I tried not to get sucked in—figuratively speaking. I told myself, Business. It’s business. He’s doing this as a favor.

Holden’s clean, woodsy scent and the rough, masculine texture of his jaw in my hand—no idea how my hand even got to his cheek—were too much. Business flew out the window by my second heartbeat.

I closed my eyes and breathed him in as I felt his tongue slide over my lips. I didn’t hesitate to open to him, and swear to God, it was like a switch was flipped inside my body. Like all my little eggs in my needy ovaries had woken up at once and were screaming, This one! Mate with this one!

Pressure and need built deep in my core as our tongues met and tangled. My hand slid to the back of his head, and I clung to him, wishing I could arch my suddenly aching breasts into him.

Had I been more in my mind, I would’ve been mortified when a needy little moan came out of me.

When Holden replied with a growl, still kissing the hell out of me, I only slipped further under his spell.

He ran his fingers through my hair, catching them up in the long strands and keeping hold of me in a sort of caveman-like possessive move, and… oh, holy hell, I liked it.

I liked it to an embarrassing degree.

This was a game to him, I reminded myself, and that was enough to pull me back. Rein in my desire for him. I ended the kiss, took my hands back, and grabbed my purse from the floor. Breathing. Practically panting. Trying to catch my breath and reset my equilibrium.

God have mercy, Holden Henry kissed like a dream. A passionate, attentive, sexy-as-hell dream.

This was the absolute last thing I wanted to learn at that exact moment.

I had to go face a few dozen of my colleagues and fellow employees, and worse, Angelica “Madame Dictator” Marks.

Holden let out a breath that sounded like whew, and I wasn’t sure what that meant. I couldn’t let myself think about it right now. I hopped out and heard Holden’s door open too, but not until I’d closed mine.

Somehow I had to figure out how to convince my boss Holden and I were serious, convince Holden I was unaffected by that kiss, and convince myself to not think too hard about any of it. Self-protection was vital—for both my pride and my heart.

And wasn’t that just as easy as falling off a log?

Yeah, and knocking your head along the way, landing in a deep lake, and drowning.

Before I’d gotten enough oxygen to my brain to start thinking straight, Holden was at my side, taking my hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world.