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.”

again, the perfect prince once more.

placed her hand on his arm, careful to maintain distance between their bodies. She had, from very early

in her veins, the memory of his arousal against her, the dangerous way her body had responded to

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

She ordered a whiskey neat, knocking it back in one swift motion while he

told the

leaned against the bar, getting into her line of sight, studying her with those penetrating eyes.

unresolved tension.

on the dance floor-”

floor,” Keira cut him off. “Just some… biological reaction. Happens to the best of us. Even princes,

“You felt it too.”

You’re a man. Men are

wasn’t just talking about

admit that. “All I felt,” she said carefully, “was a biological reaction. Your body

tightened. “That’s not what this

weird. Monday morning, we go back to normal. You being all princely and demanding, me telling you when you’re being

see the bartender discreetly move down to serve other guests, leaving them in their

dropping lower. “What’s

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

the heat of his body radiating toward her. “We both know that’s

hammered against her ribs. “Back off,

Because you’re afraid you

not your plaything.” She set her glass down with

up. “Men like

is just waiting to serve their needs.” Her voice sharpened. “News flash, Your Highness… I’m not here for

“Keira.”

slightest interest until tonight, when suddenly you’ve got a hard- on pressing against my hip during a waltz. Forgive me if

think I would destroy our working

wants.” She crossed her arms. “Go