I’m not one bit surprised this time when he launches me into the air and onto the bed. I am, however, when he flips me over and smacks me on the butt.

“You . . . !” I scream. “You’re going to pay for that!” I twist my body over and make a grab for his arm, but he’s too sweaty to hang onto.

He pushes me back down onto the bed, face first. “You stay there, girl. I’m going to teach you a lesson in manners. Saying my beard was horrible. How dare you.”

I’m lifting my head to defy him, when his hands come to my waist and yank my hips up.

“What are you . . .?”

Suddenly he’s there, behind me. “Surprise,” he says, an evil grin on his face. He’s pressing his hardness against me. It easily slides into the wetness there between my legs.

“Again?” I ask, my voice barely coming out. “Already?”

He smacks me on the butt, lightly this time. “Here I come, baby. Ready or not.”

Oh, I’m so ready for him. He puts on a condom and I lift my butt as high as I can, sighing with pleasure as he fills me once again.

He goes slow this time, building the passion, mindful of my sensitivity. His fingers find their way around to the front of me, stroking me in time with his rhythm.

“You like that?” he asks, pulling me against him hard as he swivels his hips against me.

“Mmmm . . .” My eyes are closed, but I’m smiling. I stretch my arms out to the sides and hang onto the sheets. His rhythm is picking up, pushing me into the mattress.

“That’s it,” I say, encouraging him. “Harder.”

And harder he comes, thrusting in and out, faster and faster. I push into him, letting him know I need even more.

He leans forward, putting his fingers on me again. “Come on, babe.”

“Fuck me, Ozzie.” The words slip out, but I don’t regret them.

“Say that again,” he growls.

“Fuck me . . .” I have to pause for breath, “. . .Ozzie.”

He roars like a wounded lion, and shoves into me so hard we both collapse. His body jerks above me like he’s being electrocuted and I can feel him come inside me.

His hand is still below me and now it moves again. Knowing I drove him over the edge with my body and my words is all I need. I cry and struggle with the orgasm that racks my body. I’ve lost complete control of myself, and I don’t care.

When it’s finally over, what seems like several minutes later, I feel as though I’ve died, or at the very least, run a marathon. I cannot move.

“I’m glad you decided to come over,” he says in my ear.

I giggle like a schoolgirl and then snort lazily. “Me too.”

He rolls off me and lies on his back next to me. I turn my head to look at him.

“Happy?” he asks.

I grin as best I can. My face doesn’t really want to work. “Happy.”

“Good.” He leans over and kisses me before getting up.

“Where are you going?” I ask.

“Bathroom.”

“‘Kay.” I rearrange myself on the bed, getting under the covers and resting my head on the pillow. This bed is so comfy. I’m just going to relax here until he comes back. Maybe he’ll want to talk or something. We probably should discuss how we’re going to handle working together tomorrow. I don’t want things to be awkward, and I’m sure he doesn’t want that either.

That’s the last thought I remember having before an alarm is going off next to my head and I see a clock reading seven-thirty in the morning.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Oh my god! I slept here! With him! In his bed! And I have to get up for work! And Felix has to go outside! Ack!

The spot next to me looks slept in. Was Ozzie there all night and I never even noticed? Wow. That sex really knocked me out or something.

I throw my legs over the side of the bed and look around. Hopefully, Ozzie’s taken Felix out with Sahara. Otherwise I’m going to have some cleaning up to do.

There’s a door ahead of me that isn’t the one that leads out into the hallway. It had better be the bathroom door, because there’s no way I want to walk out into the kitchen area and have my coworkers catch me looking like I just rolled in the hay. Twice.

I grin as I collect some clothing from the drawers I was given and go through that door and into the bathroom.

Whoa. Now that’s a bathroom. Marble, glass, and metal work together in the big space to create a spa-like oasis. I brush my teeth first, just in case Ozzie comes in and gets near me. I don’t want to get dumped for having dragon breath.

The shower, big enough for several people, has three separate nozzles with various spray patterns. I use Ozzie’s products for my body and hair, skipping the conditioner, since I guess he doesn’t use it on the spikes he calls hair. I’m surprised he doesn’t have any left over from when he had that beard. Surely he conditioned that mess?

A sound behind me distracts me from the memory of the bird’s nest that used to decorate his face. I spin around and find Ozzie himself standing there, dressed and ready for work. He’s even wearing his combat boots already.

I cross my arms over my chest self-consciously. For sure I’m going to use this scenario for a fantasy when I’m bored and alone one night. Me, naked and wet. Him being my boss standing there all muscled up. Talk about sexy.

“Good morning,” he says.

“Good morning.” I’m shy, which is ridiculous, considering what we did last night, but I can’t control how I feel. Why did he just go to sleep last night without waking me up? Did he even sleep with me in the bed? Maybe he slept on the cot. That idea makes me sad. It feels like rejection.

“Meeting in fifteen minutes.”

“Fifteen?” I move to rinse my hair out. “Okay.” I hope he doesn’t expect me to be gorgeous. I’m not exactly high maintenance, but fifteen minutes isn’t enough time to pull off a miracle.

“Is Felix okay? I should have taken him out already.”

“He’s fine. He went out with his girlfriend.”

I smile but don’t say anything. I don’t want Ozzie thinking I’m pressuring him into calling me his girlfriend, even though nothing would make me happier. I shut the water off and step out of the shower area. Ozzie hands me a towel, warm from being on a heating rack.

I hold it against me and blink the water out of my eyes. The heat from the towel seeps into my skin, relaxing me. I have nothing to be nervous about, right? We might not be a couple, but we’ve been intimate. And I’m an adult. I have enough confidence to move past this, whatever it is, whether it’s for better or for worse.

Ack! Why are wedding vows swimming around in my brain?! Have I lost my mind completely?!

“Is there something else?” I ask, wondering why he’s just standing there staring at me. God help me if he can read minds.

He leans toward me and kisses me on the cheek. “Nope.” He turns and starts walking out of the bathroom.

My body is warming from not just the towel, but his touch too, even though it was as chaste as a kiss next to a shower can be.

“Ozzie?”

He pauses with his hand on the door. “Yeah?”

I have no idea what to say, but I feel like I should say something. Anything.

“Thanks. For everything.”

He turns just his head to look at me. “Everything?”

I can’t stop the smile that comes over me. I’m that non-virgin virgin again. Ridiculous, since we had sex not just once, but twice last night. “Yes, everything. For letting me stay here, for worrying about me, for Felix, for . . . the television show. All that stuff.”

He lets the door go and comes back to stand in front of me.

I look up at him, freaking out because he’s so close and fully clothed while I’m naked and wet. Are we going to have sex again? Make everyone wait for the meeting as we sigh, moan, and yell out in ecstasy?