Page 2 of Brighter than the Boss
He bent down and swiped my red suit off the floor, handing it to me, gaze firmly looking away. "I'm so sorry." His voice was gruff, sending chills down my spine at his intimate tone.
When I pulled it out of his hands, he stalked to the door and left, taking all the warmth of the summer day with him.
I'd just had my best and my worst kiss, all rolled into one.
I'd just been fingered by my new boss.
* * *
A warm tongue woke me up bright and early Tuesday morning, the swipe cleaning my left cheek and part of my eye.
"Chili..." I grumbled. My seven-pound Yorkie whined in response, not caring that it was early, nor that I'd had the worst day in history yesterday. I pulled the covers over my head when the movie started playing behind my closed eyes. The one where I let my new boss stick his fingers in intimate places on my body. The one where I abandoned all my self-defense training and kissed him back. The one where the playboy of Huntington Beach felt me up, apologized for it, and left the room while I wallowed in complete and total humiliation.
I mean, what in the world was wrong with me? I could have fought him off. I could have told him who I was. There were multiple other ways that little scene could have gone down yesterday. And yet I'd chosen none of the sensible options. Just the one that left me embarrassed and wondering if I'd have my dream job for much longer.
Chili yipped again, clearly needing to go out and take care of business.
"Okay, okay, Chili dog," I said, muffled from under the covers. Taking one last fortifying breath, which I felt was absolutely necessary to face this day, I flipped the covers back and rolled myself out of bed.
I walked through my apartment, slipping my feet into flip-flops and grabbing the leash by the front door. Once Chili was clipped in, I walked him down the path to his favorite strip of grass, giving him plenty of leash to do what he needed to do.
Tipping my head back, I took in the orange streaks lighting up the early morning sky. It really was crazy beautiful and I got a big smile on my face, remembering how lucky I was to live here. Ever since college, I'd lived in L.A., with traffic, trash, smog, and cramped spaces being my constant companions. Huntington Beach was a total beach town, the huge sky and expansive beach areas making me feel much less claustrophobic. I could breathe here.
"C'mon, Chili, let's get breakfast." I tugged on his leash and got him moving, his short legs working double time to keep pace with mine.
I made a healthy protein smoothie, slathered myself in sunscreen, and then got on my red suit, polo and shorts on over. Finally, my hair went in a tight ponytail and I was set for the day. Grabbing my bag, water, and towel, I headed out the door, but not before I gave Chili a few extra kisses and belly rubs.
"Be good. No peeing on the carpet and no chewing up my shoes today." I gave him my best stern look, but his tail just kept wagging and his tongue came out the side of his mouth. Bejeezus, who could be stern to a puppy with a face like that?
I locked up and spun around, excited to climb onto my new ride. When I'd gotten the contract signed with HB Lifeguards, I'd immediately sold my piece of crap car, planning to never be in a long commute again, and got a mint-green Vespa. She was a beauty!
My paraphernalia was stored in the seat and I hopped on, firing her up. My helmet went on next. Safety first, my friends.
I swung out of the parking lot and quickly got onto Pacific Coast Highway, the two-lane highway that ran up and down the coast. If there was a better commute to work, I didn't know what it could possibly be. The sun was fully up now, lighting up the day with possibility. Mornings were such a great time of day, and no, not just because my name was Sunny. The possibilities for your day were literally endless when it was just beginning. Think about that for a second. How freaking cool was that?
In a quick ten-minute drive, my commute was over and I was parked in the lot outside the Headquarters building. All my early morning positivity died a quiet death as I stared at the building, knowing I'd have to face Cain again. Would I be walking in and immediately pulled aside and fired? The thought of losing my dream job after one lousy day made my stomach lurch like that time in elementary school when I'd found out I was lactose intolerant.
My cheeks burned with embarrassment, wondering what he must think of me. I hadn't seen him at all yesterday after he'd left me dazed and confused in the locker room. Maybe that was normal, or maybe he was avoiding me. I couldn't tell.
I climbed off the Vespa and stored my helmet. I felt the pit in my stomach expand and I didn't like it. I mean really, why wasIfeeling embarrassed? He was the one who marched into the women's locker room and put his hands on me. He was the boss. I was just an innocent new employee trying to follow orders on her first day. In fact, he should be scared spitless that I would accuse him of sexual harassment!
So there.
I threw my bag over my shoulder and marched across the lot, a bounce back in my step.
I had nothing to worry about.
* * *
Except for the staff meeting where I had to sit with everyone and listen to Cain talk about the day ahead of us and our personal assignments. I sat in the back, which was already a break from my normal behavior, but when I'd walked in and saw who was standing at the front of the room, my legs threatened to give out and I slid into the closest available seat. I checked my phone like my life depended on it until I heard that gravelly voice of his call the meeting to order.
Cain studiously ignored me the entire time, even when he called off my name and assigned me to washing the dirty trucks for the first half of the day and then relieving one of the guards at the last tower on the south side of our beach zone. A couple coworkers I'd met yesterday threw me apologetic looks across the room, everyone knowing I'd received the crappiest assignments possible. Usually the truck washing went to new recruits or people being punished.
And there were only two people in this room that knew why I was being punished on only my second day on the job. It was like pouring salt on the wound to have my coworkers’ pity. They probably thought I was a screw-up already, when in reality, I'd made only one mistake.
Granted, it was a doozy. Huge. Goodyear Blimp flying low over a kiddie birthday party in the park, huge.
Now, not only did I have to worry about keeping my dream job, I had to keep avoiding Cain, who was clearly pissed at me. And I needed to work twice as hard to change all my coworkers’ perception of me too. All because that jerk up at the front of the room decided to take what wasn't his.
