Misadventures with the Boss

by Kendall Ryan

  “Do you mind if I ask you something?” I said when I’d finished my cupcake that I hadn’t even realized I was hungry for.

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  “If you had such a terrible time in the system, why did you stay in New York?”

  “Would you believe me if I told you it was because this is the center of the world and I needed to be part of it?”

  “Not for a second,” I shot back.

  “You know me well,” he laughed. “I’ll warn you, though, it’s not a happy ending.”

  “Don’t you end up meeting me?”

  He rolled his eyes. “I was dating a girl who went to Columbia, and she got pregnant. I moved back here to be with her and the baby, and I bought an apartment building so she could keep going to school.”

  “Oh,” I said, my mind spinning.

  “She was nice enough, but she miscarried in the third month, and then we decided it wasn’t worth staying together if we’d only been doing it for the baby.”

  “That’s devastating. You must have been heartbroken.”

  “Yes and no.” He pursed his lips and then looked me deep in the eyes. “Would you think I was a bad person if I told you that I was sad for her but a tiny part of me was relieved? Not that I would’ve ever wished for it, but I didn’t love that girl and I don’t want children. I did it because it was the right thing to do, of course. But ever since then, I’ve been careful to make sure there was never a repeat.”

  “You’re not a bad person,” I said, but my heart gave a little squeeze.

  “Thanks. I guess if you’ve lived through everything I have—if you saw the pressures and the stresses of people trying to raise children—it’s just not for me.”

  I took a deep breath. “I can understand that.”

  We spent the rest of the day roaming the city, and as much as I loved his company, a little part of the joy inside me had faded. Both at the thought of a young Jackson, alone and confused and unloved—and at the realization that he didn’t want kids.

  I shouldn’t have minded. Hell, this one date was more than I’d ever expected from him, but I couldn’t help it. There was a part of me that felt a little heartsick at the thought.

  Later that evening, we walked back to my apartment, and all the while he lectured me on the importance of locking my door and making sure I knew what was happening in my neighborhood. In truth, though, I was only half listening. A part of me was still back on the steps of the museum, thinking over everything he’d said and trying to understand the reason I’d been so affected.

  It hit me right as we walked through the door of my building, and it was like a slap.

  I was falling for him. Wrong. I had already fallen. Hard. Quirks and stern lips and all, I was head over heels.

  Which, when it came to Jackson, was way, way too deep.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jackson

  Monday came in like a sledgehammer, taking out all my well-laid plans and sending everything into freefall.

  I’d just hung up the phone with my legal department, and apparently the merger we’d spent months prepping for was at risk. There was some sort of zoning issue that might hold up a lucrative build, and the company on the other side of the merger was getting cold feet. All through the morning, before any of my regular employees walked through the doors, I was on the phone with managers at the other company, and then merger specialists, and still more acclaimed consultants, until my throat was dry.

  To be honest, when the lights of the day went up and people started shuffling through the door, I barely even noticed. Instead, I was focused on the constant steady beat of my heart and the icy dread slowly seeping into my veins.

  Of course, I wasn’t worried about myself. Hell, I wasn’t even worried about the company. Ninety percent of mergers didn’t go through, and that was a possibility I’d considered when I’d started this venture. But that didn’t change the fact that even here, on the executive level, some of my employees would be losing their jobs if I couldn’t make this work.

  Vaguely, I thought of Clara in HR. She’d spent the last two weeks circling the office to get pledges for her son’s Jump Rope for Heart Disease event. Her husband had died of a heart attack only last year, and it meant everything to her that her little boy was taking action so young.

  Then there was Frank. He’d asked for a raise a few weeks ago and for good reason. He’d been with the company almost since its inception, and he was helping to send his grandchildren to college.

  The list went on. Every single one of these people had a story to tell—a reason they needed this job more than anything else. And the way I ran my company? There was no fat to trim. Anyone we lost here would be essential, and it would be impossible for me to reckon with the idea of letting them go.

  So I wouldn’t.

  I just had to figure out how to avoid it.

  Clicking on an email labeled Urgent—as if everything else wasn’t—I glanced at my computer screen as a gentle knock sounded on my doorframe.

  I swiveled in my chair to catch sight of Piper standing tall and patient with my first cup of coffee in her hand.

  “You’re here early,” she said. “Half the office still isn’t here.”

  “Got a call last night. Had to come in for some meetings.”

  Her brow furrowed. “Is everything all right?”

  I considered her for a long moment, wondering if I should tell her. It wasn’t usually done. Things like this tended to be need to know because they caused widespread employee panic over something that might not be a problem after all. Still, she wasn’t some gossipy assistant. She was Piper. And somehow I knew she’d have my back.

  On a snap judgment, I decided to come clean. “There are issues with the merger that could lead to…downsizing if I don’t figure out what to do.”

  “Downsizing?” she repeated and then snapped the office door shut behind her as she made her way to my desk and set down my cup of coffee.

  I nodded. “I’m not sure on what scale yet. It could be very minor.”

