Bedded By The Boss: The Boss's Demand / Something about the Boss... / Beguiling the Boss

She wasn’t sure if she could ever face him again.

All his cruel assumptions about her on her first day had proven horrifyingly accurate. She had lusted after him and seduced him. She’d risked the career opportunity of a lifetime for a few hours of pleasure.

Gambled with her life for one night in his arms.

And I am carrying Elan’s baby.

The thought hit her for the first time like a splash of icy water. Somehow in the terrible excitement of discovering she was pregnant she’d managed not to think about the other person responsible for the life growing inside her.

How would he react? With shock, most likely. With horror, no doubt. Her disgrace was total.

She quickly stripped off her suit and put on her cycling clothes and sneakers, then shoved her suit into her backpack with far less care than usual. It wouldn’t fit for much longer anyway.

She splashed her face with water and pulled her hair into a ponytail. Her eyes were red and her skin blotchy with distress. Hopefully she could get away without running into anyone.

She emerged from the bathroom and dashed for the elevator. She hugged herself, struggled to keep her breathing even, to keep tears at bay until she left the office.

But the elevator arrived with Elan inside it.

He strode out, then paused. “Sara, you don’t look well.”

“Yes.” Her voice emerged as a whisper.

Guilt and terror paralyzed her limbs. Her secret swelled inside her, threatening to inflate like a giant blow-up and knock her over.

“Perhaps you’re working too hard?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Um…” She couldn’t seem to formulate a sentence that didn’t contain the words I’m having your baby.

I’ve got to get out of here.

A massive surge of adrenaline flooded her limbs with the urge to shove past him into the elevator and escape. Her heart thundered as she zeroed in on the dimly lit cavern that was her only escape route. If she could just get in there and let those doors close behind her.…

Elan stood barring the way, his brow lowered with concern.

“You’re ill. You should not ride your bike. I’ll drive you home.”

“No!” She spat the word, as images of their last car ride together assaulted her. Elan, shirt unbuttoned to reveal his hard chest. His broad hand on the wheel.

His sperm swimming toward her egg.

“I’ll be fine. The exercise will do me good. Do you mind if I…” she stammered, able to focus only on the dark emptiness of the elevator that would carry her away from a drama she wasn’t ready to take her part in.

He stood aside. Was that relief on his face? “We have no matters that can’t wait until tomorrow.”

“Thanks.” She dove past him. He let go of the elevator door he’d been holding for her. She saw him turn and look at her, his brow furrowed, as the doors closed.

She sagged against the cold metal walls as the elevator hummed into motion.

Oh, I’m not ill. I’m just pregnant with your child.

“You’re kidding me,” said Erin, after a very long pause. Her sister was the first person she’d called. As a single mother herself, Sara figured Erin would be able to relate.

“Would I kid about something like this?” Sara paced back and forth in her small apartment, trying not to bump her hip on the kitchen countertop or pull the phone off the wall. She couldn’t keep still. Too jumpy.

“You’re pregnant? By who? You only just moved there and you weren’t dating anyone here. Or were you?”

“No. I haven’t dated anyone since I broke up with Mike last year.” She paused to look out the window. The sun was sinking behind the mountains; soon the town would be plunged into darkness. She swallowed hard, twisted the phone cord in her hands. “I slept with my boss.”

“Your boss? I thought your boss was the owner of the company.”

“Yes,” she rasped. It sounded even worse out loud than it did in her head.

“Isn’t he some millionaire oil tycoon?”

“Yes.” She closed her eyes.

“Is he, like, fifty years old or something?”

“No, of course not. He’s thirty-two.” And handsome. And irresistible.

And he despises me.

“So, jeez, is this like, a relationship?”

“No.” She tugged at the phone cord, her eyes starting to sting. She bit the inside of her mouth to stem any tears. “It was a one-night thing. A mistake.”

She heard Erin blow out a deep breath. “Wow. That’s just so…not like you.”

“Tell me about it. I’ve worked my butt off to get this job, and you know how much we need the money. But there was something about him…” Her voice trailed off and she sucked in a breath.

“He must be hot. What’s his name?”

“Elan.” Just saying his name made her face flood with heat. Guilt.

“Wow. Is he married?”

“No! Do you really think I would sleep with a married man?” A rush of indignation made her shove her hand through her hair.

“I didn’t think you’d sleep with your boss.”

Me neither.

“You haven’t told him yet, have you?”

“No. You’re the first person I’ve told. He’s not going to be happy, and that’s an understatement. After it happened he said we should never mention it again.”

“You could sue for sexual harassment.” Her sister’s voice was low, serious.