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

“I like it how it is. If you want to change it then fine, it can always grow back.” Jake felt stupid as his tone came out, he sounded more like Emma’s boyfriend than her boss about now and Leila was smirking. The urge to push her face into the lounger was strong; if she still had pigtails he was sure he would tie them over her mouth right now.

“Worried your girlfriend won’t get you all hot and bothered with short hair, Jacob?” Leila leaned over Emma and prodded him in the shoulder. He just scowled back at her, she was pushing her luck today. He could easily pick her up and throw her overboard.

“Shut up, wench. Emma has more sense than to let me be her boyfriend.”

And didn’t he know it?

“Oh right, I forgot. You’re just friends.” The honey-like way she said it made him grimace a smile her way, clenched teeth and warning her off with his eyes. He could see that glint of cheeky amusement and really did wonder why Mrs. Huntsberger didn’t smack Leila more as a child. “I can see that,” she added sarcastically, and he wondered if spanking her now would make any difference.

“Really, we are.” Emma sounded quiet, flustered, and he tried to ignore the crazy going off inside of him, trying not to react badly to something he already knew. He should have been used to her subtle rejections by now.

“Well then, you won’t care if I take her to get it all shorn off then, will you?” Leila threw a defiant look his way and he bit his tongue in a bid to stop bickering, frowning, and glaring. As soon as he got her alone he was going to chew her head off.

Devilish little minx, she knew exactly what she was doing.

away before he made good

Brat.

little playboy today!” He heard her say, even though he was moving away to the buffet table and ignored

Witch!

Last thing he wants is Emma changing, she was perfect

* * *

Jake took Leila and Emma ashore on the speedboat kept moored to the cruiser, any excuse to get that thing out on open waters and let rip. He hoped she wasn’t going to come back with some crazy short hair but what could he do? He had no

driver he had waiting at the port and handed Emma his credit card. That immediate frown on her face and her mouth pouting to verbalize a refusal was shot down with his no-nonsense glare. She knew his looks all too well and seemed to think better than pushing her luck on this front. He had warned her enough times at work that this trip was being financed by him and if she argued about it, then there would be hell to pay. He had been raised that way, and it wasn’t just about taking care of her, it was about his ego too. Emma slid it into her bag

hovering he knew that it would just raise more knowing eyebrows and he knew for a fact Leila was the type to point out to Emma that he had the major hots for her. He had kept his cool this far and thrown everyone off the scent, and he was sure as hell not letting Leila get her teeth into that little-known fact. Emma would run

not to look at her this way, he couldn’t help it. She was irresistible in every way and only so much more in floaty, girly clothes that had made an appearance on this trip. God, he would keep her this way all the time

his T-shirt. While Emma was on shore he was going to kick back, swim some, and spend some time with Danny and the twins, having a beer and catching up. He knew that Marissa and Miracle were afternoon nappers, unlike Emma and Leila, and wouldn’t show face for a while at this time of the day. He hated lazy women

the deck and found Daniel already on a lounger, topless with a beer in hand and the twins splashing around in the ocean trying to drown one another. Jake moved to the next lounger and sat down heavily, Hunter automatically grabbing

your accounts?” Daniel smirked his way, and

bed fully and lifting his legs, kicking his trainers off