Page 45 of Bossed By the Orc

“I see,” I murmured, trying to sound thoughtful, when my mind was already made up. “I disagree.”

“You always disagree,” she groaned, her head falling back on her shoulders. “But that’s not what this is about.” She pointed an accusing finger at me. “You’re my boss.” She turned the same finger to face her glorious breasts. “And I’m an employee.”

“Yes,” I agreed right away, settling back on the sofa and crossing my ankle over my knee. “That’s right.”

She rolled her eyes and I smothered my grin. Riling my female up was my new favorite pastime.

“I’m not telling you this for clarification purposes, Dristan. I’m saying that whatever the hell is happening between us cannot happen,” she hissed, pressing her tiny hands to her forehead.

“I disagree,” I told her, before standing. “Do you have a headache? I have some pain medication—”

She cut me off by waving that finger at me again. “There you go again. You just ignore what I’m trying to tell you and then act all sweet.” She blew out a frustrated breath before striding closer to me and poking my chest with her tiny finger. “I’m trying to have a conversation with you.”

I nodded, taking her tiny hand in mine. “Okay, I’m listening,” I murmured, sweeping her curly hair behind her ear, distracted by the sweet tiny curve of it.

Everything about her is so small.

“Dristan, you’re not listening,” she huffed, pulling her hand from mine.

Everything except her temper.

“I am,” I assured her, taking her hand again and tugging her to the sofa. Her gaze was wary, but she still sat, scooting away from me. I allowed it, knowing that she needed to feel in control of the situation.

“We have a contractual agreement,” she told me, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. “And I don’t think we should be complicating that with anything else.”

I grunted, aware that she could hit me if I disagreed with her again.

“I know there isn’t anything in the contract about fraternization,” she hurried on, her brow furrowed, “which is odd, since the first contract I signed did have a clause about it.” I kept my face as blank as I could, but she didn’t even notice, continuing, “But I really enjoy working for you and I don’t want this to get in the way.” She took another deep breath. “I like you,” she murmured and everything inside me perked up at the word.

I can work with like.

“I just have so many things going on. And I really need this job,” she finished, biting her lower lip.

My eyes narrowed and my fist clenched. “And you think I’d fire you?”

“No,” she hurried on, easing some of my ire. “I don’t think that, but I don’t want anyone to think I only have this job because…” she trailed off, her eyes lowering to her hands. “I’m already worried about that on my own. I don’t think I’m qualified for it. I don’t have the education—”

“Stop,” I held a hand up before swiping it through my hair, trying to smother my irritation. “Education doesn’t have anything to do with this role, Penelope, and you know it. I need someone who’s smart, who can problem solve without getting me involved in every little detail and who can deal with me,” I said, straightening my shoulders and scowling. “And I know I’m not the easiest to get along with.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Penelope

Even as upset as I was, I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. No, Dristan wasn’t easy to deal with per se, but after getting to know him, he wasn’t as difficult as when I’d first started.

“But that has nothing to do with what’s happening between us,” Dristan told me, taking my hand into his, the contrast of our skin and sizes beautiful to me. “This isn’t about a contract or a job. I need you to know that.”

His furrowed brow and sincere gaze were breaking all the promises I’d made to myself when I’d started this conversation.

“I have a lot going on back home, Dristan,” I whispered, squeezing his big hand between both of mine. “And I really need to just focus on that for now. The timing isn’t perfect.”

“If you tell me what you have going on at home, we can deal with it,” he insisted, and my eyes all but bugged out of my head.

I yanked my hand away and stood. “No,” I gasped, shaking my head. “There’s no way you’re getting involved in my personal issues.”

He grunted his annoyance and his nostrils flared with a huff of breath. The shimmer of the piercings in his ears reminded me—as if I could ever forget—that this male was not human. It didn’t matter though. I already knew he wouldn’t hurt me. He was furious when I had lunch with Garrett, but instead of yelling at me, he’d taken his frustration out on my ass and mouth instead.

I could get used to that.

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