Page 20 of The Boss

“You always have a penchant for the dramatics.”

“What can I say? I’m usually the only one with a personality around here. According to our employees, anyway.”

“Hmph.” I get up from my seat and join her by the window. How about that? Presley has been watching the window cleaners a few floors down this whole time. They’re not quite as small as ants, but their careful movements remind me of insects. “Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself. You’re the one showing up in Portland’s best and grimiest strip clubs.”

“Which you were missed at this weekend.” Sighing, Presley pulls out her phone, littered with messages from various women who are probably online-only (and maybe a few in the flesh) sex workers. The woman isn’t happy unless she has three cam-girls blowing her up with texts all day. She pays for the privilege, too. “Nice party. Invited you out lots of times Saturday night, but you never responded.”

Because I was at home, agonizing over Alessa. “I was preoccupied.”

“With your new honey?”

I decline to answer.

“Have fun. I mean it, too. Maybe this relationship will be good for you. Help you increase your emotional output.” Shrugging, Presley wanders back to the central office. “Don’t get us in trouble with the public. Or HR for that matter. Especially HR. They can be dicks.” She gives me a half-hearted wave on her way out.

I don’t need Presley’s advice. I’m perfectly secure in what’s going on with Alessa. I’m also confident that she knows what’s going on with me. If not, I’ll set her straight. I’m good at that in all facets of my life.

I spend another hour in my office, occasionally barking for more coffee while returning phone calls I’ve been neglecting since this morning. By three, I hanker to see Alessa’s beautiful face again. Besides, isn’t she supposed to be working for me?

Then I remember I sent her out shopping while giving her the afternoon off. I fire a text to her.“Where are you?”

It only takes five minutes for her to respond. What a delightful change.“Done with HR.”It took that long?“I’m in the lobby. Do you need to see me, madam?”

Need to see her? That’s like asking me if I need air right now.

Time for a break, anyway. I inform Vern that I’m heading downstairs for a few minutes. Kiss my woman a bit. Remind myself what I have to look forward to tonight. I think about her perfect body as I ride the private elevator to the lobby. Imagine the reverent faces she’ll make when eating me out. Pretending she’s here with me now, waiting for me to rip off her clothes and fuck her against the wall.

Damnit, I need her. I might extend my break from ten minutes to twenty and give Alessa the first real quickie of her life. I have my private room attached to the lobby I can cart her off to. Might be good for her to walk around in public after having me…

The doors open. There she is. The woman I’ve decided is mine.

Talking to a man.

I don’t know who the hell he is, but he’s young, attractive, and possesses a bravado I instantly recognize – because I have the same kind. Alessa animatedly points in some direction with a helpful smile on her face. The man pretends to glance in the appropriate direction, but I know this trick. He’s checking out Alessa’s cleavage, and her body language invites him closer.

He's flirting with Alessa. Alessa probably doesn’t even realize it.

Since I don’t know who the fuck this prick is, I don’t feel bad about squaring my shoulders and marching up to the person I’ve decided belongs to me.

“Excuse me.” I don’t mean it, of course. How can I, when I’ve parked my body between some grad school dropout and my girlfriend? I make him look me up and down. He doesn’tinstantly recognize me, and I don’t expect him to. It’s better if he doesn’t. I want this intimidation to be entirely organic. Scare the balls off this bastard using nothing but mywomanlycharms. The kind I can teach Alessa to have when I’m not around. Maybe when I’m around, too. “Anything she can help you with, I can also help you with ten times over.”

“Was only asking where the lost and found was, lady.” The guy holds up his hands. One has a glove on it. The other doesn’t. How clever. Except, unlike Alessa, I see the matching glove poking out of his back pocket. “Sheesh. Didn’t mean to summon the resident bitch supreme.”

He stalks off, but it’s with his tail between his legs, so I’ve done my job here.

“Was that necessary?”

I turn. Alessa Penrose remains enticing in her white blouse and emerald skirt. Two things that should be off her body as soon as possible. I want her naked. I want her nudes on my phone to peruse whenever the hell I want. I want her mouth between my legs and my fingers up her pussy, giving her the orgasm of her life.

Instead, we’re standing here in public, clothed.

“He was flirting with you. He needed to understand that you’re already spoken for.”

“Goddamn, we’ve been dating ten minutes and you’re already a possessive freak.”

Funny. She made that sound like an insult.

“I don’t think you understand what’s going on here,” I say, careful to mind my temper. “You’re my girlfriend now. You do not get to flirt with anyone, especially not men.” Or women for that matter, but I know what’s important.

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