Page 29 of My Forbidden Boss

As he reeled, I took a step back and cleared my throat, formulating the most straightforward monotone I could imagine.

“Well, if that will be all, Mr. Fleming, then I’ll be on my way. I will look for your notice regarding my flight itinerary, and I look forward to further aiding your company through my future correspondence with the Wyoming office.”

I turned to leave but stopped short and looked back.

“In the meantime, before my return to work here in Tyler, might I suggest that you consider an inquiry into finding yourself a new secretary? Perhaps one with slightly longer legs and shorter skirts than the one you currently have? By all accounts, Tony appears to be more than competent, but I’m not sure that he is quite meeting… all… of your apparent needs in an employee meant to assist you.”

I turned away once more and smiled, strutting confidently toward the door and calling back over my shoulder.

“If Tony’s your guy, then hey, you won’t catch any judgment from me. At least you will have someone at the company to keep your crosshairs off me. But you really should update your employment benefits agreement if your company’s business policy is going to continue translating, ‘No, I won’t go to lunch with you,’ into somehow meaning, ‘Buy me lunch and bend me over, baby.’”

I flicked my hair and let my hips sway as I reached the door and nonchalantly shoved it open. Without a backward glance, I strode from the room and out of sight, grinning gleefully as I wondered just how close Hollis’ jaw had dropped to the floor.

Hollis

I didn’t leave the conference room for a long while, although most of that was due to the amount of time it took to recover my senses.

I was floored, barely able to stand. As Tisha left the room, I slouched back to the table’s edge in a daze. It took ten minutes for my legs to stop shaking. They were practically seizing, and, for the first time since I could remember, I felt aware… awake… alive.

In a frenzy, I made a decision and flew up to my office. Before Tony was even in view, I was bellowing random syllables he could not have possibly understood.

I tore into the anteroom and sprawled, leaning across his desk. Tony’s eyes looked ready to pop out of their sockets.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell.”

“Oh, no! What did I do?! What did I do?! I am so, so sorry, Mr. Fleming. I… I know I didn’t deserve a second chance, and I have no idea what I’ve done this time, but…”

I caught my breath, vaguely marking a reminder in the back of my mind to up my cardio requirements. “What? No, kid, you’re not in… wait. Did you do something?”

He shook with fatigue-fueled fear, and I answered for him. “No, right? Right. If there is something, just tell me, but that isn’t… Look. Get on your keyboard. We’re going to get those tickets right now. That way, I can… uh… never mind. Come on! She’s going to leave to go home for the day any minute!”

He was clearly confused but obeyed without question. Within five minutes, I had a printout of the flight schedule to and from Wyoming.

“Sir, do you want me to send the digital tickets to… uh…”

I finished for him. “… Miss Crawford. No. Not yet. Just forward it to my phone, and I’ll forward it to her when I see her.”

I took off running before he could ask another question. I flew down the stairs and out the door, careening across the courtyard and aiming toward the next building over.

Okay. There’s a lot of cars still here. Calm down, man. Relax.

I slowed at the door and stopped for one long breath. Smoothing my shirt and wiping my palms, I smoothly pulled the glass entry’s metal handle and smiled, waving an arm for the few workers exiting to step through before me.

“Good evening, Mr. Fleming.”

“Goodnight, sir.”

My smile remained framed in place, even as I squinted and craned my neck, trying to see into the hallway beyond. “Oh, uh, it’s Hollis guys, please. Just Hollis… or dude or bro or something. But yeah, have a good night, fellas. See you…”

I never finished. As soon as they were through the door, I threw myself into the opening and launched down the corridor.

My strides were long, and I was where I intended to be in no time. I slowed to a silent tiptoe and sneakily slid forward to peek, first into one office, then another, not sure which would be hers.

“Ah, Hollis! Oops, I mean… Mr. Fleming! What are you doing over here?”

I spun around, my heart pausing mid-beat, but I quickly relaxed. It wasn’t her, but the woman was attractive. I crouched involuntarily, worried that the announcement of my appearance might’ve been heard by Tisha. She had to be nearby unless she had already left for home and gotten away.

“Uh… Yeah, hi. I’m just… I’m not… uh… Can you tell me where T… I mean, uh, Miss Crawford’s office might be?”