Page 32 of #Bossholes

He lets out an exasperated sigh. “Miss Rhodes.”

“Sorry.” I shove away from my desk, thrusting my pen, a notepad, and my laptop in my bag.

I’m going to have to find a way to get that profile set up right under my boss’s nose.

EIGHTEEN

Brantley

DidI need Miss Rhodes to come to this meeting? Absolutely not. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let her continue to sit in the office with my idiot brother and best friend hanging around her and roaming the hallways for the rest of the day.

Maybe with their distraction removed, they’ll finally be able to get some work done.

Unlike the two of them, I don’t care what Miss Rhodes does in her personal life. She is my employee, and I am her boss. That’s it.

End of story.

Which is why when August Gray, one of Hollywood’s favorite sweethearts, reached out for a last minute meeting, who was I to say no?

“Thank you.” I grab my coffee from the barista, turning to head to an empty table in the corner of the cafe when I see some writing on the cup he’s getting ready to hand to Miss Rhodes.

I spin on my heel, snatching the coffee before she can lay a single finger on it. Yeah, I just said I don’t want to be involved in her personal life, and I don’t. This is business. We’re meetinga potential client, and I don’t need him thinking my secretary is here to pick up men. Men who aren’t even that creative.

With a grunt I turn the cup, noting his name—Chris, apparently—and his number scrawled underneath the cafe logo and swiftly hand it back to him. He blinks at me, his mouth hanging open, and continues to let the cup dangle between us.

Perfect. He’s a mouth breather and definitely not good enough for Miss Rhodes.

“I’m going to need another coffee. This one seems to be damaged.”

He continues staring at me like I’ve started speaking another language or grown a third leg out of my ass. Either way, he needs to snap out of it before I snap his neck, figuratively speaking.

“It was for her.” Chris points to my secretary, ducking his head, his shoulders stooping with the weight of his bad decisions. He looks at the space between us, but still doesn’t make a move to grab the coffee. “I didn’t know she was with you.”

“It’s okay, Mr. Ellis.” She puts a gentle hand on my arm, peering up at me with her baby blues, tempting me to let this go, but I didn’t get this far in my career by being a pushover.

“It’s not.” My voice is firm as I manage to pull my gaze away from hers and set it back on him. “She will need a new coffee. One that’s not vandalized.”

She makes a soft noise at the back of her throat, one that has my dick twitching, and it takes all my willpower to ignore it. Along with the pretty pink blush spreading across her cheeks. Nope. Not falling into her trap. Not doing it.

“The coffee.” I shake the cup at him, my eyes narrowing until he finally snaps into action, taking it from my hand and tossing it in the trash. Exactly where it belongs.

She leans toward me, her strawberry scent invading my senses, and I take a generous drink of my scalding hot coffee,anything to drive her out. “Was that necessary?” she whispers, her lashes fluttering.

“Completely.” I glance down at her, my tongue practically on fire, but I barely feel a thing. I’ve never been this close to her before and for good reason. I can see the different shades of blue in her irises, the mix of emotions swirling in their depths. She’s confused, embarrassed, but there’s also something else I’m afraid to pick out.

I can practically taste her as her tongue darts out to wet her lips.

This is dangerous.

“People are staring.” She glances around, taking in the few people standing in line behind us, completely oblivious to my plight.

She’s an employee. I’m her boss.

“Let them.”

She takes a deep breath, her arm brushing against mine, and I ignore the zap of electricity jolting through me at the contact.

I’m her boss.

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