IN BED WITH THE BOSS

For the second time in the space of minutes, shock robbed Jennifer of speech. Icy fingers of astonishment and dread trailed down her spine.

Bruce cocked his head to the side. “You believed I didn’t know about your little company all this time? Nothing gets by me. And as long as you were discreet, I didn’t see the harm in letting you dabble in business. It didn’t interfere with your responsibilities to this family. But now, your actions are jeopardizing us. If you don’t end it with Scott, I’ll ruin every business that has received money from you. And with my name and reputation, you know I could do it with just a whisper. Now, while you take some time to make your decision about who you’re giving your loyalty to, I’m going to insist you step back from your job at Bennet Inc. I’ve already asked Emily to take over some of your duties for the next few weeks. Consider it a leave of absence while you choose between a man you barely know and your family.”

With that parting shot, he exited the room, not pausing to spare her a glance. Not even bothering to glimpse the devastation he’d left behind. Not only had he dismissed her easily, replacing her with his fiancée, but he’d threatened her company, as well as the hard work and livelihoods of those she’d invested in. He would cavalierly ruin others’ lives to bring her to heel.

Forcing her feet to move, she left the study and retraced her steps to her room. There, she removed her suit and went to her closet for her suitcases. Forty minutes later, she once more descended the stairs, not knowing when she would return.

She couldn’t stay here any longer.

Not when she wasn’t sure who she was selling her soul to protect.

———–

Get yourself a man…

Vivian considered this comment from Betty as she sat alone in her flat, reworking a designer suit to look less high fashion and more office friendly so she could wear it to work next week.

Weaning herself off Scott McCall was making good sense the more she thought about it. He did not want her, despite the fact that he’d kissed her. In fact, he had gone into great detail to make it clear how much he did not want her!

Juvenile and annoying… so he’d said.

Putting her sewing aside she stood with a tense jerk and paced restlessly over to the window to look out. It was dark outside, the night skyline twinkling with lights. It was Friday night and most people were out, but here was she alone in her apartment with her hair stuck in a ponytail, wearing a pair of faded jeans and an old top, and no plans to go anywhere, or anyone to call upon if she did want to go out!

She’d taken the night off and Megan was at work. Micheal had been avoiding her recently and Betty was with George.

Right now she would kill to have a man ring her doorbell, or to be getting ready to go out to meet with him. Betty was right. It was time she weaned herself off this infatuation she suffered for Scott McCall. It was time for her to throw off the shy little girl and make good use of the opportunity she had to grow into herself.

A man…a man…How did one go about attracting a man?

Well, not by standing alone here in her apartment, that was certain, but her isolated life had not taught her anything about being a young independent woman living on her own in a big city. She sighed, turning to face the room again with its bland walls and bland modern furniture and its television playing softly in the corner for company.

I’m going to go out, she told herself.

The decision sparked out of nothing. It just hit her like a fever in her head and, before she knew it, Vivian had called Collins, the guy from the accounts team she’d had a chat with two weeks ago. They had exchanged numbers and decided to meet up sometime for drinks, but neither of them had called each other for that hangout, so now she was going to do it.

Collins picked up at the third ring, and Vivian swallowed hard. It wasn’t a romantic date, but she’d never asked a guy out in her life, even if it was just to hang out as friends so she was nervous.

“Hi Vivian” Collins said cheerfully, “What’s up?”

His cheerful attitude helped her feel more confident. “Hi Collins” she replied, “How are you”

“Doing good. How are you?”

“I’m fine. Look, I was just a little bit… bored…so I was wondering if you would like to meet up for drinks somewhere… anywhere… you know.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Oh”

He sounded surprised and Vivian felt her heart sink. “Oh… it’s okay if you’re busy” she said hastily.

“No…. No… it’s fine… just tell me where you want to meet” said Collins.

And so a date was arranged. Two minutes later, Vivian was striding out of the sitting room and into the bedroom. Fifteen minutes later she returned, dressed in a short dusky-lilac silk dress with a dipping neckline and tiny lace-cap sleeves. A hunt along the rail of clothes had uncovered a fashionably complicated fitted black satin jacket she pulled on over the dress as she walked.

And most important of all, her resolve to just get out there and do something was burning like a fire in her blood.

Gathering up her purse she let herself out of her house. She was going with Collins to a restaurant and eat out for a change. She wondered why she didn’t even go out alone. Lots of cool independent people in the city dined alone. She’d seen them doing it at the lunches Scott had taken her to so why did it never occur to her to go and do it herself?

Brave Vivian, she mocked, feeling tense tingles play havoc with her insides in direct opposition to the adventure she was about to embark upon. Because she wasn’t brave. Never had been.

She had still not fixed her car, so she took a taxi to the spot where she and Collins had agreed to meet each other. Then he’d take her to the restaurant he’d suggested. The sound of a car door opening behind her had her spinning about. Instantly her tingling insides crashed to a fizzing burn when she found herself staring at Scott.

It just was not fair that he had to show up at this moment, she decided as she stared at him in dismayed shock. He was wearing a formal black dinner suit that sat smoothly on his long powerful frame. A black silk bow tie sat perfectly symmetrical across the butterfly collar of his dress shirt. And his hair was still damp, as if he’d dressed quickly after showering. Now the hint of curls lay black and thick and glossy on the top of his well-shaped head. Every single inch of him looked strong and sleek and formidably exclusive. Her mouth ran dry and her heart started beating too fast as she flickered her gaze up to stare at his recently shaved jaw, then the sensual shape of his unsmiling mouth. And finally-finally she made contact with his eyes.

He was looking back at her as if this accidental meeting had disconcerted him as much as it had done to her. Defensive tension stiffened her stance.

“On your way somewhere?” he spoke first, smooth and cool and, Vivian suspected, carefully pleasant.

“Yes” she managed to say, unaware that her hands had clenched into fists on the ends of her arms held straight like sticks at her sides.

He nodded, the floating veil of his eyelashes sweeping downwards before he turned to close his car door. Vivian finally had a good reason to drag her eyes away from him, though it made little difference, she realized a few seconds later, because his image was still stuck in her head. She felt like was standing too close to him. Felt crammed by his superior height and that overpowering sense of presence he always carried around with him.

Her breath caught again when he moved to stand beside her. The subtle tangy scent of him assailed her nostrils. As his sleeve brushed against her arm she took a step away from him.

“Going anywhere nice?” he enquired casually.

Keeping her eyes glued to her own feet, Vivian nodded and watched her hair move against the black satin jacket. “Dinner,” she said, her lightly glossed lips part to form the response.

She didn’t even need to see her eyes to acknowledge the lurking darkness of deep uncertainty at her impulsive decision to go out like this. Was she mad? Was she stupid?

“You?” she asked because she felt she should.

“Same,” he replied.

She looked up-not wanting to-and wished she had not when she found him checking out the set of his black bow tie, chin thrust downwards, beautifully black-framed eyes as dark as night. Sensation sprinkled like static between fine layers of her skin and she looked away again quickly