Page 39 of Dear Grumpy Boss

I gave him a droll look. “You don’t date. If you gave Elise the Luca Rossi treatment, Elliot would have your head on a pike.”

He sniffed. “She’s beautiful. Don’t you think she’s beautiful?”

“Of course she is. She always has been.”

He snapped open his menu. “I never noticed before. Shame. I could have been looking at her instead of you and Elliot. It would have made all those drab dinners you guys forced me to a lot more entertaining.”

Before I could use my menu to brain him, Elise came rushing through the restaurant. Thank Christ she wasn’t wearing those obscene leggings. They had been a second skin, revealing every one of her curves. I’d barely survived walking behind her into her apartment.

Luca rose before I could, helping her into her chair and made a big show of kissing her cheek, winking at me when his lips were on her. When she was seated, I realized this week’s brunch outfit wasn’t any better.

“Weston,” she breathed, her cheeks flushed. “Luca didn’t say you’d be here.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. “What on earth are you wearing?”

She reared back, her hand flying to her chest. There was so much bare skin. Her tits were practically on a serving platter, shoved up and out by a corset contraption beneath an open flannel top. It was a bewildering combination that had clearly scrambled my brain.

“I’m wearing clothes, Weston.” She started to pull her flannel closed, but Luca caught her hand.

I scoffed. “Barely.”

“You look perfect. Don’t let this jackass bring you down,” he murmured gently.

She sighed, turning her hand over to wrap her fingers around his. “Thank you. Saoirse and I went to the farmers’ market this morning and she wanted to be my stylist. I have all this pretty lingerie I never had the chance to wear and she claims it’s a crime, so we both went out in lace and flannel. I felt good. Had I known mybosswas going to be here, however, I would have changed.”

Luca rolled his pretty boy eyes. “West can get up and leave if he’s making you uncomfortable.Iinvited you to lunch.Heinvited himself.”

She waved him off. “It’s fine. Honestly, I don’t know what I was thinking running around like this. I’m sure I look ridiculous.” She started to button her flannel, andIreached out, catching her hand. It took all my willpower not to get stuck on how unbelievably soft her skin was.

“You don’t look ridiculous. I apologize for making you feel like you did.” I forced myself to drop my hold on her.

She was still clutching her shirt. “Whydidyou?”

“I—” I rubbed my chin, searching for a suitable excuse for behaving like a jackass. “I’m not used to seeing you dress like this. It took me off guard and I reacted poorly. Luca’s right. You’re perfect. Lovely. Don’t change a thing.”

She lowered her hand, attempting to hide her smile. “Well, then I guess I forgive you. It’s a good thing too, because I would have hated to tell Elliot my boobs took you off guard.”

Luca let out a raucous laugh. “Oh, fuck. Please do, but make sure I’m there to witness the atomic bomb when it goes off.”

She laughed with him. “He still thinks I’m a child.”

“He’s protective,” I corrected. “Don’t you think that’s understandable, given your circumstances?”

“It is,” she admitted. “And I’m protective of him for the same reasons. But I’ve never once had anything to say about the women he dates, nor have I sicced my friends on him to make sure he doesn’t get lonely when I’m out of town.”

Luca held his hands up. “Now, now, I asked you to lunch of my own volition. I happen to like your company.”

“Thank you,” she said sweetly. “I enjoy your company too.”

I interrupted the lovefest.

“Your roles are different, though.” I placed my menu on the table, squaring my attention on Elise. “He’s four years older, yes, but Elliot was your guardian. I don’t think that responsibility ever ended for him.”

Elise and Elliot were orphans. Their father had died from a brain tumor when she was ten and Elliot was fourteen. The tumor had taken him within months of diagnosis. No one had been prepared. Least of all, their mother. After losing her husband, Elaine Levy fell apart. As a constant visitor to the Levy household, I’d witnessed her steady and rapid decline. Elliot had almost turned down Stanford, but Elise hadn’t allowed him to.

Two years in, he’d ended up dropping out anyway. Elaine had wrapped her car around a tree and Elise had needed him. Whether he’d move home had never been a question. Me following, on the other hand,hehadn’t allowed.

“And I love him for it,” she said. “But that responsibility doesn’t extend to you guys, you know. Can’t we just be friends without all the big brother stuff coming in to play?”

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