The Boss of Her

by Julie Cannon

  Parker grabbed a mat and positioned herself along one wall near the middle of the room. She was contemplating introducing herself to some of the people in the class when she saw Elisa walk in. She wore black capri-length yoga pants and a snug cranberry-colored tank top. As much as Parker enjoyed Elisa’s office style, this suited her, too. And showed off every glorious line and curve of her body. Parker swallowed, not ready for the stab of desire right in her gut.

  Elisa glanced over and Parker realized she was staring. She offered a wave. Elisa smiled but looked incredulous. She walked over to where Parker stood. “I didn’t think you were serious.”

  Parker feigned offense, if for no other reason than to cover the fact she’d been caught ogling. “Of course I was serious.”

  “And you’ve really never done yoga before?”

  “No, but I stretch after I run and stuff.”

  Elisa nodded. “Okay. Just don’t overdo.”

  Parker knew what it was like to be out of shape. She spent the first eighteen years of her life chubby and uncomfortable in her body. Yes, much of that had to do with having all things feminine forced down her throat, but she’d been lazy, too. At this moment, she was probably in the best shape of her life. “I’m good. Promise.”

  “All right. I’ll stop harassing you.” Elisa’s tone was conciliatory, but her smile felt more like a smirk.

  She went off to greet other students—was that what people in a yoga class were called?—and Parker focused her attention on her surroundings. Or at least she tried to. Over and over, her gaze kept going back to Elisa. Parker told herself it was because Elisa’s body was on such beautiful display. It was more than that, though. She liked watching Elisa interact with other people. Just like at the office, people gravitated to her. And while Parker couldn’t make out what Elisa was saying, the nods and smiles made it clear everyone liked her.

  It didn’t take long for Elisa to call the class together. Parker watched those around her settle on their mats and she followed suit. She sat on the floor with her legs folded and, as instructed, closed her eyes. The first few minutes seemed to be all about breathing, so Parker cracked an eye to peek around the room. Everyone’s eyes were closed, including Elisa’s. Parker shrugged, then tried to focus her breath in the ways Elisa described.

  Parker followed the class through what Elisa called a vinyasa, going through a series of poses with names like warrior and tree and sun salute. None of it seemed all that hard, but as she went into what felt like her millionth downward-facing dog, Parker found herself glancing around for a clock. Why was she sweating so much? And how much longer would this last?

  After what felt like an eternity, Parker found herself sprawled on her back with her eyes once again closed. Elisa’s voice had become even more soothing as she talked the class through a centering cooldown. Parker breathed. She could get behind corpse pose. She hauled herself back to a seated position and joined the chorus of “Namaste.”

  As the room emptied, Parker lingered. Several people were talking with Elisa. Parker didn’t want to crash the conversation; she also didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye. Eventually, they left and Elisa looked over at her. “Well? What did you think?”

  Parker smiled. “I think Sam was right.”

  That earned her a bland look. “Really?”

  “But in a good way. I didn’t expect it to be so much of a workout.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “It is. I go to the gym at least five days a week and I feel like I used muscles today I didn’t know I had.”

  Elisa smiled. “Definitely a compliment.”

  In that moment, the last thing Parker wanted was for them to go their separate ways. “So, are you done now? I’d love to buy you dinner as a thank-you for introducing me to yoga.”

  Elisa’s smile didn’t falter, but a shadow passed through her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I have other plans.”

  So, clearly that was an overstep. Not wanting to stick her foot in her mouth any farther, Parker offered a casual shrug and smiled. “No big deal. I am grateful, though.”

  Elisa nodded. “No thanks necessary. I’m glad you liked it.”

  “I should warn you, I bought a four-session pass.”

  The warmth returned to Elisa’s eyes. “There are other classes with far better instructors. But you’re welcome to become one of my regulars if you’d like.”

