My Bossy Protector

by Charlize Starr

  I didn’t like the idea of other guys fighting over her. My need to protect Ivy kicked in – just like when we were kids.

  “That is not how they should be behaving!” I growled.

  This time, Mick noticed the tone of my voice and the color drained from his face.

  “I mean, I’m obviously not doing that. I’ve barely noticed what she looks like,” he mumbled, trying to backtrack.

  I slammed my coffee mug down on the counter. As if. There was no way he hadn’t noticed her perfect, shapely hips and her delicious, pouty red lips and the way her ass moved when she walked.

  I stormed out of the cafeteria, heading straight for the office of the design team.

  “Is there something I can help you with, boss?” Chad appeared by my side. He had an uncanny habit of just appearing out of thin air.

  “Is she in here?” I barked at him as I reached the door.

  “Who?” Chad asked.

  “What do you mean, who? The only she in this fucking office!” I didn’t wait for a reply and barged in through the door.

  Inside the sprawling space of the design office, I saw that all five of my team members were huddled around Ivy. She was sitting in the center, looking at something unimportant on one of their computers.

  “What the hell is going on here?” I raged. They all looked up at me, but my eyes fell on Ivy. She was smiling, but her smile drooped when she saw me. Was she actually enjoying the attention? That angered me even more.

  “We were just showing Ivy some of the latest apps we’ve built, Simon,” one of the guys said.

  “Mick said that she should get an overall induction into every department,” another one said.

  They had all scattered away from Ivy within a moment’s notice. Ivy remained sitting there and there was a guilty expression on her face. When I realized that she thought she had done something wrong, I felt bad.

  “Well, all fucking five of you don’t need to show her. Jacob, you do it. The rest of you, go back to work!” I snapped.

  I whipped around and stormed out of the door, but Ivy had followed me. “Simon!” she called out.

  I stopped in my tracks.

  “Sorry, did I do something wrong? I didn’t mean to get the other guys in trouble. They’re all being very nice to me,” she said, catching up with me.

  I couldn’t help it. My gaze drifted down her front, landing on her perfect breasts until I looked up at her again with a snap.

  “No, you didn’t do anything,” I said, and she smiled.

  “Okay, I would appreciate it if you told me if I do,” she added.

  This was a bad idea. Definitely a bad idea. I shouldn’t have listened to Shay! I shouldn’t have fallen for her emotional blackmailing trick. Damn it!

  “Trust me, I will. In the meantime, make sure you’re not distracting the others from their work,” I said. I knew I sounded harsh, and from the way Ivy’s bubbly expression changed to guilt, I knew I’d hurt her.

  “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

  I clenched my jaws and, whipping away from her, walked back to my office.

  Behind closed doors, I had the chance to breathe again. What was happening to me? I wasn’t always the kindest boss to these guys, but I’d snapped at them for no reason. It wasn’t like Ivy belonged to me. I had no right to her. She was free to talk to and interact with whomever she chose. It wasn’t my place to shoo them away from her.

  But then again, I was the boss of this company and I was going to make sure she knew it. It wasn’t like I was jealous. I was just being authoritative and trying to get the job done.

  Chapter 8 - Ivy

  It was after seven, and most of the guys at the office had left.

  My first day had come to an end, and I was feeling good about myself. Shay was right. This was exactly what I needed. I was aching to leave our small town and no other opportunity could be this good. I was in the heart of the Silicon Valley, and I could already sense that I would learn a lot here.

  The only thing nagging at me was Simon.

  Even though I had seen very little of him, I could always feel his presence in this building. Every room I went to, every move I made – I felt like I was being watched by him. When I dared to look at him, I felt like I was sinking into his deep green eyes. How did he still have this hold on me? After everything that happened, after all this time . . .

  I left the room I was sharing with two other guys, packing up my things in my purse. The place seemed quiet with most of the people gone. At the end of the hallway, I could see the lights turned on in Simon’s office. Chad was nowhere in sight, and I toyed with the idea of seeing Simon again. I walked towards the elevator and then changed my mind at the last minute, turned, and walked towards Simon’s office.

  I knocked on his door and he asked me to come in.

  He was typing away furiously on his computer when I stepped in through the door. He looked up at me and I noticed a certain fierceness in his eyes.

  “Hi, Simon. I just wanted to stop by and let you know I’m leaving,” I said meekly. After the incident in the morning involving Jacob and the others, I felt like he was displeased with me for some reason.

  “You don’t have to check in every time you leave,” he said in an unusually harsh tone.

  I could feel his eyes on me again, scrutinizing me closely. I felt like I could have melted to a puddle right there.

  “I wanted to thank you again for the opportunity. I’ve had a lovely first day. You have a wonderful office and everyone has been very encouraging,” I told him.

  I saw Simon clench his jaws. That fierce look entered his eyes again. “Yeah, I saw that. They are all very pleased with your presence here.”

  What was that supposed to mean? Four years ago, I could have asked him without a moment’s hesitation. Back when we were friends – when I still considered him to be an important part of my life. Now, there was a bridge between us and it seemed like he would never cross it.

  If only we could talk about what happened and just get past it. I knew we couldn’t. Too much time had passed, and so much had changed.

