Page 16 of The Boss

Etta is coming out of the drugstore just as I leave the bank. I jog across the street and relieve her of her shopping bags, pretending to struggle as I heft the one from the bookstore. "Did you buy them out?"

She laughs. "Just two books! And some notepads so I can start making sense of your accounts."

"You can't just use the backs of envelopes? That’s what I do."

She rolls her eyes. "Tidy lists represent a tidy mind, and an organized bill paying system."

I shrug, then take her to the Silver Gate Café for a late lunch.

How do I tell this lovely girl that her family is money-grubbing scum who prioritize their new development over everything else?

Gently, I guess. When the time is right.

9

ETTA

My hands are trembling as I brush my teeth and get ready for bed. Not from the rattle of the four-wheeler on the drive home. That was a blast. But it's as if something shifted inside me simply from having my arms around Boss for so long.

It’s as if we bonded. Got comfortable together. My mind is catching up with my body and acknowledging that I really want to be with him. It's still so early, and I should think about this for at least a week more, but… I don’t want to.

I guess the vibration of the motor also shook loose my inhibitions.

I don't have to know that Boss is the one forever, just the one for right now. To learn with. Experiment with. And definitely share my first time with.

The man is so unbelievably sexy that I don't feel any hesitation or nervousness at trying something new. He cares for me with every word, every touch.

My lips purse as I exhale slowly. I just have to be clear when I tell him what I want. Sure. No problem. How do I do that?

Remember how sexy it was when we were messing around in the shower yesterday? Can we do more of that, but in your bed?

Yikes. That sounds desperate.

Hey, I know we technically barely know each other, but I feel like I've known you a lot longer, so what the heck, let's have sex.

Ugh, still not quite right. I run my fingers through my hair, then shake it out so it doesn't look perfectly brushed. Then I glide on a bit of lip balm and square my shoulders. He'll understand that I'm awkward. I hope.

I walk into the bedroom just as Boss is getting settled in. The light is dim, with just one bedside lamp. He turns to look at me, giving a low whistle. Instantly, I burst into laughter.

"What?" He flips open the covers so I can slide in. "I'm not allowed to admire the stunning woman who just dropped into my life?"

"No, I was thinking that was a classic wolf whistle. And you're…you know…a Wolfe."

He chuckles with me. "Yeah. I am."

"You mentioned your big family. Do they live around here?"

"Most of them live on Wolfe Mountain."

“Yeah, right.” I laugh again, then stop. "Wait. You're not kidding?"

"Not at all. They settled there years ago, named the mountain, started a ton of different businesses. These days they support several towns."

I reach out to stroke his stubbed jaw. "Let me guess. You wanted to be your own man. Carve your own path. Make your own trail. All that wild mountain man stuff."

He nods. “More or less." His eyes drop. "Also, I was sick of my mother's well-meaning friends shoving their daughters in my direction. Tired of it being a major announcement whenever a woman arrived in town." He sticks his tongue out to the side, rolling his eyes. “I didn't like being treated like the catch of the day at a snobby restaurant because of my last name." He scowls at my smirk.

"Are you kidding? Boss and Falcon are way cooler than your last name."