  Parker wanted there to be something flirtatious in the comment, but she was pretty sure Elisa was being, at best, friendly. Hell, she might only be offering out of some sort of yoga enthusiast sense of obligation. Still, Parker wasn’t about to turn her down. “I’d like that.”

  “Okay. Great.” Elisa glanced toward the door. “I should go.”

  “Of course. I’m sorry I kept you.”

  Elisa smiled. “Have a good night.”

  “You, too.” Elisa walked away, leaving the studio with a group of three other women.

  Rather than being sorry she didn’t score an invitation, she was relieved Elisa seemed to have real plans. Parker rolled up her mat and returned it to the basket. She’d have to get one of her own before the next class.

  “Did you like it?” The woman who’d greeted her initially remained at the desk near the door.

  Parker smiled. “I did. More than I thought. I might have to become a regular.”

  “Elisa’s great. She’s only been an instructor for about six months, but you’d never know it.”

  The comment made Parker wonder about the other aspects of Elisa’s life outside the office. “She’s a natural.”

  A trio of women came in and Parker realized that another class must be starting soon. She took that as her cue to exit. She left the studio and got in her car. It was hotter than a sauna, and her steering wheel nearly burned her fingers. New Orleans would be so much more palatable without the months of July and August. She cranked the AC and started toward home.

  After a mental rundown of the contents of her fridge, she made a detour to the grocery store to pick up salad stuff so she wouldn’t have to cook. After only a moment of hesitation, she grabbed a pint of Blue Bell pralines and cream. She’d definitely earned it.

  Chapter Seven

  Elisa saved and closed the motion she’d just finished proofing. She did a quick check of her email, then looked around her office. She drummed her fingers on her desk. Tess’s words echoed in her mind. “You should invite Parker.”

  She’d said it casually, but the result was anything but. Elisa scoffed at first, but then she thought maybe her refusal said more than inviting Parker along. She’d hemmed and hawed for the better part of a week, a fact that left her feeling ridiculous. She stood up and marched down the hall to Parker’s office.

  As usual, Parker sat at her desk, completely absorbed in whatever was in front of her. Today, she was typing furiously with a look of intense concentration on her face. Her sleeves were rolled up and her suit jacket hung on the back of her chair. Just like the first time she saw Parker that way, Elisa’s reaction was instant and visceral. She fought the urge to leave before Parker noticed her and knocked lightly on the open door.

  Parker looked up, blinked a few times, and smiled. “Hi.”

  “Hey. I finished reviewing the motion. The updated version is on the server.” She could have said as much in an email, but this made it seem like she had actual business and wasn’t only there to extend an invitation.

  “Excellent.” Parker leaned back in her chair. “I really appreciate the second pair of eyes.”

  Elisa smiled. “It was really good. I only made a couple of changes.”

  Parker nodded. “Fingers crossed the judge agrees.”

  “Do you remember Tess, my cousin’s girlfriend, who works at the restaurant?” Okay, so no points for a smooth transition.

  “I do.” Parker’s face registered the abrupt shift, but she didn’t comment on it.

  “She’s in a band—a really good band, actually—and they have a s
how tonight. You seemed to like them when we all had dinner, so I thought I’d see if you wanted to come.” God. Could she sound any more awkward? Parker didn’t answer right away, making Elisa even more uncomfortable. Maybe she had plans already. Or maybe she was deciding how to tell Elisa such an invitation was professionally inappropriate. Or maybe she was wondering whether Elisa was asking her on a date. “It’s super laid back. It’s at a townie bar in Algiers.”

  “I’d love to.”

  “Great.” At this point, she almost wished Parker had declined. “I, um, I’m going to go home and change. They go on at eight.”

  “Since it’s across the river, do you want to ride together? We could grab dinner first.”

  “Okay.” Elisa’s mind raced. She needed to keep this as far from date territory as possible. “There’s a food truck that sets up at the bar. Do you want to just do that?”

  “Sure. How about I pick you up at 6:30?”

