, good. Because when you have the best time ever with me, I don’t want you telling me I’m an asshole, and it sucked.”

  “But you are an asshole,” I tell him, but I can’t hold the smile back from my face.

  “What’s Noah done to you, Piper?”

  I snap my head up and Bennett is standing next to our table with a coffee in his hand.

  I’m not sure what to say when Noah steps in. “Piper is still blaming me for losing her office, so I made a friendly wager with her to keep mine after you let us go back.”

  Bennett raises his eyebrow. “Oh? What’s the wager?”

  “Nothing you’ll find interesting. Just a test at the end of the quarter about what she’s learned,” Noah tells him.

  Bennett pats Noah on the shoulder. “You might want to start packing now.”

  I smirk at Noah.

  “Gee, thanks, Uncle.”

  “Hey, I know when a man’s in over his head, kid. And you, you’re in over your head. See you upstairs.” He chuckles, turns, and leaves.

  Once Bennett is out of the shop, I stand up, lean down to Noah’s ear, and whisper, “Your uncle’s right. You should start packing.”

  He grabs my arm so our faces stay close. “I forgot to mention something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You look really beautiful today.” He winks.

  Tiny flutters dance around my stomach. “Come on. We don’t want to miss the staff meeting.”

  12

  Noah

  All weekend long, I’d thought about Piper being out on a date. Xander told me she was screwing with me, but I didn’t know for sure.

  Wracking my brain, I kept trying to figure out how to show her I really wasn’t the asshole she thought I was, but nothing came to me, so when the opportunity arose in the coffee shop, I felt as if my luck was finally changing.

  After the staff meeting, we fall into our usual work pattern. Mostly, sitting next to each other at the table in our office, sharing the monitors, since the wall ones haven’t arrived yet.

  Today, Piper has hardly shot me any nasty looks, and we’ve been the most relaxed working together since we met. We’re still sneaking glances at each other, but instead of turning away now, we’re giving each other snarky faces.

  It’s around four when the call comes through. I stand up and answer, “Nixon, do you have a date for me yet?” Nixon’s my assistant in New York. He’s been working on securing a time for me to meet with the shareholders of the companies I am going after, and they are all based in New York City.

  “I sure do. This week.”

  “This week?” I walk over to the window and watch the waves in Lake Michigan crash on the shoreline.

  “Yes. One Friday, one Saturday, and one Monday.”

  “Okay. Go ahead and set them up.”

  “All right. Will do.”

  “Thanks.” I hang up. I’ve been waiting to get these meetings scheduled for a long time, and I know that this is just the beginning of the end. While I should feel like I’ve got a small win, all I feel is my stomach churning and vengeance running through me.

  It’s time to make them pay.

  My hand is clenched in a fist, and my chest is heaving with anxiety. The only reason I know is that Piper comes up to me and puts her hand over mine.

  “Noah, are you okay?”

  Slowly, I turn toward her, but my anger and other emotions are so strong it takes me a minute to register that she’s touching me and gazing at me funny.

  “Noah?” She puts her hand on my chest. “’Your heart is racing. Come sit down.”

  She leads me to the table, walks to the door and locks it, and comes back and sits next to me. “Noah, what’s going on?”

  My chest is tight, and my pulse is beating in my ears so loud I can hardly think. My breath is short. “I’m fine.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  I nod. “I am.”

  Piper puts her hand on my cheek.

  I try to breathe normally and get my pulse to calm down.

  “Tell me what’s going on.”

  I shake my head.

  Piper bites her lip and squeezes my leg.

  She steps in between my legs, cups my cheeks, and kisses me. At first, it’s just a peck, but then she comes back for another one, and I wrap my arms around her, palm her ass, and caress her back. Her heavenly lips gently brush mine.

  My chest pain dwindles, but my breathing stays heightened. I run my hands through her hair and draw her closer to my mouth, tasting her tongue, melting into her body, falling into the paradise that’s just Piper.

  “I thought you said no office kissing,” I murmur once my heart pain goes away.

  “Shh, don’t ruin it,” she whispers, as we continue making out, lazily.

  She’s flush against my body, and I’m hard as a rock, but she’s never kissed me like this before. It’s always been passionate and intense, and this is different. It’s loving and sensual and has officially ruined me for all other kisses.

  “Tell me what’s going on,” she mumbles.

  “Now you’re ruining it.”

  “No, I’m not. Let me in a bit,” she whispers.

  And I realize what’s happening. As much as I want to tell her, I can’t. I pull back. “I’m fine.”

  Piper scans my eyes. “You aren’t.”

  I let go of her and scoot my chair back. “I am.”

  She shakes her head.

  “Just leave it.”

  Inside, I’m cursing myself. It’s my fault this moment was ruined,
but I can’t tell her because I can’t risk anything going wrong, and I don’t want to put her in harm’s way.

  After another disgusted glare, she opens her laptop bag and is packing up when there is a knock on the door.

  She unlocks it.

  Bennett enters. “Noah, Nixon said it’s happening Friday, Saturday, and Monday?”

  “Sounds like it.”

  “Okay. Piper, you go to New York with Noah to present.”

  My head about snaps off. “Bennett, no!”

  Confusion and hurt fill her face.

  Bennett approaches me. “This isn’t negotiable.”

  I stand up. “I said no.”

  He turns to Piper. “Would you mind excusing us for a few moments?”

  Once she leaves, I bite out, “What do you think you’re doing? I told you before, I don’t want Piper involved in this.”

  “There is no reason she can’t be. This is a good learning experience for her. And let me remind you, I’m still the one calling the final shots around here.”

  “Damn it, Bennett, it’s not safe!”

  “It’s fine. The sellers aren’t where the danger lies.”

  “You don’t know that!”

  “This isn’t up for discussion. She’s going and will be an asset.”

  “I have this handled. I don’t need a babysitter.”

  Bennett points at me. “Sometimes, I think your arrogance is going to be your downfall. No one can do something of this magnitude on their own.”

  “I can.”

  “No, you can’t. Piper is going with you. It’s final. If you don’t like it, we can find another successor CEO.”

  I snort. “Are you listening to yourself right now? You sound like a power-hungry old man.”

  “Noah, you’re my nephew, and I love you, but, son, there is no reason for me to be power-hungry because I already hold all the power. Piper goes with you, or we’re done. Make a choice.” He turns and leaves.

  “Damn it.” I slap the table.

  The last thing I want is Piper involved in this. I’m about to start a war with the pharmaceutical and insurance industry, and the further away from it she is, the better.

  Through the open door, I hear Bennett tell Piper to clear her schedule Thursday through Monday night.

  She returns, and I close the door behind her. “Tell Bennett you can’t go to New York.”