Fierce, I chant to myself in my head.You're a lioness. You can get through this. You’ve overcome challenges before. You can certainly get through Charlie Callahan.
Never mind the fact that Charlie might be my biggest challenge yet.
seven
Charlie
I takea sip of my coffee and drum my fingers on my desk as I wait for Sharon to get back from the copy room. I got my own coffee this morning. I'm not one of those bosses who's above getting his own, and I only made Sharon get mine yesterday to get a rise out of her.
My lips quirk up into a smile when I recall the taste of the salt in my coffee.
My little redhead is a firecracker. There's no doubt about that.
I glance down at my Rolex, frowning when I realize more than ten minutes have passed. It doesn't take that damn long to get some copies from the copy room.
I open my door to go check on her and make sure everything's okay, and my blood boils at the sight that greets me.
She's standing several feet away from the office door with the papers clutched in her arms, her head thrown back laughing at something Tom is saying to her.
My eyes sweep over the dark-headed Don Juan of the office. I might not be particularly close to any of my employees, but I know what goes on in my building, and I know that Tom Gallagher is the biggest ladies’ man in the office. He's gone through every secretary I've ever had.
I've never given a shit—until now.
Seeing the way his eyes roll over my Sharon fills me with rage. Watching her smile up at him and laugh at whatever corny joke he’s told her fills me with jealousy. My hands ball into fists. I feel like I could murder someone right now.
Instead, I snap his name, “Tom!”
His head snaps up as my voice cracks through the air like a whip.
Sharon's laugh dies off as she glances over at me with a quizzical look on her face, her brow furrowed. I'm irrationally pissed off at her too for smiling at the fucker, much less laughing at anything he said.
But this is his fault more so than hers. Does he think he has to stick his dick in every pretty female that graces these doors? Well, it's not going to be happening with my Sharon.
I stroll out of my office and over to the pair, making sure to exude every inch of power my position gives me.
Tom's eyes flicker with uncertainty. Yeah, fucker. You know what you've done.
He knows it's coming before I ever even say the words. There's not a bit of surprise on his face when I tell him coldly, “You're fired.”
Instead, his lips press into a thin line, and he nods his head curtly. He wisely turns and leaves to clean out his desk without a word.
“You. My office. Now,” I tell Sharon. Her eyes light with irritation at my tone, but dammit. I'm vibrating with rage.
She wisely doesn't make a scene and heads for the office.
I follow closely behind her and slam the door shut once we're both inside.
“What the hell is your problem?” she asks just as I grab her and spin her around, slamming her back against the door.
She stares up at me with angry eyes. I stare back down at her, attempting to keep my grip on her shoulders light. The last thing I want to do is hurt her or bruise her delicate skin.
My chest heaves up and down as I fight for control. “Why the fuck were you smiling at him?” I finally grit out.
She gives me an incredulous look before she shakes her head. “You're insane.”
“Maybe so.” I don't argue with her. “But you don't smile at another man. Do you hear me?”
I lean closer to her so that I can feel her shiver when I breathe directly into her ear. “All of your smiles belong to me.”