I’m still feeling the high from my orgasm as I pull on some comfy clothes and head into the living room just in time to answer the door. I know I’m smiling at the delivery boy like I’m walking ten feet off the ground, but I tip him well, so when he turns to leave, he’s smiling, too.
I may regret getting myself off while daydreaming about my boss later, but for now, I can’t help but think it was the most satisfying thing I’ve done in a long time.
CHAPTER11
HUNTER
The white box on top of my desk brings a grin to my face, even before I open it up and peek inside. I know I should stop staring at it. I shouldn’t have even bought it to begin with, but when I’d stopped by the famous jewelry store the other day, on my way somewhere else, of course, I’d seen the perfect charm for Meg.
Twenty minutes later, I had an entire bracelet with charms that remind me of Meg—a paintbrush, a paint bucket, a car, a drink, and a musical note. The bracelet had all kinds of beautiful beading on it as well, and she’d be able to add other charms to it later, if she wished to. I thought it was a nice gift, something she’d really enjoy.
If I ever figure out a way to give it to her…
It has been in my bottom desk drawer for a few days now, and I know it should probably stay there. It isn’t as if I have any reason to be buying her jewelry or anything else. She is an employee, and even though I think she’s…nice-looking, intelligent, funny, and pleasant to be around…I don’t date people who work for me. Period.
Even if they smell divine and laugh like the tinkling of a bell at all of my jokes, even the not-so-funny ones…
With a sigh, I take a quick glance at the bracelet and admire it for a second before shaking my head again, opening my bottom desk drawer, and dropping it in. It’s been a week since our painting excursion, and I’ve managed to stay away from the girl for the most part.
It hasn’t been easy. I’ve seen her across the club floor, always looking hot as hell in short skirts and blouses that make her cleavage pop out the top just enough to make a guy wonder how those taste, but I haven’t spoken to her more than a quick “How’s it going?” in passing. I stick to the shadows, only going out onto the floor when she’s working if I don’t have a choice.
While it’s not the most convenient way to live, I’ve gotta figure out a way to get this girl out of my mind. The longer I let her take up residency in my thoughts, the more difficult it’s going to be to force her out.
Still, it won’t be easy. Just picturing her grinning at me in the paint store as I teased her about painting her bedroom red has a stupid smirk on my face and my pants feeling tight again.
I hear Leah’s voice and the knock on my open door at the same time, and I do my best to get rid of the grin as I look up at her, but it’s difficult. I wish my laptop were open so I could pretend it was an email or a meme, but I haven’t opened it yet.
“What are you all smiley about?” she asks, standing at the corner of my desk with her arms folded. She’s grinning at me like she thinks she knows what’s going on, but I hope that’s not the case. “Someone sure looks cheery…for a hitman.”
I shake my head at her and release a low chuckle. “Very funny,” I tell her. “Don’t you know hitmen have a great sense of humor? They laugh all the way to the bank and to the coroner’s. What’s up, Leah?”
“Do I have to have an excuse to come into your office?” she asks me, her face only slightly more serious than before.
“No, I guess not,” I reply, opening my laptop as I’m sure she has important business matters to discuss.
As she comes around my desk to instruct me on what it is we need to talk about, Leah notes, “Something seems different about you lately, boss. I’m not quite sure what it is, but I see it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mumble, trying to be my grouchy old self, but she doesn’t buy it.
“You have a smile on your face a lot more often. You’re cheerful, sometimes almost pleasant to be around. Why, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were in love.”
A chuckle tries to escape my throat, but I almost choke on it. “In love?” I repeat. “That’s the stupidest bullshit I’ve ever heard, Leah. You know I’m not even fucking seeing anyone.”
She shrugs and says, “You don’t have to be dating someone to have feelings for them.” She tells me which spreadsheet to open, and I do so, but I’m not letting this go.
“I’m not dating anyone. I haven’t even been out on a date with anyone in…months. So how could I possibly—” I see Dylan, DJ Audio Anarchy, walking by in the hallway and remember that he had mentioned his cousin or someone was looking to meet some people because she was new in town. He’d tried telling me she was a ten, but I wasn’t interested.
Until now.
Now I see a reason to try and convince Leah that my disposition has nothing to do with matters of the heart—even if she’s mostly correct. I don’t love Meg, but the word “smitten” kind of feels right.
“Dylan!” I shout just as Leah is telling me about one of our loss ratios. I have to shout loudly because he has those AirPods in like he always does. I’m loud enough, and he stops abruptly, turning back to the room.
He presses one of them to stop the music. “Yo, bossman! What’s up?” he asks, hanging from the doorjamb, like coming all the way in might get him in some kind of trouble.
“Hey, who was it you said was in town and was looking for a date? Your cousin?” I ask. Leah stands up straight, her eyebrows raised, like she wonders what the fuck I’m doing. That makes two of us.
“Yeah, Veronica,” he says. “She’s cool. You’ll like her. You want her digits?”