Falling For My Playboy Boss
Chapter 51

Collin's POV

She is right, I have never given her the benefit of the doubt. I also assumed bad about her. I assumed that she lied about her MBA. I was just informed that she had been thoroughly vetted, that Jerry was absolutely going to give her a job, and that she was indeed third in her class. Gabriel was looking at me like I was an i***t when I could have at any time asked who had come up with the idea, or who was given the bonus. How did she know that dad knew it was her that got the bonus? Ah, I bet she went to a Sunday dinner at the house, probably to meet Michael, and if I had to guess, dad probably loves her too. I am starting to get worried as she left 20 minutes ago and had not come back yet. I saw her face and I had really offended her. Why did I feel the need to correct her again, in this forum? It wasn't for my good, it was like I was putting her in her place. Letting everyone know that I was the superstar here. I could have prevented it all just by doing the same thing that Gabriel had done, and just asking who had figured it out. Jerry couldn't stop singing her praises. He told me in another text how proud of her he was and that she had literally figured it out between when she was given the problem at lunch, and when she came to his office that day to tell him, which coincidentally, was the same day that I said that she needed to come back to her own work area and stop flirting. So, she was literally working on a problem for my company to make them look better and I just assumed that she was over there goofing around and then flirting with Christian. Which was why she was so very pissed at me. She was truly helping the company and I was being my usual a*****e self. Cora is truly a gift like Gabriel had said she was. It made me furious that he saw it way before I did. She is a financial wizard, with a hot body, and a beautiful face. We needed to go ahead and leave because I saw several men who were watching out for her to return, probably so they could ask her to dance. I am not letting any of them near her, she is mine, and I will fight them for her. I need to replace her and apologize to her for not knowing it was her that fixed it, and for correcting her in front of the people at our table. Have I ever done anything to be nice or kind to her? I remember earlier tonight when she reminded me of what Maddie and I said to her, calling her dowdy and frumpy. I was an i***t and obviously the words that I said to her hurt her very much. It explains the outfit change after that occurred. I have been completely hateful to her, and I am so sorry for it. I get up from the table and Chloe gets up to go with me, but I shook my head and head for the women's restroom. I waited and when a group of women exited the restroom, I asked them if anyone was left in the restroom. One of them went in to check, but she came out and said it was empty. I wonder if Cora left and went back to the apartment? She couldn't have, as I have the key. I saw a little seating area to the side and looked in there, but I didn't see anyone there. Right when I was about to leave, I heard the ping of a text and went back to check the whole room and see Cora over on the far side of the room. "Cora, I am so sorry, I assumed, and I was wrong about what I said. I should have known that, since you have never lied to me in the 4 months that you have worked for me, I should have trusted in you. I am sorry, I didn't have faith in you. I apologize for embarrassing you at the table and I am glad that Gabriel knew and that he corrected me. You were right, I didn't have the appropriate amount of faith in you that I should have had. You are a very intelligent woman, and it was a seamless change of the guard when you took over from Catherine. You run things so well and I appreciate all that you do for me. I am glad that Catherine found you because there is no one else that could have stepped in and done the job that you have done. Cora, I put a lot of pressure on myself because I want the business to grow and prosper the most on my watch. This is a business that was passed down: from my grandfather, down to my father, and now to me. I work a lot of hours because I want it to become the most prosperous on my watch. I want it to be a business that my son, or daughter, is going to be proud of taking over and running, and making it even more successful than I made it, and then down to their children as well. I set high goals for myself, and it is a matter of pride for me that things go well with the business. I am so sorry that I got it so wrong, Cora. I would like a do-over, please. Don't be mad at me. I am sorry for just assuming the very worst in you. I have no excuse for why I did it. I have no idea why I did it at all. It could be that every single person that I love and care about thinks that you hung the moon and are the best thing since sliced bread, and I was jealous, so I made myself feel better by thinking badly about you. But I love you, Cora. I love you, just like all of my friends and family, and I am sorry for hurting you with my comments. I didn't realize how utterly hurtful they were until I saw how upset you were earlier today after you got your makeup done. You are a beautiful woman, Cora, I want you to give me a chance to date you, to love you. I know that you were really hurt over Michael, and I am so sorry for that, but it really isn't my story to tell, and we are still trying to get it all figured out now. Just, please Cora, say that you will give me a chance", I said to Cora.

"Did you just say that you love me? Me? Cora?" Cora asked me. I can see she is not sure she heard me right.

"Yes Cora, I love you. I was torn for a little while, but I do love you. You are beautiful, smart, kind, and loving" I told her.

I see Cora crying and I wonder if I had done it again, like yesterday when I made her cry at the restaurant and didn't know why she had cried.

"Please don't cry Cora, I don't know what I did yesterday when you cried at the restaurant. I was just trying to make you happy. I don't want you to be unhappy honey. I want you to be happy with me. Why are you crying?" I told her.

"I am happy, Collin. I love you too, but you never saw me. So, I tried to move on with Michael. He asked me if I liked you, and I told him that I did, that I did have a crush on you, but then you crushed me, and I couldn't keep waiting for you to see me, to see that I was good enough for you. But you couldn't see me, you could only see someone else. Someone else that you wanted more than me, and that hurt me. Michael was so sweet, and I started caring for him, but then he just dropped me, with no explanation, or reason why. It made me feel like I had done something wrong, but I couldn't figure out what that was.

Collin leans forward and places his hand at the back of my neck and brings me in for a kiss. It started off sweet and then his other arm was wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me out of my chair and into his lap. Collin licked and then nipped at my bottom lip and when I gasped and opened my mouth, he slid his tongue into my mouth and then sucked my tongue into his mouth and I felt the pull of it right down to my c**t. I moaned into his mouth and put my hands over his shoulders and pulled him closer to me. Collin ran his hand from my waist up to my side until he got near my breast and then rubbed the side of my breast with his hand, and then rubbed his thumb across my n****e, making me hiss into his lips. We hear one of the restroom doors close and it drags us out of our passion-filled kiss to realize that anyone could walk upon us at any time. We straightened up and I wiped the lipstick off Collin's mouth, and we headed back out to our table. Collin texts the driver to come and get us from the event. I thanked Marc for the help he gave me on Thursday. I thanked Gabriel for the compliments he gave me. It was appreciated. I nodded at Chloe, but I didn't speak to her. She stands up, gives me an up and down look, and puts her mouth next to Collin's ear to say who knows what. He looked surprised and then said, "No thank you". Chloe looked so shocked by his response, that I almost laughed out loud.

"If you ever want to come here to live and work, Cora, just remember that you will always have a job waiting here for you", Gabriel tells Cora, handing her his card with his cell number on it, and then kisses both of her cheeks in farewell. Cora smiled up at Gabriel, "I appreciate the offer, but I am going to stay where I am right now, thank you" Cora said, and I smiled at her because I didn't want her to leave.

I take her arm and slide it through my elbow and escort her to the front where we see the SUV is waiting for us. Collin again helps me into the SUV and tucks my dress in, so it doesn't get caught in the door, and then comes around to get in next to me.

I take Cora's left hand into my right one and start rubbing the top of her hand with my thumb, and then I remember where I just had my thumb on Cora's n****e, and I jerk a little bit because just the thought of touching her again excites me, and I grip her wrist. I see Cora's n*****s get harder and pebble up like it suddenly got cold in the SUV and I know that she is remembering where I last had my thumb too, and she gives a little shudder in response and all I need this driver to do is get us back to the apartment as quickly as he can. Cora is going to be the death of me, and I don't know if I am going to be able to hold out for long with her at all.