Free Surrender to Temptation Part V: Tempted to Reveal by Lauren Jameson Page B

standstill, everyone gaping at the enigmatic billionaire.
    I knew that it was a good sign that he was willing to come to me at work. I was still angry enough not to want to make it easy for him.
    “Tell me what has changed now, or I’m not going anywhere.” I quaked as an expression of dominance flashed over his face, and I wondered if he would haul me over his knee and spank me for disobedience then and there.
    Instead, I watched as he visibly struggled to rein in his need for control. Inhaling deeply, then letting the breath out, he ignored the spectators and fastened all of his attention on me.
    “I want to tell you everything that you want to know, Devon.” His words were hardly more than a whisper, but I was so focused on him that they were loud and clear to me. “I simply am not ready.”
    Disappointment was a cold rain, chilling me to the bone. I shook my head slowly, then turned away.
    “Then there’s no point in your being here, Zach.” My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant, invisible fist. I began to tremble, but I vowed that I wasn’t going to break down.
    If Zach had shown me anything, it was that I was stronger than that.
    Inhaling deeply, I left the private office. Conversation in the department outside hushed for a moment as I rejoined my coworkers, then restarted when I refused to make eye contact with anyone.
    “Devon.”
    I ordered myself not to turn around, but in his voice I heard the anguish that I had only seen from him in the aftermath of his nightmare.
    “You can drive.” Cursing myself, I looked back at him. He dangled a key fob from his fingers.
    I thought I could see on his face a new vulnerability, a hint that he had dropped some of his defenses. And at that sight, I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and never let go. I couldn’t believe that he had chosen to approach me and take me aside in front of everyone. Gossip would spread the story to every set of ears by the end of the day.
    In the end, that was what pushed me that last inch. It couldn’t have been easy for him to come here, to do this. In his own infuriating way, he was trying.
    That meant I could try, too.
    “I have work.” I had already made up my mind, but still felt the need to go through the motions.
    “You have an in with the boss.” His voice was wry, and I did my best to swallow a smile. When he saw that I was wavering, Zach continued.
    “I’ve already informed Mrs. Gallagher.” A look across the room revealed the woman sitting in her desk, watching us as everyone else did.
    She didn’t look pleased, and in fact, she looked worried for me.
    Rubbing my temples with my fingers, I closed the distance between Zach and me, lowering my voice.
    “I don’t have an overnight bag packed.” It was my last line of defense and, as I’d expected, he broke through it with ease.
    “I have one for you.”
    “Awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you?” I supposed I should be angry that Zach had assumed I would fall into line, but I couldn’t muster up any sense of outrage. I liked that he made decisions, and that I didn’t have to. It made me feel cared for. Still, I worked up a token sneer.
    “I’m never sure of myself with you.” Zach’s face was somber as he regarded me, and I felt my heart trip in my chest. “Definitely hopeful, though.”
    I tried to keep my expression neutral as I studied Zach’s face. Though I couldn’t understand the cost of his pushing himself out of his safety zone, I knew that it was not something he often did.
    But he had because I had asked him to. More than anything else, this told me that there was more between us than sex.
    “All right.” My voice was so soft that I could barely hear it myself. Though I wanted, more than anything, to go with Zach, and for everything to be all right between us, I hoped that I wasn’t opening myself up for more emotional distress.
    The weeks since I had met Zach had been full of extreme highs and devastating lows.