My head droops from the weight of my embarrassment. I stare at the tips of my red shoes as my toes wiggle inside them, wishing I could just click my heels together and get whisked away to a different place right now.
“Is everything alright?” Dylan asks.
“Oh, we’re fine,” Asher answers. “Ms. Cleary and I were just having a little argument about the size of our quarterly profits. She thinks they’re a bit lacking.”
I narrow my eyes at him. What on earth is he talking about?
“Anyway, what did you want?” he asks Dylan in a more serious tone.
Dylan clears his throat. “I just forgot to ask if there was anything else you needed before I left…?”
“There’s nothing. You can go.”
“Okay.”
Dylan leaves. As soon as the door closes, I grab the box on top of Asher’s desk and stuff the vibrator back inside.
“I am so reporting you to Human Resources,” I tell Asher.
And I mean it this time.
He leans back in his chair. “For what?”
I lift the box in my hand. “Sexual harassment. I’m sure that Gina will help me out. After all, you did say she’s a sweet old lady.”
“I never said she was old.”
I ignore that. “I can just imagine the look on her face when she sees this.”
Asher grins. “So can I.”
“Think she’ll be shocked to find out one of her bosses is a pervert? Then again, she probably already knows. Maybe she’s been waiting for someone brave enough to come forward and file a report.”
The grin remains on Asher’s face as he taps his fingers on his desk. What? Does he think I won’t do it? That just makes me even more determined.
I tuck the box under my arm and hold my shoulders back.
“Sending a welcome present isn’t sexual harassment,” Asher tells me.
“It is when the present is… a sex toy.”
Asher shrugs. “Is it wrong for a boss to want his employees to… loosen up a little?”
“Very funny.”
“See.” He points a finger at me. “That’s your problem, Ms. Cleary. You’re too serious.”
I point a finger at myself. “I’m too serious? Aren’t you the one whose forehead looks like it’s about to burst whenever I’m around?”
He touches his forehead. I let out a sigh.
“Whatever.”
I turn towards the door.
“I’m trying to be nice now,” Asher says. “That’s why I gave you a present.”
I turn back towards him and lift the box. “Oh, so this is your way of being nice?”
“I could have given you a jar of spiders. Or a dead rat.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “You’re sick.”
“Instead, I gave you something you can use, something to help you relax so you can do better at work. Did you know that there are studies saying regular sex can increase one’s productivity in the workplace among other benefits?”
I don’t care.
“Of course, not all of us can have the luxury of regular sex. Hence the sex toy. And like I said, I’ve given you one of excellent quality. Raves all around. Completely safe. Easy to use. Easy to clean.”
Disgusting.
Asher touches his chin. “Though looking back now, maybe I should have asked for it in purple. Your name’s Violet, after all.”
Enough of this nonsense.
“Forget this. I’m going and there’s nothing you can say or do to stop me.”
I start walking towards the door.
“Fine. I’ll go with you.”
I hear Asher get out of his chair. By the time I glance over my shoulder, he’s already almost behind me.
“I can go by myself.”
“I’m filing a report, too,” he says. “Against you, actually. Physical abuse.”
My eyebrows go up. “What?”
“I believe you threw that box at me when you first stormed into my office.” He points at it.
I gape. “You caught it.”
“So you admit you threw it at me?” He takes his phone out of his pocket. “I’ve been recording our conversation, by the way.”
“Good. Then HR will know just what a jerk you’ve been.”
“Are you sure I’ve done anything bad or said anything mean to you since you barged into my office? Weren’t you the one cursing? What was that you said to me? That I’m full of shit?”
Fuck. I should have known he can understand German.
“That’s because you provoked me.”
“So you admit you lost your temper and lashed out at your boss?”
“Only because you gave me this… this horrid thing.”
I suddenly feel like dropping it on the floor and smashing it to pieces.
“It’s called a present, Ms. Cleary.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You know that’s not what it is.”
“I’m telling you that’s what it is.” He stands in front of me and looks straight into my eyes. “Or do you want it to be something else, Ms. Cleary?”
The drop in Asher’s voice, though just an octave, sends a shiver down my spine. The hint of desire in his ebony eyes makes my breath catch. And I can’t seem to take another as I become suddenly aware that his body is just inches from mine.