Page 17 of The Boss

“Do you mind if I ask if you got into the business for the music or for the business?” I asked. “There were a lot of people in my business classes in college who talked about how they didn’t have a specific business they wanted to get into. They liked the challenge of creating a company, watching it thrive.”

He smiled. “That would be me. Don’t get me wrong. I like music, but I picked this industry because I learned fast that I was good at spotting talent and even better at marketing it.”

“And the challenge?”

His grin widened, making him look years younger. “That’s the best part.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him if he felt the same way about women, but I swallowed the words. I didn’t understand it. I’d always been a shy kid. Not insecure but shy, which meant for a lot of my life, people thought I was a snob rather than just keeping to myself.

Except being around Nate –Mr. Lexington– made my brain flip around so that I had no problem blurting things out…but I always felt like an idiot after. I supposed if it was something I had any experience with, I’d be a little more confident, but dating wasn’t exactly my thing. Let alone talking to someone like him about dating.

“What about you, Ashlee? Do you like a challenge?”

A shiver went down my spine at the heat I heard in the words. Or at least I thought I heard. But that was probably just him flirting because that was what he did. And I wasn’t even sure that could rightly be called flirting. Maybe it was more accurately just being charming. From what I understood, being charming was second nature to him. That would make more sense than him flirting with me.

I wasn’t one of those women who thought they were plain but only needed a makeover montage to see that they were really beautiful all along. I was pretty and had no issues with my figure, but I also had no illusions about the sort of women Nate dated. I didn’t function well in public situations. I wasn’t charming, and I’d been told that my attempts at flirting were painful to watch. The sort of women he went out with exuded a sexy confidence that I doubted I could ever match.

“I never shirk away from difficult things or from doing my best,” I said finally. “But I don’t need a challenge for something to capture my interest.”

“Does that mean you’re not a competitive person?” he asked.

I considered the question before answering. “I’m not in the sense that I see everything as a win or lose situation, and I don’t feel the need to ‘beat’ other people. That doesn’t mean I won’t do my best, though.”

“Are you saying that because I’m your boss?”

“I don’t say things I don’t mean,” I replied. “I’d rather not say anything at all than say something I don’t believe.”

He studied me, the intensity of his gaze making me want to squirm. The heat was still there, but it’d been joined by something else. Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

“A woman of integrity,” he said quietly. “There aren’t many of your kind left in the world.”

He sounded so unlike himself that I didn’t know what to make of it. I’d thought I’d seen both sides of him today. The forceful CEO with a temper, and this more relaxed, charming human being. Now, I wondered if either of them was the real Nate. Or was he a combination of those things? A man far more complex than I’d imagined?

An awkward silence fell between us, and I took that as my cue to leave. I’d already lingered too long as it was. I’d come here to say my piece, and I had. How he reacted to that was up to him. It didn’t matter that I liked this side of him better than the one I’d encountered earlier today.

“It’s getting late,” I said as I stood. “I should get going.”

He stood as well, taking only two steps to reach my side. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

“I don’t have a car, but thank you,” I said. “I don’t live far.”

“Are you taking the subway by yourself?” He frowned, as if the idea bothered him for some reason.

“Same as I’ve done every day since I started working here,” I said with a smile.

“But you’re leaving later than usual.”

“I appreciate the concern, but I’ve been riding the subway by myself since I was a teenager.” When he looked like he was going to argue, I added, “I carry pepper spray, and I took self-defense classes in high school.”

He still appeared doubtful but didn’t say anything as he followed me to the door. Before I stepped out of his office, I turned toward him, feeling like we were on some strange date that needed a firmer ending. I tipped my head back so I could meet his eyes while I spoke, but I couldn’t find the words.

He took me by surprise when he bent his head, mouth covering mine even as he settled a hand on my hip. My brain misfired out of shock, and I stood there, letting him kiss me, but that wasn’t an excuse, not when heat flowed through my body, eager for more. It took me only seconds to regain my composure and put my hands on his chest, firmly pushing him away, but in those seconds, desire had formed a fist in my stomach, twisting my insides into knots.

“No,” I said, wanting to make myself clear. “No.”

He took a step back, a smooth mask settling into place. “Good.”

I blinked. That hadn’t been what I’d expected him to say. He’d respected my wishes, for which I was grateful, but I didn’t understand his response.

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