Law #2: Don't Play with a Player: A Sweet Office Romance Story (Laws of Love) by Agnes Canestri (web ebook reader .txt) 📕

Laia cocks her head to the side, without releasing my gaze. “Future friends, perhaps?”

Despite my will to keep my features composed, my face falls.

Laia’s eyes immediately widen. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to be inappropriate. I just thought since we have some things in common, that maybe someday…” She adjusts her ponytail with a hasty motion.

I had been picturing Laia’s naked flesh, and she thinks she’s inappropriate by suggesting that we could be friends? How can this girl be so danged sweet?

I would enjoy hanging out with Laia outside of work. Our afternoon so far has been the best fun I’ve had in a while. But she unleashes some pretty intense physical reactions from me. I care about what she thinks and what she likes.

Would this draw I feel for her grow stronger if we became friends?

I don’t want to arrive at a situation where I’ll become so desperate to woo her that I’ll squeeze myself into a bunny costume like Hayley did with me.

Before I can answer, a cheerful squeak interrupts us. “Ah, Devon, love! I’m so glad you could make it.” Vanessa’s blond bob appears beside us from out of nowhere. To be fair, she could have been standing here without me noticing. I was too absorbed by my conversation with Laia.

Vanessa wears a white top and a black pencil skirt. Her hair is side-parted and meticulously flat-ironed, which accentuates her pointy chin.

She casts her arms around my neck and leans in to give a short smack on my mouth—her usual greeting each time we meet.

I turn my head so her lips land on my jawline. I don’t know why, but I would hate for Laia to see me act flirty.

Laia stiffens as she eyes Vanessa’s arms around my neck.

Vanessa releases me and introduces herself to Laia in her buoyant style. Laia shakes her hand formally.

I thank Vanessa for the tickets once more, and we exchange a few shallow words. After the minimal courtesy, I excuse us.

Unoffended about being cut short, Vanessa says she needs to get back to her PR duties. She salutes us with an energetic wave before hurrying off to one of the stands to talk to a hotshot reporter.

Laia and I walk to the exit in silence.

As we reach my car, Laia says, “You could have told me you got the ticket from your…uhm, current companion.”

“Vanessa and I aren’t seeing each other. We had a thing at some point, but it’s over. Now, we’re kind of friends,” I explain.

Calling Vanessa a friend may be a bit of a stretch, but I’d like Laia to see me as a man who isn’t only capable of entertaining flings. I want to show her I’m not as superficial in my interactions with women as she might have thought.

Laia shakes her head. “You don’t have to justify yourself in front of me. You obviously aren’t thrilled about the idea of becoming my friend so…”

Her words bug me enough to disregard my previous doubts. “No, on the contrary. I’d love to.”

“Really?” Laia’s mouth moves into a little circle. “Even if you’re my boss?”

“Sure.” I can’t back out on my own stupid words now. “Also, who knows how long I’ll be your boss, right? Once you become a best-selling romance author, you’ll surely quit Hudson Communications.”

“Ah, that’s still further down the road, but yes, there might be a point where I can’t stand working for you any longer. Uhm… keep. I meant keep working for you. This heat confused my tongue,” she adds with a short chuckle.

“Shall we get into my Audi then?” I point at my car. “The AC should cool us off fast.” While I propose this, I realize my afternoon with Laia is about to come to an end.

“Ah, that would be lovely.” Laia smooths down her blouse, and her movement accentuates her upper body’s silhouette.

My throat feels parched at the sight of her.

I search desperately for a good excuse to extend our time together, but when Laia takes her first step to my Audi, I still haven’t found one. So I blurt out the first idea that comes into my mind. “Before going to your sister’s, we could drop by my apartment. I corrected your briefing reports yesterday, so if you’d like, I could give them to you right away.”

“You corrected my documents on your free day?” Laia’s brows arch. “But they weren’t that urgent.”

Why couldn’t I invent something smarter than persuading Laia to work on a Sunday?

“Well”—I shrug nonchalantly—“I wanted you to have my feedback as soon as possible. But if you’d rather wait till Monday, no problem. Your sister might be waiting for you, right?” I hurry to make my silly offer as easy as possible to refuse.

She shakes her head, giving me a smile. “No, that’s super kind of you. I’d love to read your comments today if the detour to your house isn’t too much trouble. Alicia isn’t expecting me before dinner, anyway.”

The way Laia’s lips curl up sends my blood racing in my veins, and I can’t stop myself from trying to lift her mood even more.

“What do you say if you drive?” I hand her my car keys.

Laia gapes at me then bobs her head. “I’d love to.”

As the warmth in her voice triggers a familiar, delicious pull in my belly, I wonder why I offered her the wheel again. But I choose to leave this puzzle unsolved.

For the benefit of my soul.

Chapter 21

(Laia)

“Okay, so we go to your place then?” I light the engine and pivot to Devon.

He is checking something on his phone, but as he hears my question, he jerks back. “Excuse me?”

“I asked whether we go to your place then,” I repeat.

Devon’s lips move into a mischievous grin, and he winks. “Sure, let’s go to my place.”

That’s when I realize that his saucy playboy brain is joking about the way I phrased my sentence.

I know I should feel irritation, but the only sensation his tongue-in-cheek remark unleashes is a certain longing that he