Read A Very Dirty Boss (A Sexy Standalone Contemporary Romance) for Free Online Page B

you’re a dead ringer for a young Elizabeth Taylor?” Jake said right before he snuck in a quick kiss. And right in front of all our friends who were sitting at the table with us.
    Against my better judgment, I’d gone home with him and not only did he turn out to be great in the sack, but also a well-played Prince Charming. The morning after, when I was ready to dash off and rule it out as nothing more than a one-night-stand, Jake insisted I call in sick to work while he made me, from scratch, strawberry pancakes and freshly squeezed orange juice.
    I mean who does that? Seriously?
    A guy with a fucking motive, that’s who.
    Three months later, when I make the difficult yet liberating decision to let my guard down by telling him I was falling in love with him - due to all the cooked dinners, the romantic dates (like making scones and going to fancy degustation nights together), meeting his family, and us generally having knockout sex - the asshole in him finally came out.
    “You’re a great girl, Anna. The perfect package. You have the looks, the body, and the personality. A real trifecta. But… things just aren’t hitting that one hundred percent mark. And if things aren’t at one hundred percent then I can’t carry on with the relationship.”
    I’d felt a sharp paper cut on my heart.
    Bastard.
    Despite being brutally honest with me, I knew how he rolled. He’d told me before how his relationships never go beyond a few months. And how he’d ended things with lots of great girls for reasons he didn’t even know.
    He was dater, not a stayer. And I was his latest victim.
    He kept my heart in a jar for as long as he could and then when I pushed for our relationship to go to the next level, he cowered. He was too afraid to change his little routine of loving them and then leaving them.
    Jake was a prick.
    He treated me even worse than Lucas did. At least, Lucas didn’t string me along for months with his endless supply of wit and charm. Oh yes, in comparison to Jake, Lucas did the noble thing.
    He broke my heart quick.
    Curling up into the fetus position, I decide to let myself cry. Most of the time, I pride myself on being a resilient, independent, hard-working woman who doesn’t take shit from anyone. But tonight, just tonight, it’s time to let the wall down.
    I allow myself ten minutes to let it all out.
    Ten minutes and then it’s back to toughening up and listening to my head rather than my heart and raging libido.
    Ten minutes, Anna. No more, no less.

Chapter 12

Lucas
     
     
    When I knock on her door, the déjà vu hits me like a tidal wave - the smoky smell of the corridor, the dim, flickering lights, and the general foreboding vibe you get when you enter a place like this.
    Having said that, Monique is the best damn red light I’ve ever walked into. And although she makes enough to get a better dive than this, she chooses to stay.
    “All my clients come here. If it ain’t broke why fix it?” I recall her saying the last time I was here. That was four years ago now – a gambling trip some buddies and me did.
    Wow, how times flies…
    Monique opens the door with a sultry smile. The top of her black silk kimono shows a hint of her best assets – a perfect set of double Ds.
    “Well hello there, Mr. Big Apple. I heard whispers you were back in town,” she says, running her tongue over her bright red lips. “It’s been a while.”
    I lean on the doorsill with my hands still in my pockets. “Too long, gorgeous. Got some spare time tonight?”
    She chuckles and walks back into the apartment, leaving the door open.
    “For you honey, always,” she calls back.
    I hesitate before I step over the threshold, thoughts of Anna creeping into my conscience.
    It’s not like she’s your girlfriend, Lucas, and you’re cheating on her. You’re a man. You have needs. End of story.
    Listening to my inner voice, I shut the door and follow Monique to the sofa. Trailing behind her is her the scent of a strong