Page 6 of Claimed By the Boss

She walked toward thedoor, and then stopped. “I’m sorry I landed on you.”

There were her cheeksheating again. Why did this have to be so hard?

“It was a pleasure to meetyou, Nora,” he said.

She offered him a smile.It was strange, because as she got to the elevator, she suddenly realized shehad never actually told him her name—or had she?

****

For the rest of the week,Gabriel couldn’t get her out of his mind. Trudy had already assured him therewas no way Nora would work for his parents. There was no spy.

If anyone was a spy, itwould be George in Accounting, who kept trying to befriend him, but he alreadyknew the man was set up by his parents. He was happy for the people his parentssent in, to bring about their own demise. They tended to get too comfortable,or stole from him. This is why he didn’t get close to anyone.

Late Friday night, he sat,perusing the latest numbers of one of his advertising campaigns when Trudystepped into his office.

“You’re going to get ahumpback if you stay in that position all day and night,” Trudy said.

“Good night, Trudy,” hesaid.

She tutted. “You know, youwork too hard. Your grandfather would not be pleased.”

“My grandfather is nothere.”

“He is here, Gabriel. Heis always here, and you know it. He’d hate to see you without a family. Withouta wife.”

Gabriel laughed. “I’m suremy grandfather would be a lot happier with me being single than taking on oneof the gold-diggers.”

“True. But there is acertain woman in Mailing that I think he would approve of.”

He looked at Trudy. Shewinked at him.

“Oh, I might also like totell you, you’re not alone in the building. That same woman is also working alate shift.” Trudy smiled at him.

That woman was going toget fired. He’d fired her a couple of times, but it never stuck. As payback forone of his bad moods, she hadn’t come to work. He’d been pissed and had nochoice but to physically get her back. She’d made him apologize, which did pisshim off, but he had done so. He knew she must have gotten her kicks out of it.Either way, Trudy worked for him, and there was no firing her.

He watched her walk away,and then sat back in his office chair. Most of the day he’d been hunched overstats, figures, and proposals. Getting to his feet, he lifted his hands in theair and stretched the tight muscles.

Nora was downstairs in themail room. Why was she working late, and how did Trudy know?

He left his office, takingthe elevator right down to the mail room. He had access to every floor, and ashe stepped out of the elevator, he spotted Nora immediately. She was once againdressed in a plain, knee-length black skirt and a white blouse. She sometimeswore a jacket. Her long brown hair was pulled to the nape of her neck, and shemuttered to herself.

“What brings you to stay herelate?” he asked.

Nora let out a gasp andspun around. She wore the cutest pair of glasses, and she quickly pushed themup into her hair.

“Mr. Williams,” she said.

“Please call me Gabriel,”he said.

She nodded. “Uh, Gabriel.There were three people who called in sick, and the temps that were brought into do the job didn’t do it well. I was the only one who could stay and organizethem for tomorrow.”

He knew the mail wasimportant. Trudy had tutted as his mail hadn’t been brought up in a timelyfashion this morning, and there was a contract waiting for him to read.

There was a time and aplace for modern technology. However, when you invested in an old company anddid things the old-fashioned way, you kept that tradition.

“Is there something youneed?” she asked.

You,bent over my desk, so I could get you out of my fucking mind.

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