Page 7 of Bred By the Boss

It’s all so strange to me, but I’m not about to complain.

It’s been a few days since I started. I haven’t let my guard down completely, but I’ve still been able to relax in a way I haven’t been able to in years. Even after doing an internet search on my new boss—he’d seemed so oddly familiar to me for some reason—I’m still not concerned. Connor Holmes is an up-and-coming tech CEO in a burgeoning market, but I don’t really worry about him too much. It sounds like he’s well respected by his peers and his employees, and his assistant seems to like working for him in a very professional way. Plus, he’s not around a lot, so I haven’t had to worry about him making a pass at me.

And when he is around, he barely speaks to me at all.

“Miss Peterson.”

I start when I hear his voice for the first time today.

So much for not being spoken to, I guess.

I turn from my spot at the kitchen counter to greet him. “Good morning, Mr. Holmes.”

It’s everything I can do to keep myself from staring at him. Today he’s wearing a suit that he’s clearly had tailored to fit his tall, muscular body to perfection. He’s styled his hair and trimmed his stubble, making him look devastating and debonair, but not so clean cut he seems stiff. The effect is breathtaking. I force myself to swallow as I turn back to the counter.

Good housekeepers don’t get intimate thoughts about their bosses. It’s not like I’ve never been attracted to anyone, it’s just … I’ve never been attracted to someone like this before.

I’ve never wanted them to touch me like I want Mr. Holmes to touch me.

I can feel my boss’s gaze on me as I try to stay focused on cutting fruit. I push down the feelings, but it’s not as easy as I want it to be. I just got this job—I’m not about to lose it because I developed a crush on my boss.

“Can I get you anything?” I finally ask over my shoulder.

I watch as he tucks his hands into the pockets of his suit pants, and the movement makes me swallow and look back down at my work.

“I need you to pick up my dry cleaning either today or tomorrow. I’ve got an important event to attend next week, and my tux wasin the last round my assistant took, but she’s going to be busy over the next few days. I’ll have her text you the details.”

“Sounds good,” I murmur as I start to carve the stem from a strawberry.

But at my assent, he doesn’t make to move away. In fact, I can still feel his eyes on me, as if he’s trying to see right through me. It’s distracting, so much so that if he doesn’t stop, I might make a stupid mistake or—

“Ouch!” I hiss as my knife sinks into the pad of my thumb by accident. Blood begins to well up in the cut immediately, and I drop the knife and the strawberry on the counter. “Shit.”

Before I can do anything, my boss is there, taking my hand in his. He looks down at the cut as the blood starts to trickle down my thumb and onto my palm. He clicks his tongue.

“Doesn’t look too deep but—” He leans over me as he reaches for a towel and starts to wipe away the blood. “Might be a good idea to disinfect it with something.”

My heart begins to hammer. His hands are so much bigger than mine, his body towering over me as he inspects my wound. His dark eyes look down at me intently, with something I can’t identify hooding them. And he’s so close I can smell his cologne. It’s something spicy and warm, undoubtedly expensive, and it’s utterly intoxicating to me.

“Sir,” I finally make myself breathe. “It’s fine, I can—”

“Please, let’s drop the formalities. Just call me Connor,” he corrects me. “Let me help you with this.”

I’m not sure if he’s telling me to let him help me or if he’s asking, but I can’t make myself stop him either way. I don’t want him to leave my side at all, not when his fingers wrap around my wristlike that or when he presses close enough for me to feel his body heat.

After a few minutes, a quick jaunt away to find the first-aid kit, and tidy and effective disinfection of my wound, Connor leaves for work, and I’m left alone in the massive house. It’s just me and my task list now. As I start to putter around, making my way through the list, I find myself craving the feel of his body next to mine. Thankfully, all of the cleaning is pretty standard, and it’s all easy for me to do. It means I can let my mind wander to my boss.

It’s a bad idea to let myself think about him like this. I know it is. I should be focusing on doing the best job possible so that he can’t find a reason to fire me. It’s only been a few days, after all. He might not think my work is up to snuff and just hasn’t had the time to tell me.

But he had the time to help me with my thumb earlier today … So maybe there’s nothing he has to complain about yet.

A few hours later, I only have a few tasks left, and now that I know that they are, I’m dreading them.

There’s a tremble in my knees as I walk upstairs, my cleaning caddy in hand. I stop right in front of the master bedroom. Hesitation fills me. Why am I so nervous? It’s just a bedroom. Connor might seem impressive, but he’s just a man. I’ve been cleaning the little messes he leaves around all day. Why does his bedroom seem so different?

It’s not like it’ll be a mess or anything. Connor seems to be pretty clean, as far as men go. It just feels … intimate. Especially after how intensely attracted to him I felt this morning.

With my heart in my throat, I put my hand on the door knob and turn it.

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