Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss (Kylan and Katrina)
Chapter 84

Chapter 84

The drive home was comfortable and quiet, the only sounds being that of the classical music Kylan always seemed to prefer to have playing while

she was in the car

Kylan parked near her building and cut the engine, though neither of them made to get out of the car yet

She could feel the mood shift around them, and she frowned at Kylan, suddenly nervous for what he might have to say. What it looked like he wanted to say, Even from his side profile, she could tell something was on his mind, and she wondered which of the variables he was considering addressing, if any at all.

"You don't need to replace another job, Kate. You can still be my assistant, if you want to."

He didn't look at her while he spoke, his knee once again bouncing a bit where he sai

She smiled at him fondly, this particular variable an easier one to talk about after the peaceful date she had.

Tean't Kylan Tean't be your assistant. She was gentle with her words and quiet as she said them.

the only assistant I want," he admined.

Kylan finally looked at her, his eyes swimming with a sadness she longed to take away from him. "You're the slowly, his voice quivering the barest amount.

She reached for his hand, her fingers closing over his and her thumb rubbing the back of his palm like she had done many times before now. "Kylan, I want to be your assistant, but I can't. It was never truly appropriate for me to 'marry you or even date you for all intents and purposes, as your assistant. Now that L. Well. I don't know what we're doing, exactly. But now that we've been on a real date, it's especially not appropriate There should be boundaries in place here. One of those needs to be that I work separate from you Katrina was studying his face while she explained herself, his expression mostly his usual mask, but a bit of anxiety slipped through near the end of her speech. She held his hand tighter and allowed him the time he needed to formulate his response.

"I want to. To go on more dates with you, Katrina. I want to Get to know you more. To be.. I don't know how to say any of this" Kylan pinched the bridge of his nose and clenched his jaw as he mumbled a string of curses to himself.

She lifted her hand to his cheek, gently turning his face to hers. "I want that too, Kylan. I want to go on dates with you. I want to know you more, you'll allow me the privilege. That's why I can't stay at Ross Corp. I need my work and personal life to be separated." She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile and he frowned, taking hold of her hand that rested against his face.

"I get it. I don't like it, and I likely never will, but I get it. If it means I can know you like this, I'll come to terms with your resignation." It was clear the words were difficult for Kylan to get out, but she was thankful he had said them.

"You're important to me, Kylan. I care a great deal for you. I only want you to be happy and thrive. I think you'll do just that with therapy and a new assistant. She took a deep breath before continuing. I want to be your Partner. Your equal. Eventually, of course. N-not right now. We're taking things slow, and I want to do that. I need to do that. But, I don't think I could ever get to that point while being your assistant."

Kylan nodded in agreement, though he was still frowning a fair amount. "I understand, Kate. Let's take this slow and we'll see how it all unfolds."

She breathed a sigh of relief and nodded herself. "Yes, okay. Great, Kylan. Thank you. We'll replace you the right assistant."

Kylan rolled his eyes and opened his door, walking around to hers and helping her to the sidewalk.

She accepted the hand he then extended to her, following him into her building.

He took the elevator with her to her floor and walked her to her door, nerves clawing at the inside of her throat the closer the got to her apartment

What expectations did Kylan have, if any? She certainly wasn't ready to sleep with him again, though she knew her body felt otherwise, if the growing warmth in her stomach was any quiet indication to go by.

As this was their first real date, she hoped Kylan didn't think she was ready for that, but she wasn't entirely convinced. Especially because she had already crossed that line once before. The aftermath of that. The aftermath made her hestate to repeat those actions perhaps the most

While Kylan was making subtle changes already, he hadn't yet dealt with any of his internal struggles, including his clear battle with physical Intimacy

She came to a halt in front of her door and turned to face Kylan. The way he was looking at her. It softened every bit of her heart. It was like he wasn't holding back, wasn't trying to hide the fact that he cared for her, that he felt for her.

The swirling grey of his eyes were soft, so soft and so open

Suddenly.

the feeling of safety she had had been constantly seeking, weaseled its way into her heart

"Thank you for tonight, Katrina." Kylan stepped forward, cupping either side of her face in his warm palms.

Electricity. Familiar, yet foreign. It ignited the air around them. It filled the from the top of her head, to the soles of her feet, and every crevice between

Chapter 84

"Thank you for tonight, Kylan," Katrina echoed his words quietly, her heart thundering precariously within the walls of her chest.

She licked her lips and inhaled a shaky breath, her eyes searching Kylan's face for something specific. "Can I kiss you, Kylan?"

She was banking on the bit of bravery his eyes were giving her with their warmth that beckoned her closer and closer to him. They called to her. really. Begged for her to be honest with hum. And so, she was. She wanted to kiss him. She always wanted to. And though she was nervous and weary of what her future looked like both with and without Kylan, she didn't feel like denying herself of the fact that she yearned to be close to him.

She watched Kylan's gaze fall to her mouth and then to her eyes. He then licked his lips in the same fashion she had, and he nodded once.

"Okay, Kate," he breathed, moving closer until his body was pressed against hers and hardly a few inches of space remained between her faces

A strangled noise she would have normally been embarrassed by, left her throat while she tugged the front of Kylan's leather jacket, pulling his face the remaining way to hers.

1. y. Their noses brushed gently, the

His lips met her own eager ones. Her mouth caressed his. Their heads angled this way, and then the opposite way. familiar scents of pine, mint, and Kylan, intoxicating her.

She held him to her desperately, her tongue tracing the line of his lower lip until he granted she access to his mouth. And oh, did he taste familiar and so much like home. The different teas, the scones they both indulged in, they coated her tongue while hers toyed with his.

It was wonderful. Magical. Kissing Kylan Holding him. Feeling him against her in ways she thought she had lost.

All too soon, she forced herself to retreat from him. She wanted to go further, to invite him into her

er apartment and give him permission to claim

her once more.

She could feel how much he wanted that from her as his arousal pressed against her thigh. It was nearly impossible to ignore, but it was the night thing to do

She needed to take things slow. Kylan also needed slow, far more than she did.

She didn't want to scare him away, to make him hesitate to open up to her in the future. She wanted him to continue to ea

earn her trust and respect.

If she slept with him tonight, on their technical first date, all of that would fly out the figurative window, she was certain of it.

Katrina pressed her forehead to his and smiled at him. "Goodnight, Kylan."

With those quietly spoken words, she faced away from him and unlocked her door.

Just as she was pushing it open, Kylan grabbed the sleeve of her jacket, and she locked eyes with him.

"I swear

I'll earn your trust and forgiveness, Katrīna.

on't think I'll ever deserve it, but I'll do my best to earn it Kylan kept eye contact with her. though she knew it was likely incredibly difficult for not to look

away.

She surged into action, swiftly kissing him on the mouth once again, applying pressure for a moment and then pulling away. "Minute by minute. Kylan Ross," she whispered against his lips. She squeezed his hand, and he caught her wrist, bringing it up to his face and examining the gold bracelet she hadn't taken off since he gifted it to her.

"Minute by minute, Kylan quietly agreed, placing a soft kiss to the bracelet itself