Arrogant Boss

“No knocking, Hunt?”

He was dressed in a navy suit that off-set his green eyes and his hair was in perfect order-making me long to muss it up.

“I think we’re beyond knocking.”

“Did anyone see you?”

“No. I snuck through my own building, hiding behind filing cabinets and servers, all to make it here unseen.”

“My very own spy.”

He turned sideways, a serious expression on his face as he cocked an imaginary gun. “Hunt. Julian Hunt.”

I rose from my seat. “Dork.”

“What can I say? Once a nerd, always a nerd.”

I gave him a very clear once-over. There was absolutely nothing about his tall, strong frame and masculine jaw that said nerd. He looked like he regularly ran on the beach and spent the mornings before work hiking. It didn’t hurt that I knew he had the abs of an underwear model, toned to perfection.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said darkly. “I only have a certain amount of self-restraint, and you’re testing it right now.”

“Stop looking that handsome and maybe I’ll stop.”

“Ah, but then you’d leave me,” he declared and put a hand over his heart. “And I wouldn’t be able to take that.”

I laughed and hoped he didn’t notice the blush that spread on my cheeks. As if I would ever leave him. “Are you free tomorrow afternoon? I have two hours before yoga with Denise. I could swing by yours…”

Julian gave a husky laugh and put both hands on my waist, pulled me closer. “A two-hour flyby? Why, Ace, it’ll be difficult, but I think I’ll be able to finish in that time.”

I ran my hands up his powerful chest. “More like twenty minutes,” I teased.

“Thirty,” he breathed. “Times two.”

He leaned in closer and gently nipped at my lower lip, his fingers digging into my skin.

I groaned against his mouth. It had been three days since we’d last touched like this. “We can’t. Not in the office.”

Julian didn’t loosen his grip, just moved to kiss along my jaw. When his mouth touched the sensitive spot on my neck, my knees actually went a bit weak.

I swallowed. “Julian.”

“Mmm?”

I pulled at his shoulders. “No one in the office can know.”

He kissed the top of my collarbone before leaning back with a resigned expression. “As much as I enjoy sneaking about, how much longer until we can tell the others?”

I blinked at him in disbelief before I burst out laughing. “Julian, never. Just imagine how awkward it’ll be!”

“Why? The others will get over it. If you’re concerned about HR, I’ll make sure to talk to them first. Your job will never be in jeopardy because of this.”

“Thanks, but Julian… come on. Imagine how it’ll be when we’re no longer doing this.” I gave his wide shoulders a little squeeze for emphasis. “It’ll likely be weird enough between the two of us, not to mention if the others knew!”

Julian’s eyes went wide wide, frozen-I couldn’t read the emotion in them. It was as if a wall had suddenly slammed up between us.

I rose on my tip-toes and rubbed my nose playfully against his. “Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll be adults about the whole situation. I’m not concerned.”

His hands tightened slightly around my waist before he let me go entirely. “Good. I guess I’m not concerned either, then.”

“Great,” I said, a bit confused. “So… we won’t tell them. Agreed?”

“Yes, agreed.” He kissed me on the forehead once before he headed towards my office door, shoulders squared. “I’ll see you later, Emily.”

“Yeah. I’ll be at the four o’clock staff meeting.”

He nodded once and slipped out my office, the same way he’d come in, not bothering to glance back. I sank into my office chair with a sigh.

The conversation refused to leave me, try as I might to push it away. Was this when he began tiring of me? When I refused to flaunt our whatever-we-are in front of our coworkers? I should be allowed to do that.

Hell, I had a lot more to lose than him. The CEO and founder of Hunt Industries wouldn’t be called into the HR office, wouldn’t be given sly looks in the hallways by people wondering if every success I had came from my prowess in the bedroom. He wouldn’t have to endure the snickers of coworkers or see the potential loss of respect in their eyes. I’d heard Rachel and Josef that night when they joked about Julian’s dates-I’d heard them loud and clear. I wanted to earn my promotions and earn the respect of my peers. This job meant the world to me.

I hoped I could make him see that.

The next day, Rachel burst into my office, Sasha and Josef in tow.

“Guess what?

“What?””We just closed some of the final details on the upcoming pitches on the package software launch. That deserves some celebration.”

I couldn’t help grinning. “You’re always in the mood for celebration.”

“Factual,” Josef nodded.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“We’re heading to the pool pub after work to grab a celebratory beer before we all head home,” Rachel said. “Come with us?”

I glanced down at the mountain of paperwork before me. “Well, I’d love-”

“Pleaaaaaase,” Sasha pouted. “Work hard, play hard, you know. That’s practically the unofficial motto of Hunt.”

I laughed and looked back up at them. “Alright, I’ll be there!”

For the remainder of the day, my phone refused to stop staring at me. It might have been lying inconspicuously me on the desk, the screen black, but I knew it was basically daring me. Use me, it beckoned. You know you want to.

What could I say in my defense? I was weak.

Despite not having heard from Julian since we spoke yesterday, I texted him about the drinks. We’d have to act professional around our colleagues, but I wanted to see him, especially after the odd conversation.

I had now seen up close just how much he worked. Days, evenings, weekends… an hour or two of fun with his employees might be good for him. And I wanted to be around him, even if it was only as friends and co-workers.