My Naughty Boss

by Charlotte Grace

  “Actually, I do. I love to cook,” he replied. “Suzanne says I should hire a cook, but it's one of the few things I like to do in my spare time.”

  I filed that little bit of information away, uncertain how to incorporate this into my overall understanding of him. He was a man of intellect, and intellectual pursuits drove his entire career, the force of it shaping changes in the world. It was hard to imagine a man like that also being passionate about cooking. Yet, he was.

  “I love to cook too,” I added.

  The other half of his mouth curled up. Oh. My. God. I was a mess. All he had to do was smile, and I melted.

  “Perfect,” was all he said.

  I would’ve loved to have an evening here cooking with him, but that seemed far more domestic than what we had. I stayed quiet as we walked through the kitchen down a short hallway. We passed by what I presumed to be his home office. It was similar to his office a few blocks away with a large drafting table in the center of the room, papers scattered across its surface and computer monitors on either end of the table. It was a little messier that his work office. We passed by several closed doors and then went through a door at the end, entering into a large atrium.

  I glanced around in wonder. The air felt soft and warm, scented with greenery and flowers. My brain instantly computed what it was.

  I glanced at him. “Is this a set up where you produce and recycle energy and water in here?”

  He flashed a grin. “Of course. I can afford it, so I do it. I also like the garden. I have help to manage it. I know this isn't practical for the whole world, but it's fun here.”

  After we passed through there, we stepped into another room. Oh my God. He had his own private pool. It wasn’t too large, but long enough for laps. There was a sauna in the corner, and a hot tub at the far side of the pool.

  He nudged his chin toward a door in the back. “That's my workout area. I'm not like some people who like to work out and socialize. I’d rather work out privately.”

  I simply nodded, staying quiet and absorbing more details about this man. He led me back out of the pool room, through the garden atrium and down the hallway. He opened a door across from his office, and we stepped into his bedroom. More clean lines and a complete lack of clutter. He had a king bed in the center of the room, low to the floor with built-in bookcases behind it. A double-wide door led into what was obviously the master bathroom. He began undressing, and I followed suit. Thought didn’t seem to enter the equation when I was with him. I simply moved on instinct.

  Before I knew it, Lucas had my hand in his and was tugging me into the shower. The bathroom was tiled in jade colored tile. A large soaking tub was in the corner, two sinks were situated on a simple glossy wooden cabinet with stained glass bowls, and a shower was in the opposite corner tiled in the same soft jade. Perhaps the only thing that seemed ridiculous was how many showerheads there were. There were the two rainfall showerheads above and multiple jets along the walls. I almost commented that it seemed likely he would be wasting water before I realized the setup he’d arranged with the atrium garden likely recycled all of his water.

  After a quick shower, he wrapped me in a luxurious towel, and then we were crawling into his bed. He tucked the feather light quilt around us. He was a quiet man, that I'd come to know. At the moment, his tendency toward quiet was a good thing because I didn't know what the hell to say at this point. I fell into the best sleep I'd had in years. My body was utterly sated, and it felt so good to curl up beside him.

  I woke the following morning, alone in his bed and slightly disoriented. I sat up and glanced around, my eyes landing on a note sitting on the end of the bed.

  I had to take off on an unexpected trip. I'll be back in four days. If you want to stay, you can. Dan can get you anything you need.

  I shook my head in wonderment, uncertain how to even absorb his note. No matter what, I wasn't staying. I almost laughed aloud at the idea of asking the uptight, badass doorman for anything I needed, as Lucas indicated I could. Part of me felt a tug, a desire to remain here and putter about Lucas’s luxurious penthouse, but it didn't feel quite right. I took another shower in his ridiculous bathroom and left.

  All the while, questions tumbled through my mind about what I had allowed to happen and where it might go next.

  Chapter 10

  Lucas

  I stared across the table and bit back a curse. This was the third consultation I'd had with this company in California. I’d made a joint offer to buy them out with Seth Lawrence from Energy Synergy. I was beyond annoyed with the negotiations, mostly because they were dragging on needlessly. The company was on the verge of bankruptcy and thought they had a leg to stand on negotiation wise. They had some promising technology, but they had seen none of it through to fruition. I’d made the offer to purchase the company solely to own the patents. That was it. We could do what they had failed to do and would bring those patents beyond a dream.

  I stared at the table for a beat before spinning to glance at Seth Lawrence. “I think we’re done negotiating. Seems to me they’d rather go bankrupt than take our offer. What do you think?”

  Seth got a glint in his blue eyes. I knew Seth well. We'd worked together for years after crossing paths at a conference. We held all the power in this negotiation simply because we were offering these guys the best deal they were going to get.

  Seth shrugged and ran a hand through his black hair. “Agreed.”

  At that, I stood and strode across the room, glancing back when I reached the door.

  The two men on the opposite side of the table shifted in their seats. John and Leonard Collier were brothers and had been sought after by many engineering companies after stellar success on a project in grad school. They'd overreached and ran out of money far before they could do anything with their ideas.

