“Yes, we went to my office. I didn’t take her there to do that. I wanted to show her how we worked here. She thinks I’m this horrible boss. I wanted to show her that my people work just as hard, and I don’t have to be all soft and bubbly. I don’t have to hug everyone. There is more than one way to run a business.”
“I think she’s trying to tell you to just be nice,” he said.
I smirked. “I think I just proved I can be very nice.”
He groaned. “Gross.”
“It isn’t gross. Did I mention we had a past?”
He nodded. “You did. I thought you were worried about that past making for some murky waters.”
“Apparently, it isn’t so murky. She tried to pretend like it never happened. It happened. Now that we’ve addressed the elephant in the room, I think things will be better.”
“You think a quickie in your office is going to make it easier to work together?” he asked with skepticism.
“Yes, I do,” I said. “There was a lot of tension between us. I think it was sexual tension. She will never admit it, but she wanted me.”
He groaned. “You think every woman wants you.”
“Most of them do,” I said with my usual cockiness.
“I think you might have just made your situation worse,” he warned.
“She came onto me,” I said.
“You are her boss. How are you going to tell her what to do and demand she do anything when you’ve seen her naked and vice versa?”
“Technically, neither of us was naked,” I told him.
“You know what I mean. You’re supposed to keep a certain distance between boss and subordinate. That’s a rule in life and it’s there for a reason.”
“Yes, but we were lovers before I was her boss,” I said.
“And now you just went back to the—I can’t even say it,” he muttered.
“Lovers,” I teased. “Sleeping together? What is more comfortable for you to say?”
“None of it.”
“This was the right thing to do,” I said. “I feel a hell of a lot better about things. We agreed it wouldn’t happen again. It was scratching an itch. Now that we’ve taken care of that business, we can focus on the actual business.”
“How can you look at a woman that is that hot and not want her after you’ve already had her? Judging by that scratch on your neck, she’s one of those wild ones. You know you are going to want her again.”
I shook my head. “I have no problem doing it again, but it will not interfere with my work. I’m here to make money. I can get laid anywhere. The job is my priority. She is a perk. She’s great at what she does, and I want her to stay on. I might even offer her a promotion when it’s time.”
“A promotion?”
“Yes,” I said. “I’m only there to get things on track. I don’t plan on staying there forever to act as a babysitter. I want her to do it.”
“Does that promotion include a raise?” he asked.
“Obviously.”
He grinned and undid the top button of his shirt. “In that case, I’m ready and willing.”
“For?”
“If having sex with you gets me a raise, count me in,” he teased. “You’re a little used up, but I don’t mind.”
“You’re an idiot.”
He laughed and fixed his shirt. “I’m being completely serious here,” he said. “You need to be careful. You’re walking a very fine line.”
“She’s not going to come after me for sexual harassment,” I insisted. “She started it.”
“I’m not talking about that, but yes, you should keep that whole thing in mind. I’m warning you not to get played.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Me? You think I’m going to get played? Do you know me at all?”
“You said she initiated the sex?”
I nodded. “Yes. Basically.”
“And before today, you two have been at odds?”
I nodded again. “Yes, Davin. She didn’t like me, but I think that was just the sexual tension speaking. She wanted me and didn’t know how to go about it.”
“And you have a past relationship, which means she knows you. She knows how to manipulate you. She knows what you like and how to appeal to that basic male instinct.”
“Saige isn’t manipulative.”
“You had sex with her in your office,” he pointed out. “When have you ever had sex in your office?”
I smiled. “Do you want me to list the times?”
“I mean with an employee,” he said. “I know you and you have always made it very clear you will not have sex with your assistants or employees, ever. You just broke your own rule.”
“This is different,” I said. “She’s different. I know her. I’m not worried anything is going to come of it. I’m only going to be working with her a few more weeks at most. There is nothing that requires my full attention once I get things straightened out.”
He looked thoughtful. “And what if she thinks this is a rekindling of that old relationship? What if she is looking for a sugar daddy? You just walked right into her trap.”
“If it was any other woman, I would agree with you. Saige isn’t any other woman. In fact, she is the one who said it was never happening again. She had a need, and I filled the need. So to speak.” I couldn’t help making a little joke.
“You didn’t just say that,” he groaned.
“I did. You worry too much.”
He held up a finger. “One more thing, hear me out.”
I sighed and sat back in the chair. “You’re really killing my after-sex buzz,” I complained.
“What if she is going to use sex to get what she wants? You said you made a bunch of changes she didn’t like, which I’m taking her side on that. What if now she can offer you sex in exchange for getting what she wants?”
I laughed. “You think she’s trying to soften me? Create some kind of quid pro quo situation?”
“I think it’s something you need to consider.”
“No. I don’t get softened. Like I said, business is business with me. I can get sex anywhere. If she thinks to somehow lord it over me, she’d be very wrong. She can keep her sexual favors and I’ll do what I think is right regardless. Again, I don’t need her to get laid.”
“Are you bragging?”
I laughed. “No, I’m stating the facts. But none of that matters because that’s not what it was. We never really got closure when things ended. This was that closure. We got that one last hurrah in and now it’s over.”
“You’re cute but you sure are an idiot,” he said with a sigh.
“If you’re trying to come on to me, I still don’t want your ass. You’re too blond for my tastes. I prefer dark and mysterious.”
“You couldn’t handle me anyway,” he said with a laugh.
“Thank god.”
“So pretend I didn’t just tell you to walk away from her and I didn’t call her manipulative,” he said. “She’s hot. She’s obviously smart. You liked her before. Maybe you should think about dating her.”