Never Bargain with the Boss (Never Say Never, #5)

by Lauren Landish

And I can’t remember the last time I felt like this… light.

“There are good things, bad things, and in-the-middle things. You’ve gotta take them all, enjoy them or do your best to get through them, and in the end, try to focus on the good ones as much as you can. Even if you have to create those good things for yourself. That’s what I try to do every day.”

When I feel her breath on my ear, I know which prayer I was secretly sending up. “The problem is, danger has a really big dick and it’s been a long time since I’ve been to a restaurant.”

That sentence would make anyone who heard her scratch their head in confusion because it’s complete nonsense, but what I hear is that Riley wants my dick, and that’s all the sense I need.

“Because you looked so fucking disappointed and it killed me. You wanted to go, so I wanted to take you.” A thrill shoots through me because that means that whatever Cameron feels for me isn’t solely physical, and that’s an important distinction.

“Dad would never fire you. He loves you,” Grace asserts. I choke on my tongue and force a laugh, the sound too high-pitched to be natural. “No, he doesn’t.” Grace’s smile falls and her brows slam together. Wanting to soothe her, I rush to add, “He likes me. How could he not? I’m the best nanny you’ve ever had.” I lean her way, bumping my shoulder against hers. “You are,” she agrees, but her eyes are filled with questions. “But that’s not why Dad

loves you. It’s because you make him smile. He never used to do that, and he smiles all the time now because of you.”

“Right now, the example you’re setting for Grace is that life isn’t worth living, it’s only worth surviving.”

“I want to be the reason you smile.” Another step. “I want to be the answer when someone asks why you’re happy.” Right in front of her, I push her hair behind her ear and whisper into the space beside the delicate shell, “I want to take care of you the way you take care of everyone else, because you, Riley Stefano, deserve the best this life has to offer.” A shudder works its way through her entire body.

“I dream about bending you over this counter, my hand in your hair as your pussy takes me so good. I dream about spreading you out on the couch upstairs and licking you until you scream. I dream about that mouth of yours wrapped around my cock. Yeah, Riley, you’re all I fucking dream about lately.”

I push her

back against the counter, one hand planted on her lower stomach to hold her in place, and flutter my tongue over her clit. The onslaught to her body sends a rush of fluid gushing over my hand and dripping to the floor beneath us.

“I’ve had a lot of hard lessons taught to me by life, but eventually, I want to be able to trust that my person has my back, and Cameron… doesn’t, no matter how much I wish he did. I don’t think it’s selfish to want

someone who can give back the energy, care, and love that I give.”