Raw Read Online Free PDF

remember?”
    His full lips hitched upward. “I figured that didn’t apply here at work.”
    â€œIt applies to you, no matter where we are.”
    â€œI take it you’re not planning to chew me out?” he drawled, moving inside and closing the door behind him.
    â€œI don’t think there’s anything of your ass left to chew,” she teased. His gaze grew hungry, and she knew he was about to make an off-color comment, so she rushed on. “I just wanted to thank you again for last night.”
    â€œYou already did, so it’s not necessary. I’m sure you’d do the same for me if I found myself in dire need of your ninja skills.”
    Laughing, she shook her head. “You’d better hope that never becomes an issue. My ninja skills are sadly lacking.”
    Closing the distance between them, he moved around her desk and said, “Want to tell me why you really called me in here? Could it be because you missed me?”
    He was so close, she had to look up at him from her chair. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him not to be ridiculous. Then his hand covered hers and he knelt beside her chair, leaned close, and brought their lips together gently.
    Pure heaven. This man kissed like nobody she’d ever met, his lips exerting just the right amount of pressure, his tongue seeking hers. She explored him in return, tasting a hint of coffee and cinnamon. Delicious.
    Common sense struggled to reassert itself and she pushed him back, breaking the kiss. “We shouldn’t do this.”
    â€œYou said
shouldn’t
, not
can’t
. That’s pretty telling.” He appeared smug.
    â€œI’m your boss, Gray.”
    â€œOnly on paper. You said yourself that Ethan has the final word where I’m concerned. Or anyone in his kitchen, for that matter.”
    â€œHow do you think the rest of my staff would react if they found out I was seeing one of them?”
    â€œWhy would you care? They answer to you, not the other way around.” He paused. “Do you have a policy prohibiting employees from seeing each other socially?”
    â€œNo, of course not.”
    â€œDating?”
    â€œNo,” she admitted.
    â€œAnd if you found out some of them were dating right now, what would you do?” he pressed.
    â€œNothing.” She sighed. “As long as they kept the lovey-dovey stuff away from the customers and didn’t let it distract them at work, I wouldn’t say anything.”
    â€œThere you go,” he said with a wicked grin. “You’re not breaking your own rule because there isn’t one, and you’re not setting a double standard. So live a little. All work and no play makes Anna a sad girl.”
    â€œNow you sound like my mother.”
    â€œShe must be a smart woman.”
    â€œYou can judge for yourself. She’s arriving for a visit next Friday.”
    â€œYou bringing her here, to the restaurant?”
    She nodded. “It’ll be her first time in New York since we opened. I’m rolling out the red carpet.” For all the good it would do where her mom was concerned. But one could hope.
    â€œGood for you both. Maybe I’ll get to meet her while she’s here.” He seemed genuine. He stood. “I get off in an hour. What do you say we go for a walk, then I buy us a bottle of wine to share at your place.”
    â€œWhy not yours?”
    â€œThat’s fine with me. It’s just that my place is sort of bare. I’m afraid it’s a typical bachelor pad, without much furniture or ambiance.”
    Hesitating, she wondered if she was really going to do this. In the next instant, she told herself to stop overthinking it.
    â€œMy place it is.”
    That smile of his could melt her all the way to her toes. He seemed pretty pleased with himself as he sauntered to the door.
    â€œOne hour. Can’t wait.” Then he was gone.
    One hour never passed so slowly.
    ***
    As