  I felt a twinge of guilt about it, but it was either Seth and I buy up their company, or far less scrupulous corporations would do the dirty work for us. I watched as John glanced to Leonard. He looked back at me, his gaze resigned.

  “Fine. Can't blame me for pushing as hard as I did.”

  I waited at the door for a beat. “Fine what?” I countered.

  John sighed. “Fine. We’ll take the deal.”

  I returned to my seat, considering whether to push them even lower, but decided against it.

  “This is the smart decision even if it sucks. Both of you are welcome at either one of our companies, and you know it. Or you can take a step back and try again to develop your own projects again. You guys are great at the ideas, not so great at the business end of things. I can't say what your best choice is, but think it through next time.” After we finalized our deal, John and Leonard left, and the door to the conference room clicked shut behind them, Seth caught my eyes.

  He shook his head with a chuckle. “How many times have you done this now?” he asked good-naturedly.

  “Good engineers don't always make good businessman. You and I might be the exceptions to the rule.”

  Seth barked a laugh. “I'm not so sure about that. I think it's more we lucked out on timing, and we’ve got good people around us to guide us right.”

  I grinned. “That's exactly what I mean. That’s why I hire good people.”

  Seth leaned back in his chair and cocked his head to the side. “I actually liked those guys. Do you think they wanted take a position with one of us?”

  “I'm not sure. They like owning their ideas. Either they'll get over that, or they'll surround themselves with better people next time.”

  “Time will tell,” Seth replied.

  “How are things around here?” I asked him.

  “They're great. I couldn't be happier,” he replied with a wide smile.

  Seth had done what many thought was crazy a few years ago and moved Energy Synergy from his main base in Boston to a small town in the edge of the Sierra Mountains. He loved the outdoors, loved to ski and wanted to work in a place he loved. I’d actually
been up to visit a few times because I enjoyed outdoor photography. The Sierras were a dream for that. Seth had a smaller team and kept Energy Synergy low profile, and I think he liked it that way. He and I worked well together. He didn't have much ego, and wasn’t afraid to spar with me over ideas. It was one of my strongest professional partnerships, and one I intended to keep for the remainder of my career.

  Seth had also fallen head over heels in love with an engineer he’d hired a few years back. He’d been married over two years now and had gone from a rather uptight workaholic to a far more relaxed workaholic. He was happier and at peace. His transformation had surprised me.

  “Did I tell you Nicole was pregnant?” he asked.

  “You did. How’s she doing?”

  “So far, so good. I want her to slow down workwise, and she won't. She keeps telling me it's not like she has a physically demanding job,” Seth said with a roll of his eyes.

  “At least you work together.”

  Seth grinned. “Can’t imagine working without her anymore.”

  “When’s the baby due?”

  “Next May. After January, I told her we’re putting a hold on any travel. If you try to drag me into any negotiations, just know that I'll be handling them via videoconference.”

  I chuckled. “No problem. I don't see any other ideas floating around we might want right now.”

  Seth and I had designed many of the current, cutting-edge technologies for sustainable energy. There were a few other companies that competed at our level, but not many. After a brief interruption from one of my assistants, Seth stood and glanced my way.

  “Nicole was hoping you might grab dinner with us. You up for it?” he asked.

  At my nod, we agreed on a time and location.

  ***

  That evening at dinner, I looked across the table at Seth and Nicole. Nicole was brilliant and beautiful with her dark brown hair and eyes to match. To be honest, she was probably smarter than Seth and me. He’d fallen for her brains, and damn if she didn’t have him at her beck and call. I couldn’t imagine a better match for him.

  We discussed a few projects with Nicole getting animated about one she was working on. The conversation got rather technical with her explaining in detail her plans.

  She glanced over at me. “So what do you think?”

  I inclined my head and nodded. “As always, you’re brilliant Nicole. It sounds promising already. I'd love to steal it from you, but I won't.”

  She flashed a grin. Seth slid his arm across her shoulders, idly sitting his fingers through her hair and leaning back into his chair as he relaxed.

  “You can buy up anyone's patents but ours. We might share though,” he said with a chuckle.

  “How much longer will you to be in the city?” I asked.

  “Just until tomorrow,” Nicole replied. “I have another meeting with one of the developers who's helping me with our design, and then we’ll head home. Do you plan to visit again anytime soon?”

  “It's always on my radar. Probably in the winter. It's so beautiful then.”

  “As much as you love the outdoors, it amazes me you spend so much time in cities,” she commented.

  I shrugged. “It's my life. I'd have to downsize Chandler International at this point to make a change like that.”

  She nodded, glancing to Seth. “I'm so glad Seth moved Energy Synergy to the Sierras,” she commented.

  I arched a brow. “You don’t say?”

  “If he hadn't, I’d never have met him.”

  Nicole leaned over and dropped a kiss on his cheek, her gesture casual, but the affection so clear.

  Sophia sauntered into my thoughts. She was almost always dancing along the edges of them the last few days, an unusual experience for me. I'd been disgruntled when I'd woken with her beside me to find that text from Seth, saying we needed to meet again to finalize these negotiations. I hadn't wanted to leave. I had almost canceled and told Seth he could handle it for us. Yet, that would've been entirely out of character for me. Sophia tugged at places inside of me I hadn't known were susceptible.

