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

“I’m sorry.” I fumble the words out, embarrassed, my eyes hit my fingers in my lap, and I twist at the hem of my very short dress.

Great way to show the man who hurt you that you’re so in control and worth every inch of fight to get you back. Especially when you drunk dial him, need his rescue, and then throw up at his feet.

Classy, Emma … just classy.

“Don’t be, I’m glad I was the one there to take care of you. It was a drunk Emma I’ve never met before.” His eyes linger this time and I can feel them boring into me a little too closely, his scrutiny making me feel more awkward. I wish the ground would just open below my feet and swallow me whole.

Sarah wanders over toward us and turns green at the sight of food. Jake waves a mug at her to offer coffee, his eyes finally giving me respite, but she just shakes her head.

“No, really, no. If I take a sip, I’ll hurl. I really need to

get home and get sorted out before I start the lunch rush

at work. I can call a cab, so you don’t have to …” Her eyes are flicking between Jake and I and the obvious tension between us.

“No, it’s fine. I want to give Emma some space to get herself together and my driver is out for now anyway. I’ll take you; I’ll just go get my shoes.” Jake pushes off the counter, glancing at me quickly, and saunters off toward his guest rooms. I can’t help but watch his strong and fit body swagger, like a man with too much sex appeal, crossing the room and that ass; sighing as I watch it go.

When did he start keeping clothes down there?

“You’re not coming home anytime soon I take it?” Sarah looks me up and down warily, a slight hint of hope on her face and a smirk at where I’ve been staring.

What is with all these looks?

“No. I think I need to stay for a bit and just see what I feel.” I turn away from her, my mind getting itself out of the gutter with the memory of Jake’s ass. I down two aspirin with the water and hold the pack to her but she just shakes them away.

“Don’t close down on him. Give him a chance. No one’s perfect, babe.” She runs a hand over my hair and tweaks my cheek. “The guy obviously adores you. I mean, who else comes tearing across Manhattan to find his ex because he’s worried she’s in danger?”

“I’m not his ex!” I snap a little too quickly, the outburst surprising me. I’ve not even begun to contemplate what we are, but I am not that, not if he loves me.

“Well then, seems there’s a small part of you that acknowledges it’s not over.” She smirks at me, knowingly, then moves away as we hear Jake coming back. “Tell Leila I said thanks for a memorable night.” Sarah smiles as she moves to go.

flashes of flutterings deep in my stomach, my body still electrified by his touch even when things are this way between us. It hurts me knowing my body would so easily fall back into

Pathetic.

guiding her toward the door with an unreadable backward glance toward me. I’ve no idea how to feel about any of this and I’m starting to wonder if it’s even a good idea. I’m not sure if I have the strength to face Jake alone and fight the pull he has over me. I watch him from lowered lashes

wave, and blows a kiss with a wink as I watch them leave; a strange sense of nerves creeps up

so I’m going to head down, babes. Sarah still here? Has Jake gone?” She scans

say, picking at a croissant on the plate, having no desire to eat. My stomach is making a

her hands on her

or thinking anymore. I’m giving him a chance to talk and I guess I’ll take it from there.” I can’t meet her eyes as she hovers beside me. Part of me feels like I’m being weak for

one of the good ones, despite all this shit, trust me. So, maybe a little messy in the brain department but I can promise you that he’s worth it.” She hugs me around the

about you and Hunter?” I watch as her body, halfway to putting her

meeting my gaze confidently. “Daniel is always going to be the first boy I fell in love with, he was my first kiss. He was my first sex too; not even Jake knows about that time so please don’t tell him. I’m sure he would kill Daniel for it, but he’s so far down that route of woman hating and mistrust and emotionally fucked-up that I doubt we’ll

first time having

can’t …

as he is now, all muscle and big grins of self-confidence.” She sighs, dreamily, almost as though lost in memories of a boy she once knew. Then, snapping out of it,

like? What happened?” I can’t seem to get my head around any of this

about first times that you usually hear about. He was gentle and slow and made sure I was ready before he did it. It didn’t hurt, and I even had an orgasm.

the way Daniel is with women and none of those images match up to the

be in love with her

to understand how the hell he could’ve got that by Jake unnoticed. Jake is like a sniffer dog with his crazy sixth

kill him. I was so in love with him that I didn’t want to argue, and it hurt like hell, but I wanted to play it cool and act mature. I think I died a little every day after that, and then the weeks passed, and he never spoke about it again. We’d fallen back into our old ‘friendship’ and he went back to acting like

guess that would be

rises from deep inside of me; angry that Daniel could dismiss something this important to Leila without a care. She shrugs, nonchalantly, rummaging through the contents of her bag

nothing compared to what he did to me in Paris a few years back … That time I really did think this was it, a whole night of crazy passion and drunken fun and I was so freaking happy. I realized how crazy about him I still was. We were locked in a room for eight hours solid and

trying to figure out how I would’ve felt if it

doesn’t bear

and dragged my ass back home, and put me on lock down for a few weeks until I stopped and got sober.” She hauls on her coat and throws her bag over her shoulder airily, hiding her innermost feelings away

throat and I get up and walk to her, throwing her in my arms, giving her the best Jake

as I know what he’s like. I know him.” Her eyes hold a thin veil of moisture and her lip trembles a