Bound Beneath His Pain: A Dirty Little Secrets Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

to my face. “This is a first, believe me. You must have made an impression.”
    Liv lifts a brow at me and smirks. “Oh, yeah, no fireworks at all.”
    I roll my eyes at her and pluck the card out from the flowers.
Allie—
    Welcome to Holt.
    —Micah
    When I look up at Neil, I find him grinning stupidly at me like this should have me happy dancing. I bite the inside of my cheek, glancing at Liv to see what she might be thinking. Of course, her smile mirrors Neil’s. Tightness swells in my chest. God, I’m so tempted to fall into Micah’s flirtation. I’m still tormented by the way he looked at me. The dark promises I swear he can deliver on tempt me. But there’s a long list of why this is a bad idea. The biggest reason being that the man I want in my life would deliver the flowers to me himself instead of sending his assistant.
    I rise from my seat and bring the bouquet to Neil. “Please thank Mr. Holt for the gift, but take them back and tell him not to send anything like this again.”
    Neil’s eyes bulge, his skin pales. “I can’t do that!”
    “Oh, sure you can.” I give him a light push on the back, noting the softness of his jacket and trying to decide if it’s cotton or something else, while I ease him out of my office. “Thanks for bringing them by, though. It’s great to meet you.”
    Neil leaves the office muttering something I don’t understand.
    The moment he’s on his way, Liv snaps, “It’s happened. You’ve lost your goddamn mind.”
    I chuckle. “Nope. My mind is good. Promise.”
    “Then why did you do
that
?”
    I return to my desk, coming up with another reason besides my earlier ones for not taking Micah up on his offer. I
need
my relationship with Liv; the thought of
us
changing terrifies me. She knows me as Allie, a real estate agent who has worked for her success and who doesn’t have a million dollars in her bank account. I never want her view of me to change. “I did
that
because I want to be known as the woman who refused flowers from Micah. I don’t want to be known as the girl who
maybe
got the job because the boss likes her.”
    Liv grins from ear to ear. “She finally admits it.”
    I give her another well-deserved eye roll and half shrug. “Who knows what his intention is, but you know women—that’s exactly what they’ll think. It’s not professional of him to send me flowers.”
    Liv gazes at me with focus until her shoulders slump. “You’re right. Catty bitches will
so
think that.”
    I nod in agreement. “We’ve got a new start here. I’d like to avoid the catty bitches, if possible.” I cross my legs while the computer screen comes to life. Dating Micah isn’t like dating any guy. The tabloids would unearth all my secrets and take away my privacy, because that’s what happens when you date Micah Holt.
    Just because he has a dark seduction that draws me in and a powerful presence that soaks my panties doesn’t mean he’s worth the risk.
At least not yet,
echoes in my heart.
    I shake
that
particular thought from my mind and get down to business. “Let’s forget about the flowers and see about figuring out this new system so we can make magic happen.”
    Liv gives me her go-getter smile. “That
is
what we do best.”

Micah
    I enter my favorite restaurant in the Financial District, The Vault, waving off the hostess as she approaches me. The modern design with dark wood tables and white linens, the delicious cuisine, and the professional staff are all the reasons I visit this restaurant as often as possible. I pass by the tables heading around the right side of the restaurant, noting a few women giving me appreciative glances before I reach my destination in the far corner of the room. Holt’s clients Peter and Jenny Lowe are chatting real estate, but my eye goes to the stunning brunette captivating them.
    I get why—Allie captivates me in the same way. It’s not only her long straight hair that shines against the light or her hourglass figure