My New Boss

Chapter One | My New Boss

The stairs were blocked off. A rope barred the entrance with a sign reading railing under repairs. I was short but I could hop over it if I wanted to. Was anyone watching?

I scanned the lobby. The security guard didn't have a line of sight, just the usual people loitering in front of the elevators before our workday began. Including the person I was trying to avoid, Jeff, my skeezy co-worker who thought he was being sly every time he rubbed his body up against mine. The elevator wasn't that crammed. I'd rather take my chances with the broken railing.

I latched onto one of the poles at the end of the rope for balance as I elevated one leg towards the other side. Quite a feat -considering I was wearing two-inch high heels. My leg wasn't the only thing rising. The hem of my skirt crept up the back of my thighs. I reached behind me to keep the material in place but a firm tug beat me to it.

The force caught me off-guard. My sense of balance was lost. I squeezed my eyes shut; anticipating the worst. A large hand splayed across my stomach and kept me from falling on my face. I inhaled sharply. The scent of spicy pine shadowed the air. My eyes shot open and I whipped my head around to see who held me.

My new boss, Alexander Green smelled like a forest fire. I gulped. His umber eyes possessed me as intimately as his arms did. My heart trembled in my chest. His knuckles grazed my upper thighs as he released my skirt; turning the trembles into quakes. His other hand lingered upon my stomach a brief moment before he dropped it back down to his side.

"You should be more careful," he scolded, taking a step back. He studied me a moment, then nodded his head towards the rope. "The sign is there for a reason."

I rummaged for the right words to salvage my dignity while attempting to wrap my head around what just happened. "You're right. Better safe than sorry." My inner critic cringed. Ugh, why couldn't I think of something better to say?

"Clearly."

Was he judging me? Alexander gestured towards the elevator. When we met for the first time yesterday afternoon, my initial thought was holy shit, he's hot. A good night's sleep hadn't changed the verdict. So much so, it was hard to focus on anything else. Yet, staring directly at him felt wrong. Like I was about to commit a sin. How long would it take me to desensitize myself? This attraction was dangerous. He was my boss -not a bar of chocolate to be nibbled on whenever I craved it.

Thankfully, all of my co-workers were faced the other way. They would have never let me live it down. By lunch, everyone would have been joking that I was sleeping with the new boss. Some would have believed it too because the people who worked here were like a pack of wolves; waiting for any sign of weakness to pounce. I had worked hard to worm my way into their fickle social circle by breaking bread over our mutual hate for our old boss, Diane. Around here, breaking bread was code for having drinks after work.

The secretary was often treated as guilty by association. If the boss was being a monster, then the secretary wasn't doing their job properly. A good secretary knows the ins-and-outs of her boss's moods, what makes them tick and what makes them explode. Luckily, they had already witnessed the comings-and-goings of several secretaries by the time I began working at the company. This allowed them to appreciate the value of having a buffer to keep their interactions with the boss to a minimum.

Speaking of comings-and-goings, Alexander Green made for good scenery traveling in either direction. The way his tailored charcoal suit stretched across his muscles as he walked ahead of me was distracting. I didn't notice Jeff until he had already descended. He didn't acknowledge me. He never did when others were around. At least not verbally. His blue eyes would seek mine out when he thought no one was looking.