  “Yeah. Sounds good.” Elisa hovered for a moment, trying to find a graceful exit. “I’ll see you later.” Not remotely graceful, but whatever. She turned to leave, but Parker called her name. She turned back.

  “I’m sure I could find your address in the system, but that seems sort of creepy.”

  Elisa laughed. “Right.” She walked to Parker’s desk and picked up a pad of sticky notes. She wrote her address and handed it to Parker. “It’s off Magazine Street. Only about ten minutes from here. Close to the yoga studio.”

  “Got it.” Parker looked at the address, then Elisa. “Thanks for thinking of me.”

  Elisa nodded. She tried not to notice how long Parker’s eyelashes were, or how the patch of skin exposed by her open collar had freckles on it. She definitely didn’t think about what it would be like to kiss Parker from that vantage point, placing her hands on the arms of the chair and—

  “Jones, I thought we had a meeting.”

  Elisa jumped as though she’d been caught doing what her brain was imagining. She whipped her head around to find Don standing in the doorway. He looked at her with disinterest.

  Parker stood. “On my way. I wanted to have the finalized motion to go over with you, and Elisa was helping me with a read-through.”

  “Ahead of schedule. I like it, Jones. I’ll be in my office.”

  Elisa looked at Parker, trying to figure out if she made a quick recovery or if her mind was nowhere close to where Elisa’s had been. Parker offered her a playful shrug, followed by a wink. “I’ll look forward to seeing you later.”

  They walked out of Parker’s office and headed in opposite directions. Back in her own office, Elisa flopped in her chair and let her head fall back. She could tell herself a hundred times over she never would have acted on that flash of attraction, but doing so couldn’t erase the attraction itself, or how badly she’d wanted to know if Parker’s mouth would taste and feel the way she remembered. She shook her head. What on God’s green earth was she thinking?

  * * *

  Despite running ahead of schedule on several fronts, Don managed to dump a ton of new work in Parker’s lap. Not that she minded the work, but Don had a way of making her feel less like a colleague and more like a hired gun. She’d hoped to leave that kind of boss behind when she left New York, but it seemed they were inescapable. Not for the first time, Parker thought about what it would be like to work for herself.

  It didn’t help that Kyle came in to whine about Drake getting the better research assignments. By the time she talked him down in a way that wouldn’t make him insufferable, she was late to her mom’s doctor appointment. And an accident on St. Charles didn’t put her back in the office until four. Not that those things were Don’s fault, but the combination wore her patience dangerously thin.

  Had the invitation to go out come from anyone but Elisa, she would have bailed so she could stay late at the office and get some work done. But it was Elisa, so at 5:30, she closed up shop and headed home to change. Giving herself only ten minutes to get ready kept her from spending too much time contemplating her look for the evening. She changed out of her suit into a pair of washed-out red shorts, a light blue chambray shirt, and her deck shoes.

  When she pulled into Elisa’s driveway, she had a moment of panic that she’d underdressed. Elisa stepped out her front door in a dress with a geometric print, too short for work, but incredibly sexy. Parker jumped out of the driver’s seat and walked around the front of the car. “Did I go too casual?” she asked.

  Elisa looked her up and down and offered a playful smile. “You’ll do.”

  Hating that she needed the reassurance, Parker opened the passenger door. “I’m serious.”

  “It’s casual.” Elisa gestured to herself. “I’m casual. We’re all good.”

  Parker laughed at herself then. “I think New York messed with my fashion sense, at least when it comes to summer.”

  “This place isn’t much more than a dive. Relax.”

  Parker returned to the driver’s seat, realizing it was Elisa’s opinion she worried about, not her fellow bar patrons. “Relaxed. Promise.”

  Once they were over the river, she followed Elisa’s directions to the Old Point. They parked on a side street and walked toward the bar. Although the sun was beginning to set, the air remained thick and hot. The heady fragrance of morning glories and bougainvillea wafted from the yards they passed. “Yeah, I’m glad I went with shorts.”

