Page 21 of Rich and Bossy

Finally, the server pushes it back over and walks off.

“You need to loosen up.” He lowers his voice a little like we’re some clandestine spies, even though she’s gone.

“Easy for you to say.” I glare at him. “You don’t have nearly as much at stake as I do.”

“Not everyone is out to get you.”

See! Told you he’d do that!

He continues. “You’re right, though. A multinational billion-dollar company is extremely low stakes. Maybe I’ll come visit you in the high rollers game someday.”

“See, there you go.” I sit back, arms folded. “You’re measuring it in dollars. I’m thinking about people. The people I work with.” I point at my chest. “A tiny fraction of that billion dollars would change their lives and make them happy. But you already said. You’d lose your job for not making the shareholders all get their extra quarter of a point.”

“I understand the way you view things. It’s very simplistic, but I get it.” He is so damn condescending.

Like nobody but him could possibly understand how his business works.

“I have to think about the company as a whole, and what’s best for it for the next five, ten, twenty years. Pleasing investors is part of it. And the employees at the other warehouses, and at corporate. Some of it I’m legally bound to do.”

I shouldn’t laugh, but I can’t help it. “Like you go in and work at the office every day.”

“You don’t know the first thing about my work habits.” There’s something about the way he says it that makes me shiver a little.

I try to hide it, but he must notice—the slight twitching of his lips tells me so.

“I could sit here and decide you’re nothing but a child who still lives with her parents and hasn’t yet graduated college, and summarize you as someone who doesn’t have the slightest clue or experience with how the world works. That would be a bit unfair for me to do that though, wouldn’t it?”

“Just slightly.” The words come through my teeth.

“So why don’t you drop this ridiculous cartoon villain caricature you’ve made of me in your mind, and try to live in reality. I’m here. In front of you. Am I not? You’re lucky to have this opportunity to tell me about whatever it is you’re wanting, and you’re wasting it by being all emotional and combative.”

“I’m emotional?” I want to punch his smug face, but it would only validate the stupid point he’s trying to make. Whatever that is. “Fair enough—let’s all be civilized here. We’ll waltz past the fact you didn’t go through my file to find out I live with my parents and I’m still in college, by the way.”

He cuts me off. “Considering you’re trying to organize a union in one of my warehouses behind my back, I think looking into your personal information is the natural first step anyone in their right mind would take.”

“You then followed me, stole my fliers, coerced me into your car.”

“I didn’t make you get in.”

“Whatever. We’re talking in circles. And we both know you’re the one being ridiculous.”

“Yeah, I know.” He grins right at me again.

Why is it kind of sexy when he does it?

It should be infuriating! This is not right, what he’s doing. He shouldn’t be able to get away with it by being all cute and charming. No wonder he’s been able to take over the world.

We both fall silent when our drinks arrive, and I’m glad to have something to do with my hands now. I have something to look at besides the man sitting across from me, which is another bonus, since looking at him does funny things to me on the inside. It also makes me wonder what his arms would feel like under my hands. God, his biceps are huge. He might not be an athlete anymore, but it’s obvious he takes care of himself.

Yeah, like any of his employees have time to go to the gym.

“How do you manage to stay in such good shape? With all that hard work you’re always doing?”

“We have a gym inside corporate. Makes it convenient to work out.”

I pretend to whistle. “Must. Be. Nice.”

“It is. You should come by and try it out. It’s open to any employees.”

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