Page 17 of Falling for Them

He’s never seen me in anything except a maid uniform (well, and my underwear.And naked), so the chance to show off my body in a beautiful gown has me so excited, I could sing.

So, sing I do, softly while I vacuum.The offices along the top floor hallway are dark…until I reach Mr.Tyler’s office.

There, the lamp on his desk is on, and he’s sitting there, his eyes fixed on his computer monitor.

I wonder what keeps him here so late every night.I know he isn’t married to Joel’s mother anymore, from something Joel mentioned once.But is there another woman in Mr.Tyler’s life?It seems like there should be—I’d be shocked if he isn’t seeing anyone.

It’s none of my business, though.I’m only idly curious, because I’m dating his son.It makes sense to be curious about my boyfriend’s family.

When I glance his way again, I nearly drop the vacuum cleaner.

Mr.Tyler is staring at me.

My face heats, because he caught me looking at him, and I quickly turn my head.

But I can’t resist sneaking another peek at him.

This time, he’s not looking at me at all.

I squash my disappointment.I’m being ridiculous.He probably wasn’t looking at me to begin with—these windows are very reflective, and he could’ve simply been spacing out over the shape of the furniture in his office.

I don’t move away, though.Apparently, I’m making sure the floor in front of his office is extremely clean.

It’s past time to move on to the next section of the hallway.This is embarrassing, the way I’m hovering here, as if hoping for…what?What do I think is going to happen right now?I’m dating his son, for fuck’s sake, and that’s already a stretch—a nobody maid dating a rich, polished guy like Joel Tyler.Now I suddenly think I could capture the attention of a distinguished man who’s old enough to be my dad?

My actual dad would say I’ve gotten too big for my britches.

Yeah.Enough of this.I angle the vacuum cleaner away from Mr.Tyler’s stretch of the hallway, and back toward Joel’s office.

A loud throat-clearing behind me has me whirling around, a hand to my heart, which suddenly feels like it wants to leap out of my chest.

Mr.Tyler is standing in his doorway.“Ella?”

“Y-yes, sir?”

“I apologize for scaring you.”

“No,” I say with a weak laugh.“No problem, I just startle easily, that’s all.”

He nods.“I’d like your help with something, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course,” I chirp, shutting off the vacuum cleaner.“Should I bring in my cart of cleaning supplies?”

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

As I go down the hall to retrieve the cart, I take slow, even breaths.Calm down, Ella.Mr.Tyler is just an extremely attractive man.

He has an extremely attractive friend, too.

And an attractive son, I remind myself with a mental slap.Who happens to be my boyfriend.

I bring the cart back to his office.He’s still standing in the doorway, his arms folded across his broad chest.As always, he wears a slightly disapproving scowl on his face, and I shiver.Why does that scowl turn me on?It shouldn’t.It doesn’t.I won’t let it.

“All right, I’m all set,” I say to him cheerfully.“Where do you want me?”

The corner of his mouth twitches upward like I’ve told a joke, and I realize how that question could’ve sounded.But surely he’s not thinking about what I’m thinking—that would be ridiculous and impossible.

The lip twitch dies down and he looks even more severe as he says, “My bookcase hasn’t been dusted in a long time.I went to retrieve a book the other day and had a terrible sneezing fit.”