  Elisa laughed. “Good. Let’s pop inside to say hi to Tess and grab a drink. Then we can think about food.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Inside, the air was cooler, if not fully cool. Low lighting helped, and the crowd wasn’t too dense. Fans kept the air moving. Parker was taking in her surroundings when she heard Elisa’s name called. She turned in the direction of the voice and saw Tess waving enthusiastically. Elisa returned the greeting and Parker followed suit. Tess hurried over to join them.

  “No Sam tonight?” Elisa asked.

  “Looming deadline. She’s decided to rewrite the last third of the book a week before it’s due.”

  “Why does that not even surprise me?” Elisa shook her head but smiled.

  Parker chuckled in spite of her disappointment. She really liked Sam. Although, without her, hanging out with Elisa would be much more like a date.

  “Hey, Tess?” One of the guys onstage was looking their way.

  “Don’t let us keep you.” Elisa gave her a hug. “We’re going to grab food and drinks, but we’ll be in for the show.”

  “Thanks so much for coming.” Tess looked at Parker and, without hesitating, gave her a hug, too. “Both of you.”

  Tess returned to the stage and Elisa pointed to the bar. “Shall we?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Beers in hand, they stepped outside. People stood in groups and sat at picnic tables along the wall. Many were already eating. They joined the line and, a few minutes later, Parker found herself staring down a mammoth pulled pork sandwich mounded with coleslaw. Elisa had the same thing, only with chicken. They found an empty table and sat.

  Parker took a bite of her sandwich and groaned. “God, this is good.”

  Elisa raised a brow.

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. I just wasn’t expecting that level of conviction.”

  Parker laughed. “I love to eat. I practice restraint only so my clothes will fit.”

  Elisa snickered. “I know that feeling.”

  They finished their sandwiches and returned to the bar. A crowd had formed around the stage. “Another beer?” Parker asked.

  “Sure.”

  “You get us a spot and I’ll come find you.”

  While she waited for the bartender, Parker studied the crowd. While older patrons sat at the bar or the small tables in the back, the people waiting to hear Tess’s band skewed younger, more hip. Elisa fit right in, aside from being the most gorgeous person in the room. Since her attention was focused elsewhere, Parker allowed herself to stare. In spite of their
history, she’d not anticipated being this attracted to Elisa.

  Parker didn’t mind the attraction. She just didn’t know what to do with it. She’d started to convince herself that Elisa didn’t feel the same, but it was now the second time they were spending time together outside of work. Even if yoga didn’t count as a personal invitation, this certainly did. Maybe things weren’t so one-sided after all.

  She carried two bottles of beer to where Elisa stood, joining her just as the first set began. She’d come to spend time with Elisa, and because Tess seemed nice. But once she heard the first song, Parker realized the music would have been enough of a draw on its own. Tess’s voice was incredible and her band, Sweet Evangeline, had a sound that seemed to meld jazz and pop and blues in a way that sounded both original and familiar.

  After the first set, the crowd thinned. Elisa offered to buy another round and they snagged a pair of stools at the bar that kept them in close proximity to the stage. Parker almost declined the drink but didn’t want to come across as stuffy or uninterested. When the second set started, they turned to face the stage. Elisa’s thigh brushed against Parker’s and remained there, just touching. Parker spent the next hour listening to music and doing her best to stay still so as to not break the contact.

  When the music ended, Elisa hopped down from the stool to clap and cheer. Parker followed suit. When she stood, she realized her head was completely fuzzy. “Crap.”

  Elisa looked at her with concern. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I just skipped lunch today and now I’m buzzed.”

  Elisa laughed. “You ate that giant sandwich.”

  “Oh. Right. So, how harshly will you judge me for being a lightweight?”

  Elisa gave her a quizzical look. “I wouldn’t judge you.”

  Parker chuckled. “I forget you’re not a native. If you were from New Orleans, you’d definitely be judging me right now.”

  “Your lucky day, I guess. If you don’t mind me driving your car, I’ll take you home.”