Page 7 of My Favorite Boss

Deciding not to chase after her, I returned to my office and inexplicably held the scarf to my nose. Her fragrance, the one I had smelled in her hair, clung to the diaphanous material. Light, floral, and citrusy, her perfume was fresh and feminine. Sexy in an innocent way.

For some reason, I wondered if it would be more potent inhaled from behind her ear or at the base of her throat. Or between her⁠—

I shook my head to stop that thought.

She was my new assistant, and I didn’t do relationships with employees. I barked out a laugh as I picked up my coat. I didn’t do relationships with anyone.

I headed to the elevator, hoping I hadn’t just made a mistake, yet somehow knowing I had. Ms. Myers was far too pretty and quirky to work for me. I needed an old, matronly woman with zero distractions.

Ms. Myers, with her dark eyes and sweet-smelling chestnut hair, was definitely a distraction. And I had a feeling she was going to be a problem. She was a lot of problems rolled into a small little ball of prettiness.

And I had hired her.

I was an idiot.

Then I shook my head. I handled problems all the time. Made fast decisions and stopped smaller problems from becoming bigger ones with one determined course of action. I could handle Ms. Myers. From now on, she was simply an employee. The fact that I was attracted to her was a problem I could contain.

I could do this.

I only hoped, come Monday, she didn’t look as appealing as she had today.

In fact, I was certain I had overstated her attractiveness. She had knocked me off my game when she had…knocked me off-balance. I grimaced, recalling how she’d felt on top of me. I shook my head to clear it.

She was just an employee.

And I only had to remember that for six weeks to win my bet. By that time, I was sure she would have faded into the background.

Then I realized I was still holding her scarf. Fingering the silk like it was her skin.

With a curse, I dropped the scarf on the desk she would be sitting at and walked out of the office.

I only sniffed my hand once on the way to my car.

Handling it.

Yep.

Chapter Three

BANE

She was already there when I arrived on Monday, her coat draped over the chair behind her desk, but the office empty. I glanced at my watch, surprised. It was barely seven-thirty. I looked around, wondering where she was, when she cleared her throat from behind me. I turned to say good morning, the words freezing in my throat.

She wore another old-fashioned blouse. Lace at her throat and wrists. It was a soft mossy green, and the skirt she wore was perfectly modest yet, on her, was sexy as hell. It fit her perfectly, molded to her hips and thighs as if it was made for her.

Her hair was up, swept away from her face. I had a vision of pulling it down and burying my fingers in it as I kissed her. I had to take a step back and shake my head, the lure of her was so strong.

I dropped my gaze to her feet, then met her confused gaze. “Managed to keep your shoes on this time,” I observed, my voice clipped.

She smiled, and I instantly regretted my words. I didn’t want to have any sort of relationship or inside jokes with her. She was simply someone to make my life easier at the office.

That was all.

“No missing the bus this morning. I’ll get your coffee, then head to HR. I was told to come back at eight.”

“What time did you get here?”

“Oh, about seven. Pete let me up. We made friends Friday when I left. Lovely man.”