All Chapters of In bed with my boss: Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

EMILY The city looked different at night. From the floor-to-ceiling window, thousands of lights glittered across Palm Springs like stars scattered across the earth. Cars crawled through the streets below, their headlights weaving endless ribbons of white and red while the distant hum of music drifted up from somewhere outside. I tucked one leg beneath me and rested my forehead against the cool glass. Ten hours. That was how long I’d been waiting for someone from the front desk to knock on my door and tell me they’d found another room for Cole. They never did. I’d showered hours ago. My curls had long since dried, and my makeup was done. The dress I’d spent twenty minutes steaming hung neatly beside the wardrobe, waiting for the gala while my heels sat beneath it. Everything was ready. Everything except my mind. Maybe no one had checked out. Maybe they’d decided it would be easier if we shared. I wasn’t sure which possibility unsettled me more.

EMILY While on my way back to the hotel, my stomach growled, making me realize I hadn’t eaten throughout the day. So, as soon as I got into my hotel room, I ordered a burger and fries with extra ketchup. After everything that had crashed into me like a tidal wave, all I wanted to do was eat and sleep. But first, a steamy hot shower. I stepped out of the shower and stood in front of the mirror, letting my eyes trail down my naked body. They first landed on my right arm, which was beginning to turn a shade of purple from where Richard had grabbed me. I mentally noted to put some ointment on it before my gaze continued lower and settled on the scar below my belly. The scar was faint, but I knew exactly when it began and ended from memory. It wasn’t just a c-section scar. It was a mark that carried so much history—a reminder of why I had to become strong so I could finally spread my wings and fly free from the shadows of my past. “My sweet Aria,” I whispered with

EMILY “Mommy! Guess what happened today!” I smiled before I could stop myself. “What happened, sweetheart?” “Grandma took me to the park, and this girl pushed me.” My smile vanished. “She pushed you? Are you okay?” “Mhmm.” I heard a tiny sniffle. “I fell on my knees, but grandma took me to the clinic.” Relief loosened the knot in my chest. “Did the doctor take good care of you?” “Yep! And I got a Barbie plaster.” Her excitement returned in an instant. “It’s pink! Wait, look!” A brief silence followed. “Oh…” she murmured. “You can’t see.” I laughed softly. “No, baby. It’s not a video call, so I can’t.” “It’s really pretty, though. Grandma said I was so brave, and then she bought me chocolate ice cream because I cried.” “You cried?” “Just a little,” she said quickly. “Only because it really, really hurt.” I listened as she told me about her day— the new friends she’d made at school and at the park, the toys grandma had bought for her— and I co

EMILY The last file slipped into its folder, and I leaned back in my chair, rolling the stiffness from my shoulders with a yawn. Outside my cubicle, most of the office had already emptied, leaving only a handful of employees finishing up for the day. I’d spent the entire day buried in reports, budgets, and project timelines, breaking only when Annie practically dragged me to the lunchroom for lunch. Now, with the fake project finally mapped out, all that was left was to meet Cole to show him what I’d put together. With my bag in one hand and the files tucked under the other arm, I turned off my desk light and headed to his office. As I arrived at the door, I came to an abrupt halt at the sound of a feminine moan. “Do you like what you see, big daddy?” The woman said in a husky voice. I should have taken that as my cue to leave, but instead, my curiosity got the best of me. I pressed my ear against the door, waiting to hear what Cole was going to say.