Page 41 of Big Boss
I could be worth it, if she’ll just let me show her.
We’re already the best of friends, and I had no idea that a relationship could be like this. Soothing instead of irritating. A source of comfort instead of a bomb that could go off at any given moment.
Maybe we can get through work quickly and sneak off for a little dinner together. Or watch another movie. A quiet date night, just the two of us.
The thought makes me smile. I must look ridiculous. Good thing there aren’t a swarm of paparazzi members waiting on the other end of this elevator ride.
Instead, it’s Erica, looking extra grumpy until I hand her a coffee. “Good morning, Miss Ridley.”
She glares at me from above the lid of the coffee as she dives in for her first hit of caffiene. Honestly, I don’t know how she drinks it at that scalding temperature. I’ll bet she’s one of those people who takes a shower that’s near boiling, too.
“Boss,” she murmurs. “Another day with nothing on your calendar. But we should get a response out about platinum certification on Kidnapped by Cattle at some point today.” Then she turns her back on me and shoos me off to my office with the big desk.
I sit down and sulk a little. Why is this woman even trying to talk business with me? Shouldn’t she be spread across my desk in lingerie and a trench coat?
For once, it would be a completely welcome sight to find my assistant on my big desk in her panties. But one of the main reasons I care for Erica is precisely because she is not the kind of person who would ever do that.
Unless maybe I asked. It never hurts to ask, right?
I press the button on my phone that serves as an intercom to the front desk. “Miss Ridley, would you mind coming here to help me with something for a moment?”
I hear her sigh, but she comes into my office a few moments later, her eyes sparking with an unspoken challenge.
She leans up against the side of my massive desk and stares at me, unblinking. She has a mini notepad in one hand and a pen with a gnawed-up cap. “How can I help you, Mister Bossypants?”
The thoughts that run through my mind are definitely not work appropriate. But how can I get this woman to loosen up enough to treat me like a regular person, let alone like someone she slept with?
Did it really mean nothing to her, when it meant so much to me?
Her foot taps on the floor of my office in a staccato rhythm that makes the back of my neck itch.
“Stop that,” I snap. I don’t understand why she’s acting like this is just any other day when everything has changed between us.
Maybe I should just ask her. Could it really be this simple?
She’s staring at me now, her mouth pinched into a little frown and her eyebrows raised as if to ask,Well what now, you jerk?
Better to just go for it, rather than overthink it like I always do. “Erica, are we really going to act like nothing happened last night? Like nothing changed?”
She freezes, and I watch as her cheeks flush. She shakes her head and then looks directly at the floor rather than into my eyes. “Nothing has changed. We’re friends, and that’s more than enough.”
I weigh her words and try to figure out what emotions are driving them, but I can’t solve the mystery of Erica’s feelings without a little more help from her.
“Wearefriends, Erica, but last night was really important to me.”
She lets out a little huff of air. Wait. Did she just snort at me?
“What?” I ask, definitely taken aback and about halfway to offended.
“Don’t act like it was such a big deal for you. I’m sure you’ve had sex plenty of times before last night, so if anyone was going to be making a big deal, it ought to be me—” Her voice breaks off, and her eyes snap up to meet mine.
I wait for her to finish the sentence, but she’s worrying at her bottom lip again, so she definitely doesn’t want to say anything else. I let the words she just said tumble around in my head, looking at them from different angles and trying to make sense of them, but I can only come to one conclusion.
“Erica.” I peer at her over my glasses.
She swallows, but gives me her usual dose of attitude. “Tate.”
I sigh. Nothing about this woman is easy. I swear every time I interact with her, I feel like I’m trying to figure out the next move in a complicated game that I don’t know all the rules to.
