“You’re doing spectacular. I give myself all the credit because I hired you.” I smirk, and his shoulders relax.
After he swallows, Bo offers me a quiet, “Thank you.”
This mythic is fascinating to me.
Terrifying in his monster form.
Frantic and fierce when first freed.
Lost and loud when drunk on margaritas.
Quiet, hardworking, and overly respectful since the day I hired him.
Does Bo even know what version of himself is the natural one?
More than anything, I want him to feel comfortable.
“You’ve been navigating the modern world for a couple of weeks now. Any questions?”
I bite my bagel, humming in appreciation of the rich flavor.
Bo stares at the wooden boards between his boots, a look of indecision on his face.
“Ask me anything.” I lean over to nudge his arm with my elbow. “I swear I won’t make fun of you. This is a safe porch.”
“Hmm. A safe porch, huh?”
“Yep. All questions are valid, and no secrets will pass beyond those steps.” I point to the three that lead down to the yard. The freshly mowed yard, thanks to Bo.
“If you say so.” He takes another bite, but this time, I can tell he’s contemplating what to ask. “What is a zaddy?”
I jerk, out of surprise rather than offense. “A zaddy?”
“I heard Sonya say it,” he explains, naming the siren who co-owns Coffee & Claws. “I think she was talking about Levi. But I thought you said he was a leviathan.”
“It’s … well, it’s slang.” Good thing we don’t have an HR department because this is definitely not normal boss-employee talk. Still, I did say all questions were valid. “Usually referring to a hot man who is maybe middle-aged. Like”—wow, my face is hot now—“a guy who dresses well and you want to call him Daddy in the bedroom.”
“In the?—”
“While having sex,” I clarify, not sure how popularDaddywas as a sexy term seventeen years ago.
“So, when she said Levi had zaddy energy, she was saying …”
“That he’s a hot guy with good style who’d probably have an alpha personality if you slept with him.”
Bo contemplates this as he consumes the rest of his bagel. Then he stares down at the flannel and worn jeans he’s sporting.
“I do not have zaddy energy,” he says on a sigh.
My heart squeezes.Is he attracted to Sonya?
“No,” I admit because I’m not going to lie to the man. “But that’s not a bad thing. There’re other sexy energies to have.”
“What …” He shakes his head. “Sorry. I shouldn’t ask you about this, should I? You’re my boss.”
“Yeah. HR will have my ass,” I joke.
But silently, I answer.
