Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 159

Her brain was frying itself. He’s a man, right? Men get hard over anything and everything. A stiff breeze. A suggestive text. With Alexei, even a fly landing in the right spot. So, it means nothing. Right?

The way he was looking at her… that didn’t feel like nothing.

He had never made a move on her before… True, the invisible sign that appeared above her head with “Back Off” written on it might have something to do with it… She had never seen it, but both her sisters had told her it often appeared high, bright and in flashing neon. It didn’t really, but it was the vibe she gave off. It was a standing joke in their family.

But their cousin Laura was totally the opposite; she was a lifelong member of Sluts Are Us.

“Alexei,” she whispered, not sure if she was warning him or asking for something she couldn’t name.

He drew in a sharp breath at the sound of his name on her lips. His hand tightened on her waist, drawing her infinitesimally closer.

“We should stop,” she said, but made no move to pull away.

“Yes,” he agreed, his voice rough. “We should.”

Neither of them stopped dancing.

Around them, the music continued, people were oblivious to the silent battle taking place on the dance floor. Keira felt caught in a current, pulled toward something both terrifying and inevitable. This was not safe.

She’d set professional boundaries with Alexei. But those boundaries had never accounted for this. For the way her body responded to his

touch, for the electricity that sparked between them when his gaze met hers.

“The song’s ending,” he said, a hint of regret in his voice.

Reality crashed back in. Keira stepped back slightly, breaking the spell. “Good. I need a drink. A stiff one. Make it a bucket.”

His lips curved into a knowing smile. “Running away, Warner?”

“Tactical retreat,” she corrected, smoothing down her dress with hands that weren’t entirely steady. She just couldn’t look at him. “There’s a difference.”

He offered his arm again, the perfect prince once

had, from very early on, called him Alexei, but by using his title now, she was reminding herself they

lingering heat in her veins, the memory of his arousal against

crossed. She’d come to the gala as his assistant, nothing more. There was no way she was going to end up in his bed. No matter

whiskey neat, knocking it back in one swift motion while he watched

she told the bartender,

into her line of sight, studying her with those penetrating

unresolved tension.

the dance floor-” he

him off. “Just some… biological reaction. Happens to

“You felt it too.”

get it. You’re a man. Men are basically

wasn’t just talking

a pull towards him, but she wasn’t going to admit that. “All I felt,” she said carefully, “was a biological reaction. Your body pressed against mine, and

jaw tightened. “That’s not what this

go back to normal. You being all princely

time to see the bartender discreetly move down to

running scared,” he said, voice dropping lower. “What’s between

couple glanced their way. “There’s you, there’s me, and there’s a whole lot of professional boundaries that should

moved closer, the heat of his body radiating

heart hammered against her ribs.

Because you’re afraid you might actually feel

your plaything.” She set her glass down with more force

shot up. “Men like

believe everyone and everything is just waiting to serve their needs.” Her voice sharpened. “News flash, Your Highness… I’m not

“Keira.”

you’ve never shown the slightest interest until tonight, when suddenly you’ve got a hard-

would destroy our

getting what he wants.” She crossed her arms. “Go put your power point into another woman’s socket, because I’m not buying what you’re