Page 50 of The Guy Who Became My Grumpy Boss

That realization had hit me as I’d walked to the elevator, and I couldn’t get it out of my head.

On the other hand, if he was worried about me, this was his grumpy way of trying to take care of me.

I had to admit, the whole conversation had been kind of sexy. I didn’t appreciate being ordered around, but I did enjoy it when people cared about me.

“She liked it,” Ashley pronounced around her latest bite of food.

“I—” I started to protest but couldn’t get it out. I had kind of liked it.

Brooke eyed me. “Why?”

The pressure of two of my friends staring me down and asking me about my feelings for Danger Zone was too much, and I lowered my gaze.

I wasn’t even sure what was going on in my head let alone my heart. I’d allowed my no dating rule to take a backburner to fantasies of Danger Zone and me hanging out. Maybe even holding hands.

I shook my head in answer to Brooke’s question and ate another piece of bread.

Was I following the crowd? Wanting a guy just because all my friends had one?

“You still like him,” Brooke said.

I had an answer for this. “I’ve been crushing on the guy for a year. Just because I found out he doesn’t like curvy girls doesn’t mean I can just turn that off.”

“Wait.” Ashley held up a hand. “He doesn’t like curvy girls?”

Brooke scowled. “According to the shrew at work. But Jessica has no other basis for this argument.”

They both looked hard at me.

“What?” I asked.

“If he doesn’t like curvy girls, then he’s not good enough for you,” Ashley said.

“I know.” She was right, but how could I deny the way he’d been looking at me during mini golf? Or even in the office earlier today? He’d practically hurled Dan and Patrice away from my desk, and I could put his behavior this afternoon into the protective category as well.

“You think this shrew is correct?” Ashley asked.

“I don’t know.”

I hope not.

“Are things going to be weird between you after he ordered you out of the office?” Brooke continued.

I thought about it. Would they be? He hadn’t hurt me. In fact, besides being a little annoyed, I’d actually left the office feeling good. “No.”

Brooke and Ashley looked at each other.

“What?” I asked again.

Brooke turned to me and spoke first. “Girl, you’re in trouble.”

“It’s just a crush,” I argued.

“What if it’s more? And what if he’s feeling something too?”

I opened my mouth to retort but found no words on the tip of my tongue. My thoughts swirled in my mind, going back and forth between the way Danger Zone touched me and Marissa’s words. Was I reading too much into the simple contact?

Danger Zone didn’t casually touch anyone. Ever. Not even Marissa. He was a model employee for HR.

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