Chapter 21

“Emma?” his deep tone catches my attention.

“Jake.” I smile, opening my eyes again in a fluttery devilish way.

Oops, busted. He found me.

“Emma are you drunk?” his voice sounds husky with amusement and I laugh in answer as he moves
toward me, stands over me looking down.

Oh boy, is it a breathtaking view!

His tie is off and draped casually round his shoulders, his white shirt open at the collar, his jacket
discarded somewhere already.

Why did I never notice just how fuckable my boss is?

I hiccup, and it feels funny in my throat, sounds so weird to me that it makes me giggle again.

I like being drunk, I’m lighter and more fun; it makes me think Jake is sex worthy and that’s pretty
hilarious. I don’t find men a turn on at all, so that’s even funnier … Well, except Jake! He’s the
exception to the rule in that everything he does is panty warming and alluring, even standing staring at
me as he is now.

I’m hit with a strange sound. It’s me. I’m laughing; I guess I find myself amusing and I sound so
detached and not here.

I must be really drunk.

“Emma, I think you better get in bed. Come on.” He leans down to catch my hand from across my
stomach, but I leave it floppy and weighted, so he gets nowhere pulling at it.



I don’t want to hold hands today, Carrero. You’re looking a tad too Casanova tonight.

When he picks it up again, he tugs, but I refuse to cooperate. Deliberately going limp and weighing
myself down.

Nope, I’m not going to hold hands with my hot boss while he’s swooning around looking all sexy on me.

I giggle again. Too heavy and too comfy to move. I want to sleep on my fluffy floor. It’s nice here. It
feels good.

“Wan sssstay right here,” I slur, I can hear it now and it amuses me even more. I’ve never heard myself
slur before, never allowed myself to drink to the point of slurring.

I spot my hand held in front of me and prod dementedly at the air as if I’m trying to make a point,
fascinated at the uncoordinated motion of my own limb as it waves above me. Everything feels
dreamlike and warm and these are someone else’s hands.

He frowns at me and I have the urge to poke him between the eyebrows. They are too even and
straight to be real.

“You prefer the hotel rug to a bed?” he can’t speak without smiling, so I guess he is finding me
entertaining this way.

He has a beautiful smile. No! A gorgeous smile!

“Hmmm mmm hmmmm.” That was almost an answer, I think.

God, why did I drink so much brandy?

Everything is swaying and soft. If I close my eyes, maybe I’ll hear something soothing like the ocean,
like I’m on the ocean.



Oh, yeah, the sperm donor and all those tidal waves of emotions I was trying to drown.

“Right, that’s it.” He scoops down and slips his hands under me, hoists me up effortlessly as though I
weigh nothing. I’m too drunk to fight, or squeal, and I’m being carried like a baby towards my room.
Freaky Lisa comes to mind, and I wonder if this is part of her fetish fancies, it makes me giggle some
more.

God, I feel amazing; why can’t I always feel like this?

“No! Don’t want to go to bed.” I sound petulant, like a child, and start struggling. If I go to bed, I’ll stop
feeling this way. I may lose this warm feeling and blank mind euphoria; I may start fixating on shitty
fathers who abandon their kids in infancy. Pricks who only see dollar signs instead of the damage they
have caused.

“Emma, hold still.” He fusses, struggling to hold me.

“No. Nope, nope.” I shake my head and he finally stops and puts my writhing body on my own bare feet
outside my door before he drops me, but upright isn’t good. It really disorientates me as everything
sways.

I giggle then have the overwhelming urge to “Shhh” him. Which I do with a grand finger gesture on my
lips.

He talks too much.

He stifles a laugh, and it sounds good; looks even better. I like Jake’s laugh, it’s so free and boyish,
uncomplicated and deep. Like him. I could listen to his laugh for an eternity, it always makes me feel
like smiling too.



He frowns at me, but I know it’s not a real frown, it’s an, “I think you’re a funny drunk,” frown and it
makes him cuter.

Is my boss cute? I guess he can be when he looks like that. God, that makes me feel sad. Why does
he have to be so cute?

“Emma? What is it?” he frowns at me some more, moving close; I guess my sad face is on show. I
poke his dimple gently with my fingertip as if to eradicate the object of my sadness and the frown on my
face turns to gentle accusation.

“Why do you have to be soooo …?” my fingers wave and I notice there’s a shiny sparkly thing on the
table behind him. I always liked sparkly things as a child; I want to play with it. It looks like my cell and
it’s all lit up and memorizing, I’m like a magpie to a pretty sparkle and detour to bypass him.

“So? … What?” he tries to pull me back to him as I attempt a grab at the object of my interest on the
unit. His arms loosely around me, his upper body tilted back so he can look down at me. It’s hard to
walk in a straight line and harder to control my limbs when a strong pair of arms are hauling you back.

“Sooo … What are you talking about?” I turn back at him confused, my head slightly spinning and I’ve
no idea what he said. I glance back at sparkly and see it’s just my cell that I’m trying to catch and lose
interest immediately. It’s no longer lit up.

“Emma, I’ve never seen you plastered. You just decided to have yourself a one women party on the
floor, without me?” he’s still smiling and regarding me affectionately.

I love Jake’s smile … It makes me sigh and go all warm and gooey.

I “Shhh” him again, except this time it’s his mouth I cover with splayed palms. His lips are soft and tickly
under my hands. If I cut off the sexy voice, and adorable smile that goes with the cute look, then I can
forget how screwable my boss is.



I look around, seeing the cell again and I remember who called.

“My father called me you know?” I point out childishly.

Yes, he did, that sad excuse of a human being dialed my number and connected to my cell. Asshole,
scumbag!

“I’m aware of that, Emma … Do you want to talk about it? Is that why you got drunk?” Jake holds me
against him, leaning back to see my face again; I tilt up, liking what I see once more.

You’re my dreamy boss. I like you.

“No … Yes … No … Who?” I forget the question while trying to give an answer, and he shakes his
head at me. I’m perplexed, but I don’t know why, and I’m sure he’s holding onto me a little too closely
suddenly. It’s awfully warm now.

I wonder where Felicity has gone. I hope she’s not the jealous type, not that she should be … I don’t do
sex … Or feelings … Jake sees me as he would a sister, or a platonic friend, I guess. That thought
annoys me a little. He is sex-able tonight.

“Emma, I really think you need some sleep, or coffee?” he loses the frown, and a little seriousness
clouds his tone.

“I don’t like coffee.” The stuff stinks and tastes worse. I don’t know why Jake drinks so much of it; I
prefer brandy. I giggle as he pulls me toward the couch and maneuvers me onto the cool soft seat,
lifting my feet up to the next space to me, laying me flat on my back.

Smooth move, Carrero.



The motion makes me laugh again and I like how it sounds. I never giggle like this. It feels very unlike
me in every way. I’ve turned into a giggler with zero control over it.

“You stay like that while I make you a drink … Tea? Water?” he asks.

“Brandy!” I never liked the stuff at all, it burns going down, but it did start to taste good after the third
one and the side effects are positively awesome.

“No, Emma. No more alcohol.” He sounds stern, bossy, and paternal … Like a father should. It brings
sperm donor back to the forefront of my swirling thoughts.

“Why didn’t he want me, Jake?” I query sadly. I talk to the ceiling, it feels a bit like I’m lying on a shrink’s
couch, like in the movies when sad people talk to psychiatrists in stark offices on green couches and
stare at boring ceilings. I note the ceiling no longer looks smooth and creamy; it looks shitty.

Maybe Jake could be my shrink.

“Because he’s an idiot. Not all men are cut out to be fathers.”

I catch the sound of the clink of glasses or mugs.


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