Free The CEO Daddy Next Door by Karen Booth Page B

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    Ashley knew she’d heard Grace correctly. She just wasn’t happy about it. She and Marcus had to stay away from each other. Better to leave grumpy dogs lie, especially ones who had no qualms about turning down a woman after she’d taken off her designer gown. “You’re just going to have to tell them no. Marcus hates me.”
    â€œThere’s no way we’ll get the network to buy that. That kiss was convincing.” Grace pointed at Ashley’s desk. “Look at you two. I’d do anything for a man to kiss me like that, especially if I knew he looked like he does under that suit.”
    â€œWhat is it with you and his abs?” Ashley couldn’t stand to look at the photos anymore. It hurt too much. She collected the stack of papers, got up from her chair and plopped them down in Grace’s lap. “Marcus Chambers and I are done. Kaput. End of story.”
    â€œI didn’t want to have to tell you this, but the network is not happy you left the party early. If the papers hadn’t come out this morning, you could’ve been in serious hot water.”
    â€œOh please. I just...” I just wanted to be alone with him. “I had a headache.”
    â€œLiar. I saw the look on your face when you two walked off the dance floor.” Grace sat back in her chair. “What if I told you my job is hanging in the balance?”
    â€œThey can’t fire you over this. I won’t let them.”
    â€œI’m talking about a promotion. They’re considering me for head of network publicity. Becky Jensen is leaving at the beginning of June.”
    â€œHead of the department? For the whole network?”
    Grace nodded. “The whole shebang.”
    Grace had come from similarly humble beginnings, and they always had each other’s back. She lived in a postage stamp of an apartment with her sister and had student debt up to her eyeballs. A promotion like that would be a boon for Grace, and well-deserved. She worked as hard as Ashley, maybe even harder.
    The guilt wasn’t merely crushing, it was suffocating. Ashley couldn’t take money out of someone else’s mouth, let alone the mouth of a good friend. “I don’t know how I can convince him to say yes.”
    Grace crossed her legs, pulling on her long auburn locks, seeming deep in thought. “You both have to eat, don’t you? Just go out to dinner with the man. Remind him how much good it’ll do for Chambers Gin.”
    Ashley sighed, slumping back in her chair. “One dinner?” Why did the task seem so Herculean? Oh, right. Because Marcus had made it clear last night. He couldn’t be around her.
    â€œAfter that, it’s your call. We’ll just let all the world wonder what you two are doing up in that lovely high-rise apartment building. You do live across the hall from each other, after all. The proximity is nothing but sheer temptation.”
    Given Ashley’s current level of sexual frustration, she couldn’t argue, even though she was certain Marcus didn’t see it that way at all. “Fine. I’ll ask him. But I’m not promising anything.”
    Grace stood up and clutched the stack of newspapers to her chest, smiling wide, victorious. “Where are you watching the premiere tonight? Do you want to come over?”
    Ashley shook her head. “Are you kidding me? The last thing I want to do is watch myself on television.”
    * * *
    Marcus couldn’t stand to look at the newspapers. Except that he couldn’t stand not to look at them, either. He’d removed all copies from his personal office, save one tucked away in the bottom-right desk drawer. There’d been more than one moment during the day when he had to see it. See her. See them. Last night had really happened. He’d kissed Ashley. He’d touched her. He’d kissed her and touched her and the entire world had shifted, exactly as he’d