  “I don’t want to cause any trouble, if that is what you’re hinting at,” I told him, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice.

  “Like I said, Ivy, don’t cause any distractions and you’ll be fine,” he said.

  What did he think I was going to do? Take off my blouse and walk around naked in the office? What was I supposed to do differently? He was talking down to me like I was a silly teenager again.

  “Have a nice night, Simon. See you tomorrow,” I said instead.

  Before I could turn to go, he stood up. I figured he had something more to say.

  He looked at me quizzically. “What?” he snapped, and his harsh tone pinched my skin. Something told me that he wasn’t as happy to have me here as the rest of his staff was.

  “I thought you were going to say something,” I replied, feeling a rip in my voice. Why was he being so mean to me? What had I done?

  “I’ve said everything I have to say to you, Ivy. You can go now. I have a lot of work to get through.”

  I rushed out of his office and ran to the elevator, trying to put some distance between us. I had no idea why he was doing this or what I had done to offend him. If he didn’t want me around, if I was killing his mood . . . why had he agreed to Shay’s demands?

  I felt an urge to call her and tell her that I couldn’t do this. That I couldn’t stand to be around her brother for one more moment without breaking into pieces. But what was the alternative? Return to our hometown, to my useless job, and cower away from Marco?

  Instead, I could stick it out in this office for a few more months till I’d gathered enough work experience to apply for a decent job in Palo Alto . . . or maybe even somewhere else in the country.

  My phone beeped as I walked out of the elevator and towards my rented car in the parking lot. I hoped it was Shay, but when I pulled it out, I saw that I’d received a text from an un
known number. Could it be Simon? My heart skipped a beat, and then my face fell when I read the message.

  I know you’ve left town, Ivy. I know where you are. No place on Earth is too far away for me to find you. Not even California.

  I knew who it was. Marco.

  A gasp escaped my lips and I stuffed the phone back in my purse and ran to the car. I could feel someone’s eyes on me. Was he here? How had he tracked me down? Was he watching me right now?

  Feeling jittery and dazed, I zoomed the car out of the parking lot and headed straight for the hotel. I didn’t have time to think about Simon anymore. Not tonight. My safety and sanity were at stake.

  Chapter 9 - Simon

  After Ivy left, I felt mad enough to punch a hole in the wall. Why had I behaved that way with her? Why was I pushing her away when all she was doing was being decent to me? She was trying her best to be a good employee, and I was treating her like she was unwanted.

  I growled, running a hand through my hair. I couldn’t sit back down. I couldn’t go back to working again. All I could do was pace around the office and think about that night four years ago when I’d kissed her.

  I’d always wanted to kiss Ivy, even as a teenager, but I knew it was the wrong thing to do. We’d grown up together – me, Shay, and Ivy. I knew the way other people perceived us. They assumed that just because Ivy was Shay’s best friend, she was as good as my sister.

  But I had never looked at Ivy that way. To me, she was always a wonder, someone special . . . I felt differently about her than I did Shay, obviously. When I was younger, I didn’t know how to explain those feelings. When I grew up, I realized that I was infatuated with her.

  However, rules were rules, and I vowed to myself that I would never break them. Besides, I had no idea how Ivy felt about me. She gave me no signs or signals that she thought of me as anything other than her best friend’s older brother.

  For years I languished, dreaming about her every night. I dated girls around town in the hopes that one of them would be able to take my mind off Ivy. Nothing worked. No other girl was good enough. No matter how many girls I kissed in ice-cream parlors or had sex with in deserted parking lots, I still came home thinking about Ivy.

  My only way out of it was to leave town. I figured it was the only way I could get away from the crippling and overwhelming feelings I had for her. I’d been working on one idea. I was fluent in code, and I thought that if I could just find my way to Silicon Valley, I’d make it from there. I bought my ticket to Palo Alto, mapped out my entire journey, and collected my savings from working part-time at the electronics superstore in town. I was all set to leave the day after Ivy’s nineteenth birthday.

  Shay insisted that I meet up with them at the nightclub they were going to. I didn’t want to go because I didn’t want to see Ivy dancing with someone else. But I also knew that it could be the last time I ever saw her. So, I went.

  Ivy and Shay were surrounded by their friends and they looked like they were having fun. I had a present gift-wrapped for Ivy. It was nothing special, just a small leather diary – the only thing I could afford. I gave it to her and she hugged me. I savored that moment.

  When I told her I was going to leave, she asked me to stay. I did because I couldn’t refuse her. Even though I hadn’t told anyone else that I was leaving for California the next morning, I felt an incredible urge to tell her. But then she got whisked away to the dance floor by some friends and I said nothing.

  I drank my beers and watched her until she returned to me, panting and sweating from the vigorous dance she’d been doing.

  “Do you mind walking me home, Simon?” she’d asked. Her friends, including Shay, looked drunk and still very energetic.

  “But it’s your birthday. Don’t you want to stay?” I asked her and she shrugged.

  “Not really. I’d rather walk home with you,” she replied.

  I did as I was told. Ivy walked beside me and I tried to keep my distance. As time went by and she chattered away, I felt more and more that I wanted to tell her I would never see her again.

