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“Please coestured to the couch and settled down on the cushion “We need to talk, yes?”

She snorted a laugh “I’d like to say no, but I think that’s out of the question”

“Entirely out of the question” He watched her lower down next to hiaze The silence continued, but Ella couldn’t look away froaze

After many—oddly, not uncomfortable—seconds, he finally asked, “Do you care for me, Ella?”

“In a boss-and-employee way?”

“Friendship Family Is the way that I mean” He hesitated, and at her silence, since what he said was so unexpected, he added, “Since you started working for me, I’ve felt quite attached to you Do you see ht?”

Until Kyler, Aidan was the only friend she had in Vegas She kneasn’t wrong—they shared a closeness that she’d never had with a former boss She always had the sense that he took care of her in odd ways, like sending her to buy new clothes on the co her hair and nails done, too That coht platonic love between them, she believed that “I do feel close to you”

“I’lad” His s: I would’ve brought you more fully into my life had I not lived the lifestyle I do I never mix business with pleasure, which is why you’ve never met any of the Club Sin Masters before When Club Sin opened, I requested everyone stay away from my office Privacy, tohis words carefully “Your being in the dungeon co between our friendship”

She regarded hie was clear “Your showing up just shocked…”

“For asm,” he said flatly

“Yeah, that!” She laughed “I mean, it was pretty obvious that you were ato see you last night Then you were there … and you saw the rest”

“Yes, I saw the rest, and it was beautiful” He took her hand, and his touch felt like the closest thing to a fa ht And I’as you happy” Squeezing her fingers, his brows rose “And you are happy, aren’t you?”

“Happy” didn’t describe it She was living the life she had wanted to that day she took up the radio show’s challenge Look where the dare had led her: She was having the best sexual adventures of her life and was surrounded by a people, and she had Kyler “I am happy”

Aidan nodded with soft eyes “That’s whatout in pleasure doesn’t hold any thoughts in my mind when I see you in Club Sin”

Hearing those words froape, but she wondered if that’s why he’d said it Perhaps he took off the edge of hoard thatHe’s just a man A friend who cares about you Still, she couldn’t help but ask, “Will you be doing those things with Cora, too?”