Page 6 of Falling For Her Boss

“Look, I’m just curious about the meeting tomorrow. It’s great that she was involved in the discussion today…but she’s completely unqualified to be talking to marketing and design teams and the like. I’m just confused about your motive for letting her work alongside you.”

I shrug. “She showed initiative today. I didn’t go to business school. I’m learning on the job, and sometimes I just need a push in the right direction. I thought you’d be pleased? Like you say…she has more potential than just assistant work.”

Joshua sighs in disapproval. “Of course I’m pleased for her. It just seems like this has all come on very suddenly. That’s partially why I wanted to ask you to dinner. I had a hunch about something.”

“A hunch?”

Joshua’s green eyes bore into mine. “You know what I’m talking about.”

“I wish I did. Come on, man. What’s this about? Don’t you trust me or something?”

Joshua is silent. I’ve hit a nerve, and I’ve also stumbled on the truth. Since when did my best friend disapprove of me?

“I’m just not sure your intentions with her are…pure.”

I blink in surprise, laughing a little. “What could you possibly mean by that?”

“I mean…you’re not just trying to sweeten her up, letting her play at being a businesswoman to get her interested in you?”

I laugh again. I can barely believe how this conversation is going. “Are you serious? Look, she’s a beautiful girl. I can’t deny that. But don’t you think I have more respect for you? You’re my best friend.”

“I’m not sure when women are involved,” Joshua says, avoiding my gaze entirely. “You go out and get what you want and then toss them aside like trash.”

“And you think I’m going to do that to my assistant…your sister?”

People are starting to look our way. I had no idea that we were being so loud. Joshua looks nervous now. I can tell he doesn’t want to cause a scene. He leans across the table, stern-faced.

“Look…I’ve seen the way she looks at you. She obviously looks up to you…but that is not an invitation for you to mess around with her. I’ve seen what you do to women,” Joshua says coldly. I can’t help being taken aback by this whole conversation. He’s meant to be my best friend, and all of a sudden, he’s treating me like some goddamn villain?

“You are being way over-protective right now. I would never do anything like that,” I hiss, though Logan clearly sees right through me. He must have seen the way I look at her, too. But fantasizing about someone and actually making a move are entirely different things. I smirk at Joshua. If he’s going to be a dick, then I will too. “Or I should say…I would never make the first move. If she’s interested, though, there’s no way in hell I’m fending her off.”

Joshua looks angry enough to explode. I bet he didn’t expect me to be so cold to him in return. Two can play at that game, pal. If he wants to make me into the villain, then why not play the part? He’s not the only one who’s furious right now.

“You’re trying to make me angry. I get it. But you won’t look so smug when I’m done with you,” Joshua claims.

Isabella chooses the perfect moment to return from the bathroom. Joshua spots her and allows his face to soften, sitting back in his chair. I try not to stare at either of them. I would hate for a fight to break out in front of her. But as she sits down, you could cut the tension with a butter knife. The atmosphere is cold and I almost shudder. If I look up now, will I see Joshua’s fiery eyes boring into me?

“Everything alright?” Isabella asks uncomfortably. I glare across the table at Joshua and force a grimace.

“Everything’s fine. Just fine,” I say through gritted teeth. “But I think I need another bottle of wine.”

CHAPTER 4

Isabella

Joshua is pissed. My boss, my superior, is drunk as a skunk. It might be amusing in any other circumstances, and the fact that he’s so wasted makes me feel a little less self-conscious, but the conversation has been sparse since I got back from the bathroom. I get the feeling that something happened while I was gone, but the boys both insisted that everything was fine.

We ate our meals in silence, and when we were asked about dessert, Joshua coldly declined to see the specials. With two bottles of wine polished off, mostly by Logan, Joshua stands up, saying it’s time to go.

“Where the hell are you going?” Logan asks with a drunken grin. “The party is just getting started. What do you think, Isabella? Wouldn’t you like to stay for another bottle of wine?”

I don’t know what to say. He’s my boss, so I should technically go along with anything he wants, right? But the look in Joshua’s eyes says that if I accept the offer, there will be consequences. Even in the presence of my boss, I would never go against Joshua.

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