At dawn, I go through my morning rituals, but one thought is stuck in my mind like an itch I can’t scratch: my boss might be a porn actor. I shake my head at the absurdity of it, but the idea has a strange pull. I slip on a blouse with a black jacket and trousers, tie my hair into a neat ponytail, and apply a dash of mascara and eyeliner. One sip of coffee later, and I’m out the door, feeding Rudolf on my way.
In the office, I greet Mr. Manner with his usual coffee—one sugar cube, cold milk on the side. “Good morning, boss. Your coffee,” I say, flashing a polite smile.
“Good morning… Cynthia,” he replies, pausing just long enough to make me wonder if he forgot my name. “Thank you. You look radiant today. Did you sleep well?” His eyes linger for a second longer than usual, his gaze sharp behind those glasses.
“Reasonably,” I respond, fighting the flutter in my stomach. Could it really be him? No, he’s too buttoned-up, too serious. That man knows nothing but work.
“Anything else you need?” I ask.
“Yes, I’d like to go over tomorrow’s schedule.”
“Of course.” I hurry back to my desk, pulling up his calendar and printing a fresh agenda. Part of me feels almost… disappointed. The idea of my boss having a double life was at least thrilling, a break from routine. I hand him the updated schedule.
“Here you go, updated and ready for use,” I say.
“Thank you. One more thing,” he pauses, glancing up at me. “Are you free tomorrow evening?”
My mind blanks for a second. “I… Yes, I am.”
“We have a meeting with investors for the new software. I’ll need you to accompany me. Do you have an evening dress?”
“Oh! It’s… for the meeting,” I stammer, a bit embarrassed at where my mind went. “What kind of dress? I don’t go to many social events, so my wardrobe is… limited.”
“Something simple will do. Don’t worry; we can look for something later together. I could use a wardrobe refresh myself.” His tone is so matter-of-fact, but the thought of shopping with him makes my pulse quicken.
I nod, trying to keep my composure. “Okay, I’ll be ready.”
I step out of his office, heart pounding. For just a second, I’d actually hoped we were going out together—outside of work, outside of all this formality. *What’s gotten into me?* I shake off the thought, reminding myself that it’s probably just my imagination running wild due to a severe lack of male attention.
---
By lunchtime, he’s waiting for me by my desk.
“Ready?” he asks, smiling in a way I’m not used to. His glasses are off, and his tie is slightly loosened. Without the usual strict office attire, he almost seems… approachable.
“How was your morning?” I ask as we head out, more to fill the silence than anything else.
“Very productive. Let’s go!” He opens the door for me, and I catch myself smiling back. *That smile really does suit him.*
In his convertible, the breeze tousling his hair, it dawns on me that we’re alone, outside of work. My hands fidget in my lap as I try to make sense of the situation. But a burning question pops out of my mouth before I can stop it.
“Mr. Manner, aren’t you hot?”
He chuckles, glancing at me with amusement. “Not in the office now, are we? Feel free to call me Max. And yes, I am. Mind if I take off my jacket?”
“Not at all.” My voice is higher than usual, and I mentally curse myself for sounding so flustered.
He slips off his jacket, revealing a crisp white shirt stretched over surprisingly broad shoulders. His chest rises and falls with each breath, and I find myself wondering—*Does he have a tattoo?* I vaguely remember a tattoo from the movie, right below the pectoral. *I just need to see if he has one. That would settle everything… right?*
Trying to be subtle, I pull out my phone and scroll through images of the actor. There it is—the tattoo, a script right below the chest: *“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”* According to an interview, it’s a quote from Oscar Wilde, and the actor got it as a tribute to his favorite comic book as a kid. *If only I could confirm…*
I glance at Mr. Manner—Max—and he catches my eye, arching an eyebrow. “Is something wrong, Miss? Or… Mrs.?”
“Oh, I’m single,” I blurt, wincing at my own bluntness.
He laughs, a surprisingly soft sound. “Ah, you too, huh? Still waiting to find that elusive thing called love.”
The gentleness in his tone catches me off guard. For once, he doesn’t sound like my boss at all. More like… a person. “Yeah, I guess so,” I reply, hesitating. “It’s hard to trust people, especially after… disappointments.”
“I get that,” he says quietly, his gaze on the road. “I’ve had my fair share of work taking over my life. It’s the reason I haven’t been in a relationship for years. You can’t run three divisions and expect a lot of free time for anything else.” He pauses, glancing at me. “I wonder sometimes if it’s even worth it.”
For a moment, we fall into a comfortable silence. I’m taken aback by this glimpse of vulnerability, wondering if he feels as lonely as I sometimes do.
“So… you’ve only done office work?” I ask, fishing for a hint about his past.
He chuckles, steering into the parking lot. “I’ve had my share of experiences. But let’s save that story for another time, shall we?”
I bite my lip, disappointed but intrigued. *This is my chance to find out the truth,* I think, feeling like I’m in some spy movie.
YOU ARE READING
My hardcore Boss
General Fiction"Oh my God! It's him! My boss is a porn actor!" Cyntia, a timid and reserved secretary, is constantly subjected to subtle criticism from her colleague Elena, whose beauty and confidence constantly make her feel uncomfortable. Her life takes an unexp...