  The misery was building up inside me until I stopped in my tracks, feeling like I was going to burst. She stopped, too, and before she could say anything, I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to me.

  For some reason, she didn’t look surprised. Instead, she tipped her head back so she could look into my eyes. “Are you going to kiss me, Simon?” she asked.

  I kissed her softly, taking my time. She kissed me back fiercely, like she’d been waiting for this as long as I had been. It wasn’t possible. How could a good-natured, cheerful girl like Ivy want a guy like me?

  When I pulled away from her, Ivy was breathless.

  “My parents aren’t at home,” she said, casting her eyes shyly to the ground. She still had her hand tightly clasped around mine.

  I hooked a finger under his chin and forced her to look at me.

  “I think you should walk the rest of the way yourself before we end up doing something stupid,” I told her.

  “What if I want to do something stupid, Simon?” she asked, searching my eyes. I stepped away from her.

  “I respect you too much to put you in that position.”

  Ivy’s nostrils were flared. I could see that I’d insulted her. But I didn’t want to do something that she would regret the next morning. Sleeping with me was definitely one of those things. Especially since I was going to be gone the next day.

  “Simon . . . ” She tried to stop me as I backed away from her.

  “Goodbye, Ivy. Take care of yourself,” I told her.

  That was the last time I saw her before today – when she walked into my office and pretended like nothing had ever happened between us. How was I supposed to be calm? How was I supposed to treat her like a normal intern in my office while knowing that I had given up the one chance I had of making love to her?

  Chapter 10 - Ivy

  The next day at work, I kept checking my phone to see if Marco had messaged again. He hadn’t.

  I tried to concentrate on the things Jacob, Mick, and Chad were explaining to me throughout the day while staying out of Simon’s hair. I’d decided that if he’d hired me only as a favor to Shay, then I needed to keep my distance. It was obvious that he didn’t want me around. Just like he hadn’t wanted me four years ago when I invited him to spend the night at my place.

  When Shay told me the next day that Simon was gone, I broke down. The family was distraught, trying to get ahold of him. Nobody knew where he’d gone. He’d packed a bag, taken his money, and just disappeared. Technically, they couldn’t do anything about it. He was twenty-two years old and capable of making his own decisions, but nobody knew why he’d just up and run one day.

  Shay was miserable with worry. I had burst into tears. I’d originally decided not to tell her, but I couldn’t help it. I told her about everything that had happened. How I asked him to walk me home, he kissed me and then turned down my proposal. Shay asked me if I had feelings for him, and I couldn’t lie to her. I told her I did. We both hugged each other and cried, waiting to hear from him.

  It was four days later that Simon called Shay. He told her he was in Palo Alto and he’d decided to leave home because he wanted to build a career for himself. Shay asked him about me and Simon said that the kiss meant nothing to him.

  When Shay told me what he had said, I cried some more. She was pretty pissed with him. She told me he didn’t deserve me and that he was a brute for deserting us like that. She insisted that I should move on, and I did. I thought I had found the perfect replacement in Marco . . . Oh, how wrong I was!

  ***

  At lunchtime, I sat in the cafeteria, eating my corn and tuna sandwich. Jacob and some of the other guys sat with me, each more interested than the other to find out more about me. I could sense that most of them liked me, and I took it as a compliment. These guys were super brainy geeks – the kind of guys who rarely ever spoke to women. I was glad I was some source of enter
tainment to them, even if it was only temporary.

  I couldn’t stay in this office for long.

  My phone beeped, and I pulled it out in the middle of a conversation. It was Marco again, just as I’d dreaded.

  Miss me, babe? I miss you. I think I would like to see you. Stop ignoring me, Ivy!

  Gasping, I switched the phone off.

  “What’s wrong?” Shaun, one of the guys, asked. He must have seen the way the color had drained from my cheeks.

  “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong. I think I’m going to go for a quick walk before lunch ends,” I declared and stood up.

  “I’ll go with you,” Parker suggested, but I shot him down.

  “I have some things to sort out. Sorry. I’ll be back soon.”

  I rushed away from them, headed out of the building. I searched on my phone for information on the nearest police station. It was a fifteen-minute walk away, so I ran.

  At the station, it was lunchtime, too, and there was nobody to talk to me. I begged and pleaded with the lady at the reception desk to let me speak to someone who could help with a personal matter. Finally, after being made to wait for close to another fifteen minutes, I finally managed to meet with an officer.

  “What can I do you for, Miss?” the cop asked, munching hungrily on his sub.

  “I want to find out how to get a restraining order on my ex-boyfriend,” I told him.

  “A restraining order? What has he done?”

  I racked my brain for actual physical evidence of what Marco had done.

  “He’s followed me here from Florida,” I told him.

  “And?”

  “He’s threatening me,” I said.

  “Threatening you to do what?”

  “He’s threatening me . . . that he’s watching me. That he’ll turn up somewhere. I’m scared, Officer. I need to get something official that will keep him away.”

  The cop looked me up and down and then, looking bored, pulled out a file. “Has he harmed you physically in some way before? Has he threatened you with actual violence? Do you have any evidence of this?”