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“Don’t push your luck, numbnuts. I’ll see you in the meeting. And yeah, before you ask, I’ve got your back.”
An hour later,the great and the good of James and James are gathered in the boardroom, along with key executives from HR, office services, and even the fucking catering department. I don’t want to have to do this twice or for us to be the subject of gossip. If we tell them all at once, it will be done.
Personally, I don’t give a rat’s ass what any of them think. But I know she does. She generally gives several rats’ asses about other people in general. Her gaze flickers over the assembled group and she nervously licks her lips. Fuck, I wish I could lick her lips. She’s wearing that wrap dress again, and even with Linda watching us, I’d like to bend her over the massive conference table and sink my dick into her. I meet her eyes and look at her sternly. Like I’m her boss and she’s done something to piss me off. Once I have her attention, I mouth,I love you, and her face is suddenly suffused with a smile. It’s like the sun’s come out.
I wipe the stupid grin off my own face and turn to the room. The chatter stops as I stand before them.
“I’m sure you’re all curious about why I’ve called you here today,” I say, studying each of their faces. “And I won’t take up too much of your time. I know we’re all busy.” I pause for just a moment and give them the opportunity to murmur their agreement. “Most of you know Miss Amelia Ryder, my secretary.”
A few people nod, some give her a little finger wave, and others look nonplussed. Amelia looks petrified.
“Amelia and I are now officially a couple. To clarify, we are romantic partners. We are boyfriend and girlfriend. She is my bae, my boo, my old lady.”
There are a couple shocked looks, some amused surprise, and quite a lot of smiles. “Is she your LOML?” pipes up Drew, the guy in charge of catering.
“Maybe,” I reply. “But I’m not sure what that is.”
Amelia stands up beside me, her hand creeping into mine, a shy smile on her gorgeous face. “It stands for love of my life,” she explains.
I nod and lock eyes with her. It feels like we’re the only two people in this crowded room. “In that case, yeah, she is very much the LOML. Now, I know there are policies in place and that technically, I’m her boss. So, Linda—and everyone else—please take this as my official notice that I am in a relationship with Miss Ryder. And if any of you object to that, I refer you to a policy that I’ve just decided to add. It’s called ‘My name is on the door and I can do what I like.’ Does anyone have any questions?”
Nathan is standing at the back of the room, arms crossed over his chest. He shakes his head in mock despair, but I can tell he’s amused.
“Yes, Mr. James.” Linda stands up, and I can’t tell if she’s actually scowling or if it’s just her normal expression. “Could I get a copy of that new policy in writing please?”
Amelia giggles, and I make the most unprofessional choice I’ve probably ever made in my life—at least with witnesses—and pull her into my arms. I seal my lips over hers to a chorus of wolf whistles and cheers.
“Put that in your policy packet, Linda,” someone pipes up from the back, and that has my girl laughing against my lips.
“Love you,” I murmur.
She pulls back, leaving me breathless and wanting more. “You’d better get to work, sir. Looks like you have a new policy to write.”
I press my lips to her ear so nobody will hear. “I’ll need you to takedictation, Miss Ryder.”
Her cheeks flush pink. “Of course, Mr. James.”
Chapter
Fifty-Four
AMELIA
“Are you sure?” Drake asks, frowning.
“Yes, I’m sure, Drake. And you don’t fool me. I can see your hard-on from here. I know you want this as much as I do.”
He gives me a huge, slow smile. The kind that turns my core to molten lava along with all my organs.
“Of courseIwant this. If it were up to me, I’d have you tied up all the damn time, mi rosa. I’d have permanent access to your cunt and your ass and your mouth, and I’d keep your gorgeous body strung up and ready for me to play with twenty-four hours a day. That I want this is not in question.”
It’s so hot when he talks to me like that, and there’s a definite damp spot on my panties now. I know why he’s being cautious, and I love him for it.
I slowly tug on the string that holds my wrap dress together and let it slide to the floor where it pools around my feet. I already removed my underwear, and now I stand before him completely naked apart from my pearls and my smile.
His face darkens, and the tent in his suit pants gets even bigger. “Jesus fuck, Amelia.”
“Drake, I want this,” I say clearly. “A traumatic thing happened to me, and yes, it was terrible. But what would be truly terrible would be if it stopped me from enjoying life. Enjoying sex. Enjoying Shibari. What we do together is nothing like what those assholes did to me. Being tied up by you is nothing but pleasure—sweet, sexy pleasure. I’m not going to have some kind of flashback to what they did. This isn’t going to make my trauma worse. It’s going to help me. I want the last rope marks on my skin to be made by the man I love and trust more than anyone in this world.”