The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO)

Felicity makes a beeline for his room with her overnight bag, eyeing us weirdly, but he makes no attempt to follow. As she disappears his expression changes back to full blown frown mode.

“Who was it?” serious, no-nonsense boss tone.

Ughhhh!

I should have known better … He’s hard to palm off even on a good day.

God dammit, Jake.

I turn away breezily, I know he won’t let up … he’ll cancel dinner and stay here if I say nothing. There’s no point being evasive when he has that look on his face, so I resign myself to caving.

“My sperm donor.” I wave an airy hand as though I’m saying something non-important, but I can already feel the tension in my face. I’m glad I’m looking toward the open door of my room away from him and pull out my cell to cradle in the charging dock on the table beside it.

“Your father?” he sounds surprised.

You and me both.

“Yep.” I look around quickly for a distraction, so I don’t need to turn and look at him. I spot his personal tablet on the table nearby and lift it to scroll iTunes, to turn on music. It’s the best I can muster when he’s moved so close.

“You’ve never mentioned a father.” His tone is serious and gentle, body a little too close for comfort.

“I don’t have need to. There’s nothing to mention … I don’t know him.”

“So, why is he calling? It didn’t sound like nothing, Emma. You definitely didn’t sound happy.” He’s moved closer to me, invaded by his body heat emanating against my spine. So close he is touching me.

I’ve met him once in my life and it

in the paper about the “feed the homeless” charity she runs but he’d been disappointed to find that she was as penniless as the charity itself. Sadly sure, that she would be swathed in dollars, and able to help him out with a few hundred to tide him by. Here he is

loaded and dating

my hair. I move away quickly, tense, and jumpy; I need head space and solitude. Not

get in that power shower and let my hair down,” I flutter sweetly, moving further from him to give myself some much-needed distance, and finally managing to look at him. His look darkens, and he presses his

to think better of it and the frown on his brow lets up as though the thoughts have floated away on

to help take your hair down?” he winks and there it is, back

could sue you for such

again, fingers twitching at me as though making

in front of anyone, especially him. I

is never shy, is

quickly and shoves me into my room so that I almost lose my balance and he laughs at my angry scowl. Turns on his heel and

after him with a smirk. He turns and blows me a kiss and a wave before walking across the suite to his own room and I’m relieved. I fooled him well enough; they’ll go to

about this, not with him, not with anyone. I want to

my door quickly. Leaning back against it for a

hell did he think he was, calling me after all this

lump of emotion caught in my throat and shake it off. I won’t succumb

* * *

maybe should have gone easy on the temperature gauge. My head’s swimming a little, and I’m still

they must have left for dinner. It feels good to be able to chill out and have some alone time though. I mulled over the call enough in the shower and I’m tired of thinking about it. I’ll have to screen my calls from now on, maybe change my number. I’ll need to call my mother; I have an inkling that she was behind him getting it and it pisses me off

sob story. She needs

various functions. I guess he figures I’ve hit a goldmine and wants to see what he can get out of me. I push the bile down in my throat bitterly as I think about the fact that all I am to him is a meal ticket. Heart

prick. A money