  “I understand. And I don’t blame you at all. I’m new and—”

  Suddenly realizing how she must have taken my words, I rushed to correct myself. “No, I need an executive assistant. You wouldn’t be the one to go.”

  “That’s not fair,” she said. “These people have put in more time than me. Any one of them could be a fine assistant.”

  “That’s not the job they’d want.”

  “You won’t know until you ask them,” she shot back. “It’s only fair. Like I said, I don’t want any special treatment.”

  She made her way to the coffee pot in the corner of the room and began to fix herself a cup, and I was taken aback for a moment as a snatch of a light-blue button caught my eye.

  “Are you still wearing your pin from the museum?” I asked.

  She shot me a smile over her shoulder. “I thought…well, I thought it would be a nice reminder. But anyway, we have more important things to talk about than that. How are we going to save these jobs?”

  “We?” I raised my eyebrows.

  “Yes, we. I haven’t lost my job yet. I’m your assistant. Let me assist. Tell me, what’s our biggest concern? Shareholder confidence?”

  I nodded. “There was a massive lead abatement issue with the other company last year. They own most of the buildings in the historic district, so we’re trying to corner that market and create refinished, refined luxury apartments with a hint of old-world elegance.”

  “That’s a mouthful.” Piper grabbed her fresh cup of coffee and blew on the top of it.

  “That’s what I said, too. A consultant came up with it, not me.”

  “Oh, I know you didn’t write something that frilly. I’ve read your memos.” She grinned at me from the top of her coffee mug, and for a moment, I allowed myself to imagine how relaxing it would be to ignore the world and fall into Piper for an hour or two. To close the blinds and let all my problems fall away while our bod
ies eased the tension.

  “Lunch today?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “We’re going to be busy on this. We need all the time we can get. I’ll order lunch in for us. Now come on, let’s brainstorm.”

  I nodded my acceptance. Guess it was time to stop thinking with my dick.

  “Be right back,” she said and then hustled to her desk and reappeared with another huge dry-erase board.

  “I’m half convinced you can conjure those from thin air,” I said.

  “If only. Now let’s think.”

  We drew the blinds to keep the other employees from seeing exactly what we were working on, but by the time lunch came around, we had a massive brainstorming board filled with presentation ideas and methods for preventative abatement, innovative strategies for keeping renovation of the apartments in-house, and a plan for not only keeping the jobs we had but creating new ones as well.

  Piper wiped her hands together, stepped back, and admired her handiwork.

  “Now,” she said, “I am going to grab our food so we can figure out how to implement each and every one of these ideas. You start drafting emails. The burger place on the corner sound good?”

  I nodded, and she tossed me a glance over her shoulder as she stepped from the room again, leaving me to stare at the massive amount of work and ideas I would never have accomplished on my own.

  But then again, that was the magic of Piper. No matter what happened, she seemed to sweep in and magically fix it. Already I could feel the steady, thrumming beat of my heart slowing and relaxing, my shoulders falling back into place where they belonged.

  We had come up with a massive plan of attack, but if we were right—and if we devoted ourselves to the work—it just might save jobs.

  Who knew? Maybe we’d be successful enough for me to give her a raise and convince her to move from her hole of an apartment.

  I smiled to myself. Then I opened my emails and got to work, planning and typing so fast I hardly noticed when Piper reappeared and dropped a burger and fries on my desk before disappearing through the doors again. As the door clicked closed behind her, I let out a little groan of discontent. I liked having her nearby. I liked being able to bounce my ideas off her, but I knew why she wouldn’t stay.

  She would never allow the other employees to see her with me behind closed doors for too long—no matter the reason. It jeopardized her reputation and mine, and by working at her desk she was safeguarding her status as a professional.

  I understood that.

  But that didn’t change the fact that I wanted her here.

  The day wore on, and between bites of my now-cold burger, I’d intercepted so many emails and schedules that I hardly had time to start in on our battle plan. When five o’clock came around, my door opened, and I looked up expecting to see Piper with her bag on her shoulder, ready to head out for the day.

  “I had the assistants meeting this afternoon so we can make sure we finish this presentation for the shareholders. I don’t want another burger. How about salad for dinner?” she asked.

  I frowned. “Your work day is over. You don’t have to—”

  “I don’t have to do anything, but I’m asking you, salad or something else? Maybe tacos? Sandwiches?”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “Salad, then. I’ll put them in the fridge until we’re ready to eat.”

  Without another word, she headed out the door again. I smiled to myself as I stared at the wide brainstorming map in front of me and selected the first task.

  For the next three days, things pressed on the same way. In the mornings, Piper and I would review where we were in terms of our battle plan, and business as usual would creep in and get in the way. She ordered us lunch and dinner and stayed until all the lights went out in the building. When they did, she would walk into my office, sit on my couch, and work there with me, shooting ideas back and forth and taking notes on what needed to be done next.

  Only then would we relieve our mutual tension in the best way I knew how.

  It was a perfect, elegant system, but the long hours were beginning to wear on both of us. Already, dark, puffy circles were slowly forming under Piper’s eyes, and more often than not, I would get an email in the middle of the night explaining in some detail what needed to be done the next day, which let me know she was taking the work home with her just as I was.

