Page 5 of Sending Nudes to My Boss

“I’m representing you,” I tell her. “You’re my client. When have I ever scolded a client?”

“Just last week. You got onto that college kid for forgetting to tuck his shirt in when he went before the judge.”

“That was different.”

“How so?”

Dammit.

I hate when Dot makes a point I can’t refute. This happens more often that I care to admit. I went to one of the finest law schools in the country and still, Dot regularly runs circles around me in a debate.

This is the whole issue with Dot Baker. She’s the full package. When I first hired her, I thought it was a physical attraction only. If that were all it was, I think I could handle it. Could get past it and move on.

But it’s not just a physical attraction anymore. My attraction hasn’t faded with time, it’s only grown. The more I learn about her, the more I like her.

I love her mind. Sometimes I think I even loveher.Being in love with her seems out of the question though. There are too many reasons why it’s a bad idea. One of them being that Dot has only ever looked at me like her boss. Nothing more.

I understand why. I’m a grumpy uptight guy compared to her free spirited ways. I’m also ten years older than her. It’s not old enough to be her father, but old enough that she can look at me and immediately rule me out as a romantic prospect.

We’re too different. If I told her how I felt, I know my affection and love wouldn’t be returned. All it would do is make our working relationship unbearably awkward.

So I will never dare to cross that line.

I go around the desk, sitting in my chair and looking across the display of morning offerings at my off-limits assistant.

“What punishment would you prefer to receive from me, Dot?” I ask her. “I’ll let you pick.”

Her eyes widen and I quickly clear my throat and continue.

“Do you want to pay me for representation?” I ask her. “Would that make you feel better?”

She bites her lip, driving my imagination wild.

“Not really,” she says. “I can’t afford you.”

Good. Because I wouldn’t accept her money even if she had it.

“Then what? You want me to hand you a mop and make you clean the floor?”

“Sure,” she says eagerly. “I’m good at cleaning. Is that what you want?”

“Absolutely not,” I sigh. “I don’t wantanything. I’m representing you for free. Consider it a perk of working for me. We’re going to get these charges dropped, and then we’re going to move on like it never happened. That is what I want. But I don’t think your guilty conscience is going to allow for that.”

“Maybe not,” she says.

The longer this woman remains in my office, the closer to insanity I get. My knee bounces beneath the desk, nervous energy unable to be contained any longer. I’m worried that any minute now, I’m going to break down and spill out confessions that I shouldn’t.

“Forget it,” Dot sighs, turning to the door. “You don’t have to tell me what you need me to do. I’ll think of something myself.”

“You do that,” I reply dryly.

CHAPTER 3

DOT

“Ho-ly shit.I can’t believe you got arrested! I always thought if one of us ended up in jail, it would be me.”

Ever since I broke the news to Darren, he’s been speaking with a mix of admiration and disapproval.

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