My Naughty Boss

Within moments, I saw Megan waving to me through the glass and pushing the door open. “Hey Soph, come on in.”

Like me, Megan was still wearing what I presumed she’d worn to work—a fitted black skirt that fell to her knees, low heels and a dove gray blouse. Her honey gold hair was swept up into a knot atop her head. She glanced to the doorman.

“Dan, anytime Sophia comes to visit, you can just let her in,” she said as she tugged me into a quick hug, her blue eyes warm.

“No matter the time of day?” Dan asked.

Megan nodded firmly. “No matter. She’s always welcome. Just buzz me and let me know she’s here.”

Dan simply nodded and held the door for us.

Megan had only moved in with Jonathan Harmon, her husband-to-be, a few weeks ago, so I’d yet to have a chance to visit her here. I glanced around as we walked through the reception area. It was tiled in porcelain with subtle colors on the walls. Megan led me through a keycard entrance into a back hallway. Our footsteps echoed on the tile flooring. We stopped beside some elevators and rode up so quickly, I barely noticed it.

“This place is something. Your doorman looks better suited to being an undercover agent,” I commented with a chuckle.

Megan giggled. “I know, right? It's kind of ridiculous. I told Jonathon that now he’s not a bachelor, we have to move somewhere else.”

“Why? Is this place only for bachelors?”

She rolled her eyes as we rounded a corner in the hallway after stepping off the elevators. “It seems like it to me. Jonathon swears it's not, but I'm like one of five women in the whole building, so go figure. It’s a big mystery who lives in the penthouse on the top floor. I told Jonathon I bet it’s a woman and she’s richer than everyone else here,” she said with a sly grin.

She stopped in the hallway at another security entrance. There was no sign to indicate where we were going. Once we stepped inside, I realized we were in a restaurant without a name. Only residents and their guests could eat here. I glanced around to notice there were nothing but men here.

“What’s with the no-names thing?” I muttered under my breath.

Megan snorted. “Exactly my question. I think the idea is they protect your privacy here, but it’s a bit overboard.”

Megan tugged me to a booth in the corner. The restaurant was dimly lit with tables scattered in the center and tall, leather-backed booths lining the back wall. Once we were seated, a waiter swung by and reeled off the specials with a promise to return quickly. While we waited, Megan updated me on her wedding plans and asked about my new position.

“I can't believe you got that position. Chandler International is probably the most secretive company in the world. Mr. Chandler lives here, you know,” she said.

“He does?” I asked.

“He sure does,” she said with a firm nod. “I haven't even seen him. He travels a lot.”

As if conjured by name, Lucas stepped through the entrance. I glanced his way just as his eyes scanned over to where we were in the corner. My disobedient pulse lunged.

“Oh. Well, I guess I’m wrong. There he is,” Megan said. She leaned forward. “What’s it like working for him?”

“Oh my God. Not now,” I hissed.

Before I knew it, Lucas was walking straight toward us.

“Oh, he's on his way over. Damn, he looks even hotter in person,” Megan observed.

I rolled my eyes, hoping to play it off. The last thing I needed was Megan to notice just how hot I thought he was. “Seriously, don't be ridiculous.”

Megan rolled her eyes right back at me. “I'll be as ridiculous as I want. He’s hot,” she offered.

Megan was my best friend. She was also shamelessly blunt. Every so often, I wished she didn’t like to tease so much.

Lucas arrived at our table, his eyes flicking between us and landing on me.

“Nice to see you, Sophia. What brings you here?” he asked.

Megan fluttered her fingers in the air. “She's my bestie. I don't think we've met.”

Lucas shifted his gaze to her. “I don’t believe we have.”