Page 27 of Unlocking my Boss's Heart

My first thought was to sit in the waiting area, but she noticed me and pointed toward the menacing mahogany door, whispering. “He'll see you now. No need to knock.”

I nodded and headed to the door. It was heavy, as expected. I pushed it open and stepped inside.

The office was large enough to fit at least ten of the desks Anton sat behind, staring at his computer. The space between the door and the desk felt intimidating. When I was here for my interview, I was so nervous I didn't notice anything.

He looked up and watched me walk over. My heart skipped beats when I stepped into the office, and now, it was racing like a NASCAR vehicle.

Those moss-green eyes would be the death of my career if I didn’t get a grip on the attraction I felt.

These thoughts were supposed to be a warning. Instead, a familiar warmth washed over me. The fact that I was alone with him in his office only heightened the sexual tension.

What could I do to stop these very inappropriate thoughts, like imagining what would happen if my boss kissed me?

“Miss Adams, good afternoon.” He gestured to one of the seats across from him. “Please, sit.”

I swallowed nervously and sat.

My eyes searched his face. He looked relaxed—no signs of tension or any indicator that he was about to deliver bad news.

“Would you like a drink?” he asked.

I shook my head, even though my nerves and all those kissing thoughts had turned my throat to sandpaper.

He pressed a buzzer on his desk. “Olivia, can I get a bottle of water?”

“Yes, sir,” Olivia replied through the intercom.

He leaned back in his chair. “This is your fourth week here. How has it been?”

What? Wasthatwhy he called me into his office? To find out how things were going? Did he conduct special interviews with all newcomers?

When I didn’t respond right away, he raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I’ve been learning the firm’s routine, which I find interesting,” I replied quickly.

“‘Interesting’ is a little vague. Do you like it here?”

“Yes, of course.”

The door opened, and Olivia walked in with a bottle of water. She placed it at the edge of the desk beside Anton. As she left, I caught a hint of a smile when she glanced at me. It wasn’t necessarily malicious, just amused.

Suddenly, I felt paranoid. Did she think there was something going on between us? Was she one of the women who talked to her Human Resource friends about me?

I hoped not; she seemed like a nice person. She’d purposefully whispered to me about this meeting so that no one else would hear. I guessed she was aware of the unfriendly environment when it came to rumors.

Anton’s voice broke through my thoughts. “What have you been working on?”

I ran through my mental checklist and tried to keep my thoughts professional.

“Court filings and research for other associates, mostly. I understand that I’m being treated like a paralegal or an intern since I’m new—until I prove my worth.” I added the last part so he wouldn’t think I was ungrateful.

He grinned at my overly placatory explanation. I was truly happy to be working here, except for my current assignment. But I wasn’t about to complain.

“I heard you helped settle a potential lawsuit.”

How did that get to the Big Dog? “How did you hear about that?”

My cheeks couldn’t possibly get any hotter than they were now.

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