Free Billionaire Boss by Meagan McKinney Page B

himself. He groaned her name against her hair, his hips grinding possessively into hers.
    She tumbled into his honeyed oblivion. Taking all he had to give, she held him to her, her last coherent thought the terrible possibility that it had all been a dream. And would be no more.

Eight
    T he phone rang on her line. Thinking it was her mother, Kirsten rolled over in her bed and picked it up, her voice groggy with sleep.
    â€œKirsten? This is Ms. Halding from the mortgage company.”
    â€œOf course.” Kirsten became wide-awake.
    â€œThere’s a problem.”
    She tried to focus her sleep-puffed eyes on the receiver. “I don’t understand. A problem?”
    â€œYes, well, it’s the strangest problem I’ve ever encountered in the thirty-five years I’ve worked in mortgages—”
    â€œWhat is it?” she asked, frustration constricting her chest.
    â€œYour financing has been rejected, Ms. Meadows. The title company researched the loan as a purchase, and they’ve put a halt to it. I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding. I told them you weren’t double-dealing anyone, but I have to admit, in their defense, it does look fishy.”
    Kirsten felt as if she were in a bad dream.
    â€œI—I don’t understand,” she stammered, sitting up in bed, suddenly aware she had no nightgown on. “I applied for a mortgage. The owner of the property agreed to sell—”
    â€œBut the title company came back and said you already own that property, Ms. Meadows. You bought it cash. The title’s in your name. You can’t purchase a property you already own. However, if you really just wanted to cash out, I can get you in touch with our equity arm….”
    The room seemed to spin.
    The woman’s voice dwindled to background noise.
    â€œDid you hear me, Ms. Meadows?” the woman asked again into the phone.
    â€œYes,” Kirsten croaked. “I guess I’ll have to get back to you. Thanks for trying, though.”
    She put down the receiver.
    A flood of memories of the night before rushed at her like a freight train.
    Chagrined, she recalled the hours on the couch, how she’d wanted more, and then more, and how Seth had given her everything she wanted until they’d both fallen asleep, spent, in each other’s arms.
    Somehow he must have carried her to her bed, because she didn’t remember waking and going to her room. He’d spared her the embarrassment of Viola finding them on the couch, but she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment to wake alone in her own bed after a night of such soul-piercing abandon.
    Now she was going to have to deal with the realities of her irresponsibility. The realities and the consequences.
    Stumbling to the shower, she knew she was in trouble when she didn’t want to step into the hot spray.
    His scent clung to her hair and body like rare perfume. She didn’t want to wash him away. The musky male scent was stirring, even comforting to her senses, but life had to go on. Obligations had to be met. Denials that their night meant anything to her had to be made.
    She slathered shampoo in her hair, closed hereyes and scrubbed. The shower did revive her, and the cleansing renewed her good sense.
    She would have to face him like his personal assistant and no more.
    The first thing she had to do was to confront him about her mother’s house and tell him how she would pay him back.
    She was still rattled that he’d bought the house right from under her. She’d asked him to stay out of it, begged him not to get entangled in any way. Now she was in it up to her ears.
    Refusing to think he’d orchestrated the house purchase just to get her into bed, she decided the timing wasn’t right. Besides, just the thought that that was what had happened would make her too angry.
    And, in the end, leverage hadn’t even been necessary.
    Now she just had to be