Page 47 of My Boss

“It’s not raining here. Why are you wearing a down jacket?” His tone is serious.

I look at him in disbelief. Has he fallen off the deep end? I burst into laughter.

“I see that I made you laugh. Am I funny in your opinion?”

“No.” I’m trying to maintain some semblance of seriousness, but I’m failing miserably. “I just didn’t expect such a question from you.”

“What question did you expect?” His penetrating gaze drills right into my eyes.

“Probably something like…” I grunt and lower my voice an octave. “Why are you feeling sorry for yourself instead of working?”

Jan frowns.

“Do you really think I could say that, seeing you in such a state?”

“Yes,” I answer without hesitation.

“Why?”

What do you mean why? Because that’s who you are, Jan. You’re a goddamn ice block viewing people as calculating, analyzing and reporting machines.

“Well…” I’m looking for the right words that won’t provoke him to fire me, and at the same time, give him some food for thought. “Your interpersonal style is quite chilly.”

“Chilly?” He raises his eyebrows.

“Yes. Not very empathetic.”

“Not very empathetic,” he repeats. “Anything else?”

Pfft. Shall I lay out his entire list of vices? Here you go: thick-skinned, rough, difficult, dry, passionless, formal, stiff… and I can go on listing until Santa Claus rides across the sky in his sleigh pulled by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

“I get the impression that you are reluctant to give in to your emotions,” I reply tactfully. “You don’t show them outwardly, which sometimes causes a tense atmosphere.”

“Would you rather I show them?”

“Surely it would be nicer if you sometimes tried to be more… Um… Nice? Cordial? Unreserved…?”

“How much?”

I shrug lightly.

“As much as you can.”

“I sure can. The question is, are you certain you want it?”

I feel his hand tighten on my wrist. The steel eyes stare into mine, overpowering me. My heart beats fast. Very fast. Too fast.

I laugh nervously.

“It’s up to you in this matter. After all, I cannot tell you how you should behave. Certainly, showing more friendliness and cordiality wouldn’t hurt.”

Jan squints his eyes. He remains silent. His steely gaze drills me all the way through my stomach. I notice a small vein pulsing on his temple. I don’t know whether my boss will now pour a bucket of cold water on me (with one of his indifferent sentences), or will he finally make an effort and say something nice?

Instead, he does something completely different.

“Well then,” he announces hoarsely, pulls me close, and presses his lips to mine. Lustfully. Possessively. Firmly.

Oh. My. God!

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