Page 307 of Savage Bosses

An awkward silence descends. I fiddle with the paper sleeve on my cup, peeling back the rim. Archer drums his fingers on the table, the rhythm jittery and arrhythmic.

"So..." I begin, desperate to break this unbearable tension. "How was the rest of your weekend?"

"Oh, the usual. Conference calls, paperwork, investor meetings. Nothing too exciting." He forces a lightness into his tone that falls flat.

“No days off for you, huh?” I question and take a sip of my latte.

“It’s been all gas and no breaks for everyone. I am so proud of the Iconic team. I’m glad you allowed yourself to take a few days off.” Archer clears his throat. "Tahani, I—"

"Archer, I just—"

After cutting each other off, we both stop, letting out nervous laughs.

"You go first," Archer says.

I take a deep breath. "I just want to clear the air after what happened between us Friday night. I have feelings for you, I really do. But I don't want our personal feelings to jeopardize our boss-employee relationship."

Archer nods slowly, his expression unreadable. "I care about you, Tahani. More than you know. Nothing will jeopardize our personal or boss-employee relationship." He reaches across the table, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "But if it will make you feel comfortable, we can take things slow, okay? Figure it out as we go.”

Relief washes over me. I squeeze his hand and let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Archer's reassurance eases some of the knots in my stomach, but my heart still pounds against my ribs.

"So..." My voice trails off.

Archer regards me steadily, his piercing dark eyes intent. "Tahani, be honest with me. What do you want from this… from us?"

My mouth goes dry under his scrutiny. What do I want? The question reverberates through me, but the answer remains unclear, shrouded in doubt and desire.

"I don't know," I admit. "I'm wary of rushing into anything. My work has been my priority for so long. It’s all I have." I can't bring myself to confess my deeper fears of losing myself in someone else, of having my heart broken again.

Archer’s expression is thoughtful. “I understand. Your ambitions are part of what I admire about you." He smiles ruefully. "We're both so damn guarded, aren't we?"

I let out a soft laugh. "Occupational hazard, I suppose."

His thumb traces small circles on the back of my hand. The gentle rhythm soothes me. We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, the quiet hum of the cafe wrapping around us.

"Well," Archer says finally, "I'm willing to take this at whatever pace you need. Just don't shut me out, okay?"

My heart swells with affection. "I won't," I promise.

We finish our coffees, and the conversation begins to flow once again. An hour later, we have abandoned the café and are walking among the oversized buildings of downtown Birmingham sharing pieces of ourselves.

Walking hand-in-hand, I can’t explain why I get the urge to share something I have never shared with another human being, but I take a deep breath and steady myself.

"There are parts of my past I've kept buried," I reveal. "Experiences I thought I'd moved on from but still haunt me."

Archer remains silent, his eyes never leaving my face. I focus on the warmth of his hand enveloping mine and draw strength from the contact.

"When I was in college, I was assaulted by someone I trusted. The violation crushed my spirit, and for a long time, I blamed myself and withdrew from the world." My voice catches.

Archer squeezes my hand gently. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“It was my boyfriend at the time. We had already slept together, but one night he did something I can never forgive him for. I haven’t had a meaningful relationship since then.”

Archer's face tightens, his brows furrowing in concern as he listens to my painful revelation. His fingers gently tighten around mine, offering a reassuring grip. There's a flash of anger in his eyes as he swallows hard. “Give me his name and info, and I will handle him.”

I manage a watery smile. “He passed away two years ago, and besides, I've come a long way since then. Graduated college, despite my depression, and built a successful career with a life on my own terms. But a part of me is still that scared, broken girl." I take a shuddering breath as the wave of painful memories rises and falls.

Archer's thumb brushes away the single tear trailing down my cheek. "You survived something horrific," he says quietly. "Your resilience is as much a part of you as your brilliance and ambition."

---