Page 40 of Taming the Boss

“Haha. Funny. Shove over, smart ass.”

She moved to the other side, ruffling Owen’s hair as he gripped her thigh and peered up at me as if he didn’t trust me to accomplish this thing for him. He wasn’t the only one.

I didn’t trust me to get it done, either.

Naturally, I had no coins and no dollars, either, so Maddie fed a dollar into the machine and then stepped back to give me room to work. How much I’d need to make a metal claw fish out a toy, I didn’t know.

But I rolled my shoulders as she’d done and went to work as soon as the flashing lights and noises began. I tried my best, but I couldn’t even get the damn claw to move at first.

When the noises stopped with a sad little horn sound, I prepared to admit defeat until Maddie’s soft, encouraging voice had me going again. “Keep trying. You almost had it.”

I certainly had not almost had it, but I appreciated her faith in me.

Stepping back into position, I grabbed that claw and prepared to win my son that goddamned fish that had somehow become my brightly-colored nemesis.

The moment the noises and lights began, I attacked. I didn’t feel as if I had any rhythm, but I worked that joystick as if it was my solitary goal on earth. This time, when the machine stopped flashing, a trumpet went off as the fish shot out of the slot with such force I almost dropped it. But giving it to Owen while he grinned hugely felt like a freaking victory.

Finally, I’d made my son happy. I’d done something right, as small and meaningless as it was.

“You did it. See, I knew you could. You went at that thing like a dang lion.” She ruffled Owen’s hair again as he clutched the fish to his face and smiled up at me as if I’d gotten the most incredible thing in the world for him. “Oh, hey, those lights going off remind me of fireworks, Owen, like we will see soon.” She nudged my son. “Isn’t your daddy talented, getting you that fish?”

Our gazes connected as he cradled the fish to his neck and giggled. Somehow what seemed like genuine pride beamed from Maddie’s gorgeous eyes. I wanted to fall into them and never leave.

“Beginner’s luck,” I said lightly, barely managing to speak over the constriction in my throat.

“Not even. You attacked it.” Her soft praise had me leaning toward her again, even with Owen between us.

She was addictive. Intoxicating.

And I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to resist her.

Chapter 9

My phone buzzed in my pants pocket. Then it instantly buzzed again, which told me it wasn’t the usual sticky strings of my regular real estate dealings, therefore through Caro.

“I just need to take this. I’ll be back soon.”

Maddie and Owen disappeared through the automatic doors. Surely they’d be fine for a few minutes.

I’d already gotten proprietary with her, and now the word I’d never imagined would ever be in my vocabulary seemed far too close for comfort.

Mine.

Not that she was on-board with that yet.

She glanced over her shoulder, my son’s hand firmly in hers.

Owen was already flourishing with her in his life, and it had been mere hours.

Okay, a week since our first outing, but it didn’t count when I was too stubborn to get my head out of my ass about actually hiring her. Probably because I didn’t really want her beholden to me monetarily. I didn’t want gratitude to be part of the equation with us in any way.

I already wanted more.

Squaring my shoulders, I looked at my phone before I started crossing the lot. Xavier’s name was on the readout. “What?”

“Hello, Xavier. How’s it going, Xavier?” His tone was sarcastic.

I sighed. “It’s been a day. I’m assuming this isn’t a social call if you used our SOS signal.” Being three busy men with multiple businesses between us on top of our combined FHK Property Group meant there were a lot of voicemails and emails going back and forth at almost all times.

---