  In the not-so-distant past, I would've left on a trip like this, leaving Kayla behind, and thought nothing of it. I was oddly relieved after Sophia's press release regarding my apology for storming out of the interview. It had the intended effect of tamping down the incessant questions. My next interview was scheduled the same day I flew back from here to New York City. In the two days since I’d left, I’d resisted the urge to call or text her. I certainly could have under the guise of work. But the feelings she elicited inside me made me restless. Yet, I wanted what I wanted.

  Watching Seth with Nicole made me wonder in a distant corner of my mind if I could have something similar with Sophia. We finished dinner and walked outside. We’d met in downtown San Francisco for dinner. I watched as Seth and Nicole walked away, his hand hooked in the back pocket of her jeans as they strolled down the street. Their comfort and easy affection again made me rethink what I’d thought I once had with Kayla. Even though I’d fancied myself in love with Kayla, I couldn’t say I’d had that kind of connection with her.

  My mind spun back to the other night with Sophia—the feel of sinking into her core, her legs curling around me, the wild edge to her as we moved together, and the way it felt as if I'd known her for far longer then I actually had.

  I shook my thoughts away and turned quickly, calling my driver to take me to my place here in San Francisco. Unlike in New York, I lived in an actual house on the outskirts of the city here. I let myself into my home later. It felt quiet and alone, almost echoing with the absence of someone else. I’d never thought much about how much of my personal time I spent on my own. One night with Sophia made me think about what that might mean.

  Chapter 11

  Sophia

  I glanced at the clock above the door in my office. The hands told me it was just past six-thirty. I heard footsteps and glanced up to see Suzanne stop in the doorway and lean against the frame. Her silver hair glinted in the light from the reception area between our offices. She was slender and kept her hair cropped short. With her bright blue eyes and penchant for rich colors, she elicited a smile every time I looked at her.

  “How much later are you working?” she asked.

  “Oh, probably another hour or so.”

  “I was wondering if I could persuade you to grab dinner and drinks with me and Danny.”

  I glanced down at my computer. I’d been working more than was necessary, but ever since my night with Lucas, I’d been restless and out of sorts. Work kept me focused and kept me from thinking too hard about him. I hadn't heard a thing from him since he’d left unexpectedly. He was due back tomorrow and scheduled for his next interview tomorrow evening.

  Suzanne and Danny had explained they usually obtained questions ahead of time and sent them onward to him, yet they left the rest up to him. Up until they’d hired me, he’d reportedly had been resistant to any guidance or feedback around answers. As a PR consultant, it was my job to try—try being the operative word here—to guide and set the narrative for him. I’d sent a summary of suggested topics for each potential question to him.

  That was yesterday. I'd heard nothing back from him yet, and I was beginning to get annoyed. Not because I'd expected anything from him. I hadn't, yet my own reaction to our night together was getting under my skin. I didn't like to feel as if I was waiting with bated breath for some sort of cue from him that he might be thinking about me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about him. I had fevered dreams and silly wishful thoughts about the potential for us to have something other than one wild crazy night.

  I didn't think that was a possibility, so I needed to say clear and rational. The distraction of dinner and drinks with them might nudge my mind off its treadmill of thoughts about Lucas.

  “Give me just a minute. Let me save what I'm working on and then I’ll be ready,” I replied.

  She grinned and turned away. “I’ll
grab my purse.”

  I saved the projects I’d been working on, powered down my laptop and closed it. I walked with Susanna down the street to a café nearby. It was on the smaller side and not quite as trendy as some places, but I actually preferred places like this and was glad to see Suzanne did as well. We snagged a table in the corner, and within minutes, Danny had joined us. We ordered drinks and appetizers and settled in.

  “Do you two do this often?” I asked, glancing between them.

  Danny held his beer up for a toast. “At least once a week. Now you can come too.”

  I laughingly clinked my wineglass against his beer. “Nice. How about anybody else from the office?”

  As an independent contractor, I was often slightly set apart from the rest of the workings of any company where I was hired for PR.

  Danny shrugged. “Not really. Here in New York, there's us and then the rest of the crew is engineers and tech people. They have their own clique. We’re the only two in the New York office that have much interaction with Lucas. I mean, he works with the engineering team on designs and whatever they're working on, but it's a different relationship. It's not the same as the day-to-day stuff we handle,” he explained.

  “Ah, I see. I have to say this office seems to run pretty smoothly. Sometimes when I start at places, there are all kinds of undercurrents rumbling under the surface. It’s pretty drama free here.”

  Suzanne grinned. “That's my doing. I have little patience for gossip and whatnot, so we try to run a tight ship. Our larger HR department is out in the main office at headquarters.”

  “How much time does Lucas spend in this office?” I asked, unable to tamp down my curiosity about him.

  Danny angled his head to the side thoughtfully. “It varies. Sometimes he's here more than he’s in headquarters, but he travels a lot no matter what. We have locations here, in California, a small office in London and another one in Amsterdam. By far, he spends the most time between here and Silicon Valley,” Danny explained.