Boss of Me

I don’t even rise from my seat. He’s out the door, and I lean back in my chair, pressing my fingers together in front of my lips, thinking.

15

Raquel

Sandra has had her eye on me since I walked in this morning. I went to Target yesterday and did some clothes shopping with my credit card, and maybe now I’m the devil. I bought a few skirts. I keep remembering Patton’s eyes so dark and full of lust saying he loved my legs. A little shiver moves through me.

“What happened after I left you?” Her voice is quiet, and I’m pretty sure I see annoyance in her expression.

How much to tell her? “Not much. We chatted…”

“And?”

“We went to get hot chicken.” That’s true enough.

“And?”

“And what?” I look down at the few remaining folders on my table from Taron’s banker’s boxes. “I went home later and watched Ally McBeal. She really does get more annoying as the seri

es progresses.”

It’s a total yadda-yadda-yadda-leaving-out-all-the-good-parts dodge. I don’t dare look up at her or she’ll see how much I’m omitting.

“I practically shoved you two together.” Her voice is exasperated, and she exhales a huge sigh, letting her arms drop. “You can lead a horse to water…”

She’s out my door, headed back for her desk, and my shoulders drop. Patton said our work relationship wouldn’t change, but I didn’t expect him to be exactly like he was before. Hell, he might be even more antagonistic.

When I left him Sunday night, I was so freaked out. All I could see was my future slipping away on one insanely hot, sex-filled weekend. I couldn’t let that happen. I had to protect myself.

I’ve always been a fighter, and I’m a pretty strong person. He just might be a little stronger than I am…

Seeing him in his office this morning, so sexy in that gray suit… His full lips, his glossy, dark hair. My fingers curled at the memory of touching him. Him touching me. Even with his dark eyes narrowed and that frown firmly in place, he’s irresistible.

All those emotions flooded my veins, and I couldn’t remember why I went in there. I couldn’t remember why I left Sunday night.

I said I could resist him.

I was totally wrong.

“Hey, you ready to talk about Abu Dhabi?” Taron jumps me out of my reflections.

“Oh, hey. Sure!”

“Let’s chat in the conference room.”

I’m out of my chair, shaking off my lustful thoughts and following him down the corridor, when I hear a noise behind me. It sounds like slamming. Looking around, I see Jerry with boxes, packing up his office. I’m not sure whether to do a little dance or be concerned.

Taron continues into the conference room like nothing is going on, and I look back as I close the door behind me.

“What happened with Jerry?” I look up at him, but his eyes are fixed on a spread of papers on the table.

“Oh, he’s going to LA.”

“He doesn’t seem very happy about it.”

“What?” Taron looks up at me. “I don’t know why. I’ve heard LA is a fun town, and we’re paying for the whole thing.”

I’m so confused. “Did he know he was going?”