  On the fourth day, after everyone had gone home, I turned to her and asked her point-blank. “Why are you working so hard on this? I appreciate it, but you should go home and get some sleep.”

  “I’m not having this argument with you,” she said, not bothering to look up from her laptop.

  “You’re not going to lose your job. You really don’t—”

  “I’m not worried about my job,” she snapped, glaring at me. “I’m worried about the company. And”—she glanced away—“you know, you. This is important to you. This place is everything you’ve worked for. Now stop bothering me, and let’s get it done.”

  I surveyed her for a long moment, a warm feeling spreading through my chest. “Is that really how you feel?”

  She nodded, and suddenly my mouth went dry. Jesus, when was the last time someone had cared about me? Truly cared about whether I ate right or took care of myself or felt responsible for my employees to the point that it was causing me sleepless nights?

  And now here Piper was, just a hookup, I’d told myself. Just a temporary employee. But she was more than that. So much more.

  I dropped the file folder in my hands and closed my fingers around her wrists, overwhelmed by a wave of something I refused to name, as I drew her close to me.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Piper

  Jackson’s lips pressed over mine, and I was lost. The man was masterful at so many things, but kissing may have been his strongest suit. I parted my lips on a shaky breath, and he used the opportunity to sweep his tongue gently against mine, coaxing a moan to rumble in my chest.

  He broke away, his eyes seductive and locked on mine. “You’ve been working so hard. I hate that the only way I repay you is by orgasms.”

  I chuckled, placing my palm on the rough stubble of his cheek. “Yes, it’s awful.”

  I loved the way he looked at me—like I had his complete attention. He petted one hand along my hair, admiring me as I stood before him in my stocking feet. I’d kicked off my heels hours ago.

  Jackson smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips. “I’ve never met anyone quite like you, Piper.”

  I raised my eyebrows—the man was not known for his attempts at sweet sentiment. “Yeah? How so?”

  His hands skimmed down my waist and settled on my ass. “You’re the total package. Smart, fiery, devoted, and with a nice, tight little pussy.”

  I chuckled again. There was the Jackson I knew. I was about to point out that he was just rather large, but I decided to let him believe what he wanted to. “I’m glad you think so.”

  He moved his hands around to the back of my skirt and gave the zipper a little tug. “What do you say? Let me fuck that tight pussy tonight.”

  As if I would deny him. As if I was even capable of that. Anytime Jackson was near, it was like all the oxygen in the room had been sucked out and replaced with pure, potent pheromones.

  I reached for the bulge beneath his trousers and gave him a playful squeeze. “It’s awfully late, Mr. Dane. I should probably be getting home.”

  He shook his head. “And deny me? You wouldn’t dare defy a superior would you, Miss Daniels?”

  “What did you have in mind?” I asked, my voice growing breathless. His cock was so damned tempting.

  Jackson’s full lips quirked up in a smile. “How about I let you ride my face until you come and then ride my dick until you can’t walk straight?”

  I swallowed a trembling sigh. “Sold.”

  Jackson lifted me from the floor and hauled me to his chest for another smoldering kiss that he didn’t break as he carried me over to the small c
ouch in his office. When Jackson set me down gently on the cushion, he didn’t join me like I expected. He watched me for a moment with hooded eyes.

  “I think our progress tonight calls for a toast. You’re not a whiskey girl, are you?”

  I was surprised he wasn’t diving into the main event but was then struck by the thought that maybe he didn’t want to go home alone any more than I did. Was my big, bad, cocky boss prolonging our evening together? Far be it for me to argue.

  I smiled. “If the occasion calls for it.”

  “That’s my girl.” The rich tone of his voice sent a fresh wave of desire washing over me.

  Jackson returned with lowball glasses, each with a measure of amber-colored liquor.

  “Cheers.” I accepted my glass, clinking it against his. We each took a couple of sips, the vibe turning to a relaxed one as the alcohol eased the tension in my shoulders. Sometime after dinner, Jackson had killed the overhead florescent lights, opting just for the dimly lit lamp on his desk—for which I was immediately grateful.

  “I really appreciate you, Piper. Even if you didn’t have the world’s hottest pussy, I’d still be happy you’re my assistant.”

  I took one more sip of my drink and placed my glass on the table beside his. “I’m happy to hear that.”

  Jackson’s lips quirked up as he watched me rise to my feet.

  I unzipped my skirt and let it fall to a puddle at my feet. Slowly, I stripped for him, loving the way his dark eyes heated as he watched me.

  Once I was completely nude, Jackson offered his hand. “Come here and let me have a taste.”

  True to his word, Jackson licked and sucked at my tender flesh until I came with a shout, my body clenching wildly.

  And then he guided me to his lap, patiently working all nine inches inside me while letting out sexy, soft groans.

  We made love slowly—without any of the teasing or spanking or dirty words I’d come to expect from him.

  It was perfect. And as the sweat on our bodies cooled, I was struck by one somber thought—how depressing would it be if this man hadn’t come into my life?