Page 16 of The Boss

Those words may sound good-natured, but Vern has a default expression to rival Ms. Marcon’s. “Thanks,” I mutter, glancing out the open door to see my boss – and lover? – explaining something to the other subordinates. Meanwhile, I’m kicking it here in Ms. Marcon’s office, where I lost my virginity Friday night. Right there on that desk Vern leans against.

He’s got no idea, does he? Or maybe he does. Maybe this is another day ending in Y for one of the most overpaid personal assistants in the PNW. His blue and red striped tie bleeds right into his royal purple shirt, jacket off and draped on another chair. His closely cropped hair makes Vern look like Julianna’s little brother. Does she even have a brother? I think she has one…

I sip the drink. It’s as putrid as puke, but hopefully it’ll keep me from retching.

Julianna glances over her shoulder before showing herself back into her office. “Thank you, Mr. Johnson. I’ll take it from here.”

Vern leaves, closing the office door behind him. Julianna and I are alone. Again.

I still can’t look her in the handsome face.

“Ms. Penrose.”

I continue to nurse my nasty drink. “Whatever happened to Alessa, huh? You were pretty chummy with her the other night, madam.”

Oops. I said madam.

Julianna sweeps next to me. I barely have time to register her immediate presence before she’s sitting beside me, her powerful form looming over me even though she’s closed the height difference between us.

My body still yearns for her. If I thought I was embarrassed before, I am all but humiliated now. Why am I being betrayed like this? By my body?

“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all weekend,” she hisses, sending chills through my traitorous body. “We need to talk about what happened Friday night.”

I sigh. “I know. About what we did.”

“I was thinking more about whatyoudid.”

Excuse me? I sit up with a start, the very last of my drink spilling on my hand. “What didIdo?”

“You left me high and dry with no explanation.”

She’s serious, isn’t she? Julianna Marcon is pissed off because I dumped her!

Is that the real reason she’s been calling and messaging me all weekend? Why she’s promoted me to her side? Why she’s made me her professional girlfriend? What the hell!

“I don’t owe you any explanation.”

Why is she putting me on the defensive like this? For God’s sake!

“Did I do something to displease you?” Oh, no. Nobody, least of all me, signed up to have Julianna’s breath ringing hot in my ear. I certainly didn’t sign on to have her presence get all up in mine. Not only is she invading my personal space without my express consent, but she’s also making me feel things that I am not in the mood to embrace. “I’d much rather you tell me what I did wrong instead of running off like that.”

My body is fully turned toward the arm of this loveseat in her office. “Why do you care so much? You got what you wanted.” I snort. “I don’t want or need anything from you, Ms. Marcon. I certainly don’t need a promotion because we had sex. I wasn’t expecting something like that at all. Honestly, I’d rather forget about it. Let’s pretend it never happened and get on with our lives.” Never mind the fact I’ll probably be jealous the next time a girlfriend sashays her hot ass through the office.

“Forget about it?” Her hand touches my leg. My pantyhose tickles my skin. Fuck, fuck, no, don’t, stop making me feel good!“You want to forget about me? You think it’s that easy? You think I can forget about you thateasily?” She stops touching me. I’m both relieved and already missing her fingertips marching toward my pelvis. “Damnit, Alessa.” Julianna gets up and paces in front of the loveseat. “I’ve spent this whole weekend thinking about every second we spent together, and you want to forget it happened?”

I cock my head to one side. “You have?” Whoa. How could I be so memorable? Is she kidding me? Of all the women she has ever been with, I’m the one she’s been thinking about? Whatever. It’s only because I’m the latest. Maybe the latest and greatest, but I’m not naïve to think it would last. I may be young, but I’m also cynical.

“Of course I have. Have you looked in a mirror recently, Alessa? You’re gorgeous.”

My eyes widen. Okay, now I know she’s lying. I’m barely wearing any makeup today. My clothes were thrown on because I was barely paying attention this morning. I haven’t slept a whole night in three days because I’m so weirded out by what’s going on between us. My hair’s the only thing that looks nice today, but that’s because it’s blissfully low maintenance.

Oh, and I’ve been stress-eating this weekend, so I’m bloated as fuck. My hips, gut, and face. The unholy trifecta.

I am far from gorgeous. That’s okay. I’m okay with not being gorgeous right now. What woman wants all that attention 24/7?

The kind of woman who dates a person like Julianna Marcon, I suppose.

“What do you want from me?” I ask, too meek for my good. Like I don’t mean to look gorgeous, I sure as hell don’t mean to sound meek. Talk about something that will only complicate our situation. “Tell me so I can go.”

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