Page 41 of Consumed By You

“Thank you, Benjamin,” I respond politely, the memories of the past couple of days flooding my mind. “I-I need to finish my work.”

“It’s eight o’clock and I can bet you haven’t eaten, am I right?” He sits on the edge of my desk, looking smoldering hot.

I shake my head, unable to form words as I admire his beauty.

“Darcy, that’s not healthy,” he reproaches gently. “Come on, let’s go to dinner.”

“No.”

He falters a little bit at the rejection. “Why not? You’re hungry. I’m hungry.”

“Because I can’t go to dinner with you. I’m sorry.”

“We have things to talk about,” he presses, halting my arm on the keyboard with a light hand.

“No, we don’t. What is there left to say?”

“We need to talk about this job. I really don’t want to lose you as my assistant.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “We already spoke about this, Benjamin,” I snap and pull my hand away. He stands up and walks behind me to fix his sights on the chaotic world below.

I’m typing angrily when I hear the words I’ve wanted to hear since I first stepped into his office.

“It’s not just the job.” His tremulous voice is vulnerable and it makes me swivel to face him in my chair. He’s still far away, his attention set firmly on the world below us, like he’s afraid to look at me. “I don’t want to lose you, Darcy.”

“What?”

He sighs, drifting a hand over his face, and his rigid shoulders slump before he turns to me. “I want you, Darcy. I want to try. I’mwillingto try this.”

“You want to be with me?”

He nods, not breaking the intense connection we’re having right now.

“What made you change your mind?” I ask, mentally praying this isn’t a dream and that I’m not about to wake up in a puddle of drool on my desk.

He bends down in front of me and takes my hands in his. “I missed you. I realized how much of an ass I’ve been and hopped on my damn plane. I’m not a good man, Darcy, and I know you deserve better than me, but I can’t even fathom you being with someone other than me every night…I do need you.”

I pull myself into him, hugging him, expressing every deliriously resplendent feeling that’s going through my body, my mind, through the embrace. He relaxes into it, nuzzling my hair as his arms practically crush me.

“How do we do this?” he asks, an agonized uncertainty in his deep rasp. I know not being in control is something of a taboo for him.

“We could go on a date?” I suggest hopefully.

He contemplates that for a moment before nodding decisively. “How about now?”

Eager.I like it.

“Let me just finish this and we can go.”

“No way. You’re worse than me, woman. That’s saying a lot. Come on.” He stands and hauls me up with him, his robust arms holding our bodies dangerously close.

“I need to sign out. Let me go, you fiend.” I push him back to close the programs on the computer.

He grins. “I’ll show you fiend, baby.”

I click hastily, my fingers shaking from nervousness.

He’s willing to try!He just called me baby!