Fallen (Stolen, Book Three) (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) by Ella London Page A

with other sensory details, a cacophony of voices outside the room, the clacking of people typing, phones ringing, photocopiers humming.
    What the hell am I doing? This is insane.
    “No.” Dane’s softly spoken word jerks my attention back to him. “Don’t think right now. Just feel. Talk. Tell me what you want, Emme. You were completely open in your diary, but I need to hear it from your own mouth.”
    “Why?” A hot flush burns my skin. I feel put on the spot. He read all my words—why does he need to hear me speak them, too? What kind of game is he playing here? Is this how he gets off, stripping women of all their guards and making them vulnerable to him? He never struck me as that type.
    He growls with frustration and rakes a hand through his hair, then steps away from me until he backs up against his desk once more. I can see the moment the cool mask snaps into place, and a hot bubble of anger wells in my chest at the sight.
    “You already know what I want, and it’s you,” I blurt out without thinking, the memory of our passionate kiss driving me to speak. “I want everything that I wrote in that journal, and you saw all the details, so I don’t know why you’re pressing me like this. You know I want you any way I can have you—inside me…everything I wrote was the truth.” The speech has wound me up, and I find myself panting, trying to make my lungs larger than the size of grapes. “But what do you want?” I desperately need to know I’m not the only one vulnerable here.
    What was that kiss all about? Does it mean something?
    My whole body is yelling that it does. I can still feel the burn of his fingers through my clothes. My mouth is swollen, and I can taste his coffee flavor on my tongue, feel the imprint of his body slammed against mine.
    He wants me. That rigid cock pressing on my pelvis wasn’t a hallucination.
    Dane stares at me for a long moment in total silence. I force my spine to straighten and don’t look away, even though I feel like every emotion I have is on display. My secrets are already out, so what’s the point in pretending anymore? Why not feel liberated by this newfound freedom, instead? If only I could.
    Dane’s lips thin for a brief moment, and he gives a brisk nod, like a decision has been made. “Okay. I want you to go sit down at your desk and go back to work.” He sounds like Boss Dane, but the contrast of heated fire in his eyes makes me feel off-kilter, unsure how to read him right now.
    What is he telling me here? Was this kiss some kind of strange test of…something I don’t know? Will it ever happen again? Is he just dismissing me, and now we’re going back to normal?
    It’s clear he didn’t call me in here to let me go. And pride keeps me from begging him to clarify what’s going on, despite my confusion.
    Dane nods to the floor, and I glance down, realizing I must have dropped my notebook and pen at my feet when he kissed me. My body still crackles with the fire lit in my veins, but my brain is spinning. I bend down and pick up my stuff, then spin and exit his office.
    I need a minute to think. To sort out what the hell just happened. To get my body back under control.
    And to relish in what might be the one and only kiss I ever have with Dane Rossi. The most passionate moment of my entire life, by far. One I’d give anything to repeat again.

6
    Emme
    T ime has stopped .
    Or it sure feels that way, anyway. Since exiting Dane’s office, I’ve done everything I can to stay busy. I’ve filed every random piece of paper on my desk. I’ve responded to all my emails. I made extra copies of color surveys. I asked my coworkers if they need assistance with anything.
    Whatever it takes to make me stop thinking about that kiss.
    It doesn’t work.
    Is Dane thinking about me right now too? Or has he been able to push me out of his head and focus on his clients? Maybe I should get tips from him on how to do that. I smother an awkward laugh.
    By the time