One Night Forever (The Cinderella Chronicles) by Lisa Renée Jones Page A

the word “love” had slipped into her mind. All the more
reason why this had to be her last time with him. Cat had said a
hot fling. Love wasn’t that. It was much more. It was risky and
career-ending.
    And painful.
    Besides, she hardly knew
Matt. She’d been without a man so long she was clearly just hungry
for affection. Something she didn’t recognize before and she wished
she still didn’t. And Matt was her boss. She couldn’t forget that
lethal fact.
    “ Lauren?”
    “ Um?”
    “ What are you
thinking about so hard?” He gently shuffled and urged her onto her
back. Propping his body up on an elbow, he stared down at her with
far too probing eyes.
    She tried to smile. It
didn’t work. He looked so damn yummy all she could think about was
either kissing him or getting the hell away from him. “Who says I’m
thinking and not sleeping?”
    “ Lauren.”
    The way he said her name
hit her in a strange way. It was almost like a plea, yet she knew
better.
    “ What time is
it?” she asked.
    “ Four.”
    “ Four!” she
exclaimed, and tried to sit up, but he stilled her by, once again,
shackling her leg with his bigger, stronger one.
    He wrapped his arm across
her body, his mouth nuzzling her temple. “Sleep,” he said. “I’ll
wake you in an hour. That’s plenty of time to go home and change
for work.”
    “ But…”
    “ You might as
well not argue. I’m not letting you up.” His voice held stubborn,
sensual authority, because he was using it to keep her in bed with
him. How could a girl get upset about that?
    “ Has anyone
ever told you how bossy you are?” He answered by leaning close and
brushing his lips over hers. “Matt,” Lauren sighed against his
lips.
    He answered by kissing
her, long and deep. Tenderly. A quite effective way of convincing
her to stay. Her resistance was gone. Zilch. A moment later, she
found herself turned so her back fitted against his front. Then, he
wrapped her snugly in his arms. It felt so good that Lauren
couldn’t remember why she had even wanted to leave.
    But in the back of her
mind, she knew, she was in trouble. For Matt this was probably
standard bed play. For her, it was much more.
    * * * * *
    The last thing Lauren
needed or wanted was for Matt to see where she lived…poor. No fancy
cars. No doorman. No mahogany elevator. Sitting beside him in his
Sports car, their differences screamed for attention. There really
was only one option. “Pull over right here.”
    Matt did as she said, and
pulled the car into a spot in front of Kenney’s Coffee, her
favorite little twenty-four spot. “I don’t see any
apartments.”
    “ I’m only a
few blocks away. I thought I’d grab a cup of coffee and then walk
home.”
    He killed the engine and
reached for the door. Lauren grabbed his arm. “What are you
doing?”
    “ It’s still
dark. I’m coming with you.”
    Panic flared. “No,”
Lauren said. “I’m fine. By the time I order my coffee the sun will
be up.”
    “ I’d like some
coffee myself.” His voice held just a hint of challenge.
    This was not going how
she planned. “Okay.” She forced herself to let go of his
arm.
    A few minutes later, they
stood at the counter, and ordered their drinks. Matt paid. Not a
surprise. He was a macho kind of guy. Even if he wasn’t rich she
didn’t think he’d have acted differently. Still, it felt awkward.
Money seemed like a divider between them. Like him being her boss
wasn’t enough of a barrier.
    Lauren accepted her mocha
from Matt. “Thanks.” A long sip later, “Hmm. Next to pizza a good
mocha tops my list.”
    He smiled and indicated
his drink. “Seems we share a lot of loves.”
    His words hit her like a
charge, electric and hot. Looking away, afraid he would see her
reaction, she glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. “I need to
get home and change for work.“ Besides, it was best this whole
incident be put behind them. Forcing her gaze back to his, she
said, “Thanks