Let's Play A Dirty Ass Game, Mr. CEO

Chapter 45: WHAT’S WRONG WITH MY BODY

LAURA

Harlan’s lips had to move over mine for a few more seconds, gently probing, before I realized quite horribly, that I didn’t want this.

Which was strange...because I thought I’d wanted to kiss him all this time. Only to have his lips meet mine and it’s nothing likel I imagined?

Harlan’s lips tasted good, really good—something between minty and smoky—but this taste... it didn’t blow my mind. It didn’t send mind-numbing signals to my brain and make liquid-hot heat flow through my veins.

I flattened my palms against his chest and pushed hard. It took only one push to get him off, and he gazed down at me with eyes glazed over with desire. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I-I just," I slid my fingers into my hair and pushed off the high stool I’d been perched on. "I think I need a minute." I flashed him a nervous smile. "Long day. My mother came around. Unannounced."

The scales of desire fell from his eyes. Because...Harlan knew about the relationship with my family too. I’d told him how they treated me, especially w

when I turned up pregnant with Eli.

Just the way to go, Laura, down the tricky, emotional blackmail path.

"What did she want?" His eyes moved down my body in a quick sweep. "Are you okay?"

Unable to help myself, I smiled at his genuine concern. "I took care of her, and I’m still in one piece. She’s going to work really hard to break me, ever again."

Harlan nodded thoughtfully, his expression pinched. "How do you think she found you? I mean, I know you’re famous now but trespassing your privacy? Finding your home? Where you live with your son? Nah." He shook his head. "We might have to take some serious measures against her."

We.

I pursed my lips, thinking about how easily he’d forgotten the kiss which I’d sourly rejected.

Sometimes, I thought I knew everything I needed to know about Harlan. But at times like this one, I questioned the very knowledge of him.

Was he just too good to be true? A perfect gentleman? Or was there something else that left me with this gnawing feeling about him in my chest?

God, something must be wrong with me. Here I was with this man I’d fantasized about for days, weeks, months...and when this thing between us was just beginning to snap into place, my body decided to betray me.

Not in the way it does when I’m close to Tristan, or when I think of him.

In an entirely different way.

Could my body have forgotten how to react after going so long without feeling the touch of a man? Is that what this was?

As I sat there listening to Harlan suggest ways we could protect Eli and myself from my mother, I hoped that the problem would be a simple one, like my body being out of practice.

°°°

I walk into the fashion house the next morning in high, jittery spirits. Hungover and tired.

Dark shades were thrown over my eyes to hide the dark circles that decorated them. I’d barely gotten any sleep the previous night. Harlan slept over, but not in my bed.

He’d respected himself as well as me by taking the couch in the living room. He was such a gentleman. A keeper. So why was my body not reacting?

My nerves were wiry and snappy with sexual frustration. I knew I wanted release, and Harlan was drop-dead gorgeous enough to give it to me. So why...?

Swinging my bag from side-to-side idly, I headed in the direction of the finance team. There was one specific reason I’d stubbornly brought my hungover ass to the office today.

I needed to confirm which account that money had been sent to, and how the transaction had happened in the first place.

Because I clearly remembered telling Madison a loud no to her request for a wedding dress.

When I arrived at the office door of the finance team, I leaned against the doorframe and pulled my glasses down the bridge of my nostrils.

"Good morning, financiers."

Financiers? What the hell? Yep, still a little drunk.

Why did Harlan make me drink so much?

"Good morning, boss!" The finance team chorused back and everyone’s attention was suddenly on me. My eyes trailed the faces and rested on Mara, who was further in the office, standing next to the window with her fingers jammed in her jumpsuit pocket.

"So, I’ve got a few questions." I walked in and pulled the first chair my hand found close. Then I sank into it and crossed my legs. "What business transaction did we have with Pierce Holdings to warrant a transfer of three million grand to one of our accounts?"

The office fell silent and the staff exchanged looks of surprise. It was so hilarious to see right now because this was their job...tracking every financial movement in and out of my brand. Yet they all looked so clueless.

Mara eventually came forward and stood in front of me. "Three million grand? When was this?"

I tilted my head and observed her quietly. "Were you not aware of this transaction, chief financial officer?"

Her face clouded over and I really felt like a bitch for being this way with my best friend. But this was business. It’s what I pay her my money for, to handle situations like this where Tristan fucking Pierce doesn’t have to come storming to my house to ask me silly questions.

The look disappeared from Mara’s face like it wasn’t there, and she dropped her head in a meek gesture. "If you’ll give me some time, I’ll try to find out how—"

Someone stepped forward. "I think I know what happened, ma’am."

"Hey, don’t do this, please," someone else whispered, trying to pull her back.

Mara whirled to look at the blonde girl who had stepped forward, and I could swear I saw daggers in my best friend’s eyes, for one split second before they were gone.

"Who permitted you to speak?" she snapped.

But I lifted my hand, stopping her. "Let’s hear her out." Then I studied the girl briefly. "What is your name?"

"Macy," she quivered.

"Alright, Macy. What can you tell us about the three million grand transaction?"

Macy looked at the forlorn colleague who had begged her not to step forward. Then she drew a deep breath.

"Someone from the design team accepted the bridal dress order from Ms. Steele. That’s how the transaction came about."

At first I didn’t understand what she said. Until it clicked.

"Who did what?"

Mara stepped forward with a stern expression. "Let me handle this."

I frowned, unsure why she was in such a hurry to dismiss me.

An inquiry was just on the tip of my tongue when my phone rang.

Tristan was calling, and my body instantly thrummed in response.