Free The Rules by Becca Jameson Page B

going to wear panties, at least I needed the added protection. My blouse was also more conservative than usual. It was a deep royal blue and therefore hid my bra completely. This didn’t mean I wore one of my less attractive, more functional bras. I didn’t want to take that chance, either. I donned my favorite black lace bra and buttoned my blouse one more button than normal.
    By the time I stepped into the office, I was a ball of nerves. I worried someone would be able to tell by looking at me that I’d spent the evening with the boss, letting him have his way with me.
    Moriah looked up from her desk and smiled. She was just settling in herself. It was ten till eight. “Hey Amy, how’d it go yesterday?” She cringed. “Was it bad? I told you it might take you all day. I’m surprised you aren’t still out satisfying that man’s whims.”
    I shrugged. I’d rehearsed this conversation in my head on the way to work. “It was fine. Not too bad. And I eventually got it all done. Thank God.” I rolled my eyes as though I were so totally over the incident.
    “Well, lucky you. And the best news is I haven’t received a commandment from the seventh floor demanding your service again today.” She held out a piece of paper. “Margie needs you on four this morning. She’s overloaded. She was beside herself when I said she could borrow you for the morning. If you finish, just check back in with me after lunch.”
    I took the page she handed me and nodded. “Will do.” Every attempt to behave like it were any other day was difficult. My mind constantly returned to yesterday. The visions of me lying naked and exposed to Mr. Alexander’s view would not abate. It was difficult to concentrate. It all seemed like a dream. People didn’t really live out experiences like the one I’d been through yesterday.
    I stuffed my purse in my drawer and headed to the fourth floor with my printout from Margie. I spent the entire morning working diligently on a spreadsheet she needed straightened out. Apparently she’d had a temp who seriously botched the entire spreadsheet.
    Margie was shocked and relieved when I handed her the finished product at five after twelve. “You did the entire thing?” She stared at the numbers on the printout I’d made for her.
    “Yes. Isn’t that what you needed?”
    “Yeah, but it took Shelly three weeks to create this mess. It took you three hours to fix it.” She smiled at me and set it aside. “Bless you. I’m going to sleep much better tonight. And I’m going to call Moriah and tell her your talents are once again wasted on the first floor.”
    “Thanks, Margie. I appreciate the compliments.”
    “No problem.” She waved me off. “Go to lunch.”
    I headed for the elevator, my knees shaking and my hands fisted at my sides as I waited for the elevator to arrive. As soon as I entered and reached to push the button, my finger shook and I lost my nerve. I stood there for long moments, my hand hovering in the air. And then I hit one . I needed to get out of the building. Suddenly the air was stifling. I couldn’t breathe.
    Moriah wasn’t in the office. Thank God. I grabbed my purse and made a beeline for the outside. I needed oxygen. I needed to clear my head.
    I did not need lunch.
    My stomach roiled at the idea.
    Instead I walked. I strapped my purse over my arm and ambled through the streets of downtown Atlanta, gazing up at the buildings, trying to think.
    It was hot. Hell, it was June. Of course it was hot.
    I didn’t care.
    I couldn’t do this. It wasn’t me. It didn’t matter that every time I thought about Cade my insides bunched up with need. It didn’t matter that visions of him hovering over my naked body last night made my mouth so dry I couldn’t lick my lips. Nor did it matter that I wanted to throw myself at him and toss caution to the wind just to know what it would feel like to have a man inside me with the intensity I knew I would see in his eyes.
    That wasn’t