Slave to Love Read Online Free PDF Page A

me?’”
    I nod as the waitress delivers two more Manhattans.
    The corners of his mouth curve up as he reaches across to my nearly empty martini glass, plucking out my Maraschino cherry and depositing it on his outstretched tongue. He’s taking obvious delight in seeing my jaw hang open as his tongue slowly draws the cherry into his mouth. I want to follow.
    “Your cherry belonged to me.”
    Now he’s just plain fucking with me.
    “I turned you onto your first Manhattan,” he clarifies. “Your cherry belonged to me.” He’s very matter-of-fact and serious, playing the innocent as he delivers his double entendre.
    “You owe me,” I mutter.
    “Just name it,” the man calls my bluff.
    Picking up the second Manhattan, “I need food or I’m never going to be able to drive home.”
    A slight tic in his cheek tells me that might be his plan, so quickly flagging down the waitress takes on tantamount importance to me. I need to keep it professional and business-like with this guy, but that is so damn hard because I am seriously attracted to him. As I’m sure is every woman who crosses his path. And he’s deliberately fucking with me.
    “So let’s get back to why me. You have staff here.”
    “I have techie staff here. I’ve got engineering management types. People who are great at staying focused on what they do, but don’t throw them a curveball. What I don’t have here is a single individual with the people, leadership and creative thinking skills to be my right hand in pulling this off. I don’t have someone that I have the confidence will coordinate and execute all the details flawlessly. And that is where you come in.”
    “Thank you for those compliments, Hale,” I’m trying to focus, but the Bourbon is having its way with me, “but you met me once for a few minutes, in a bar. Why would you entrust me with a project of this magnitude?”
    “Based on multiple conversations with Kemp. You’re a leader. You motivate people to run through walls for you. And that is a direct quote, by the way.” He pauses and let’s that settle in. “He’s also described you as intensely loyal, able to hold important information in confidence, highly competent and easy to work with.”
    “And he’s loaning me out?”
    “At a steep price.” He laughs.
    “Well, this is highly unorthodox.” I’m not sure whether to feel flattered or hurt, but I’m suddenly feeling like a rock star just sold me to another band for five grams of coke.
    There is only one thing for me to do and that is take another healthy swig of my Manhattan.
    With a gaze so mesmerizing that looking away is not even an option, “Everything I do is unorthodox. I play by my own rules, Sierra.” Taking another sip of his Manhattan, he laughs. “And sometimes I don’t. But I always make up the rules. Just go with it.”
    He hasn’t released me from the unwavering eye contact, but as his finger shoots out towards me, I react, and my eyes follow it until it stops at the apex of my cleavage. He’s touching me. A light, feathery touch. Looking up from his finger back to his eyes, the edges are now crinkled in amusement.
    “Where’s the mermaid?”
    “Her chain broke,” I choke out the words.
    His finger is still there, searing into my skin, making the ache between my legs nearly unbearable.
    “Well, maybe you need stronger chains.”
    And with a mere flick of his finger, I tumble down the rabbit hole.

I’m really not quite sure what to do with her. She’s not like the women I date. She’s not like the women I fuck. Yeah, I have women in my company, just not in my inner circle. So, I’m not sure how to balance having a close work confidante that I want to bang. So damn bad.
    Would it be a bad thing to keep her in the conference room after dismissing the rest of the team, lock the doors, pick her up and seat her on the edge of the conference room table. Feel her melt into my hand as I run my fingertips down the front of her silk tank top.