Like A Boss (4 page)

THEO

Say please, my ass.

Listening to them talk about me—the way they thought I would run this bar into the ground—pissed me the fuck off. Pompous asshole? Who me? They didn’t know what the fuck they were talking about.

I wasn’t born yesterday and I worked hard for everything I had. There was no silver spoon in my mouth when I was born, and I never failed at anything I ever set out to do before in my whole goddamn life—and that was a fact.

I tugged at my tie as the heat coursing through my agitated veins compounded.

The previous owner told me business was good, and even showed me his books. Glancing around at the empty bar area, I questioned if he fudged the numbers, somehow. If we continued to do business like this, The Bearded Goat would be out of business before I could run it.

All in all, the staff was efficient, nothing I couldn’t work with. There were even a few who I would consider for management. They worked hard and I appreciated it.

But, this Penny Marks, now standing around twiddling her thumbs, doing nothing, tested my patience. I stood behind her as she polished a liquor bottle, and my anger heightened.

“Would you
please
clean?” I asked, stooping to her childish level.

She held up the bottle she was wiping, glancing at me through the large mirror behind the bar. “I am cleaning, Mr. Sullivan,” she said in an overly exaggerated sarcastic voice. Irritation rose inside of me. She couldn’t even take a second to turn around to face me.

“Cut the crap, Penny.” I cracked my knuckles in annoyance as my eyes tightened. “You’re polishing a bottle.”

She spun around with wide eyes to face me. Her breathing picked up and her cheeks reddened with either embarrassment or anger—at this point I didn’t care which.

“Excuse me, sir. The bottles get dirty when we pour drinks. If we don’t polish the bottles then we’ll get fruit flies. Do you want flies?”

“Of course I don’t want flies.” I leaned back against the bar. “Did you have a nice chat with Fiona?”

Her mouth hung open and the sassy expression was replaced with guilt. “Um, I can explain,” she said.

“Save it, Penny. Let me explain something to you. Do your job, show up on time, and work hard and maybe in a year we can discuss the management thing again.”

“A year? You’re kidding right?”

I cracked a smile. “Sure, of course I am. I would never say a year. Maybe two.”

“Oh ha ha very funny, Mr. Sullivan.”

“You can call me Theo, as for the management position, try not to talk bad about me anymore.”

“Theo, I didn’t mean to be…”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me. I never fail at anything I set my mind to. You best be remembering that.”

“Oh I remember things quite vividly.” Her eyes flashed to mine, and a hazy spark of recognition flickered and extinguished. I shook my head. I never saw her before; I was sure of it.

She was pretty the way her bangs fell right above her eyebrows. And this type of thought would have me out of business in a heartbeat. So, I would
not
be tempted.

I would keep her at arm’s length and not let myself be attracted to her. She was an employee and not a very good one. 

“Ok, get back to work,” I said.

She shot me a look, and I grinned, leaning in close to her ear. “
Please
.” Big mistake, my cock pulsed. She brushed a hand across her cheek as she swiped away a strand of hair, and I wanted nothing more than to feel the softness of her skin. Her body trembled slightly and I stepped away.

“Yes sir,” she breathed.

“Also, next time you decide to open your mouth,”
That pretty little mouth,
“and trash talk me,”
You’d blush at how filthy I talk,
“or call me an asshole...”
You’ll get an ass spanking.
I faltered, unable to focus my thoughts as she stared at me curiously. What the fuck was happening? My dick throbbed. “Just remember, I’m your boss, and I’m not going anywhere. Decide if you can handle it.”

She took in a deep breath as her expression hardened. “I won’t quit,” she said after a moment of silence.

“Fine.” Grabbing a black server tray to hide my growing erection, I stalked away and left her there.

“Oh, and Theo,” she called after me.

God, would she stop talking already? The last thing I needed her to see was the massive hard on I sported in my trousers.

I stopped dead in my tracks and glanced over my shoulder. “Yeah?”

“If you’re interested, they have a ton of books on running a bar. It may come in handy.” Her underhanded comment, disguised as helpful, grated on every nerve in my body and my jaw tensed.

I shook my head. “Get back to work,” I retorted through clenched teeth.

She smiled wide. “Sure thing, boss.”

I stormed out of the bar area and into the tiny office off of the kitchen.

I couldn’t even talk to this girl for five minutes without my anger boiling over and my cock getting hard.

Who the hell did she think she was? Queen bartender? Give me a fucking break.

***

By evening, I made it home to my two-bedroom condo. The first week of owning a bar didn’t go how I envisioned. My general manager quit, and I had a bartender who’d been given a glowing recommendation for management, but required a major attitude adjustment, which only turned me on more. All week long Penny continually shot me a perplexed stare every time I voiced an opinion or idea. There were two customers in the bar this afternoon, how difficult was it to stop and say goodbye as they left? Not fucking hard to me.

My phone pinged with an incoming call and I glanced at the caller ID. Fuck, Blair. What did she want?

I debated on ignoring the call, but after the third ring, I answered.

“What?” I huffed into the phone.

“Hello, Mr. Moody. What’s got your panties in a bunch?”

“What do you want, Blair?” I rubbed a hand across my forehead. Her games were the last thing I wanted at the moment. Cracking open a beer and putting this mess of a day behind me were the only things appealing to me right now.

“You’re still coming this weekend to grab Lucy, correct?”

“Why would you think I wouldn’t be?” I asked, reaching in the fridge for a beer.

“I’m just checking.”

“Then I’ll be there. Haven’t missed a time yet.”

“Alright then,” she huffed. “See you soon.” She hung up without saying goodbye, and I didn’t blame her. My attitude was borderline pure asshole and instead of taking my frustration out on the person who caused it, Penny Marks, Blair felt the brunt force of it.

I tossed my phone down on the black granite countertop and clasped my hands behind my head. What a fucking mess. It was now clear, the previous owner of the Bearded Goat fucking lied and I fell for it. Also, the pressing issue of my employees thinking I didn’t know what I was doing created havoc on my system.

I put the beer back in the fridge, unopened, and made my way down the hallway. Inside the bathroom I grasped the marble sink with both hands and leaned over, staring into the mirror. A look of defeat stared back at me. Fuck that. I wasn’t going to give up. Pushing off the counter, I removed my clothes.

I turned the shower on and stepped inside the glass stall, the hot water relaxed me instantly.

My cock grew heavy as I tugged it firm. I needed to come. I’d wanted to jerk off since the second I laid eyes on Penny at the bar. Her smile intoxicated me, and her eyes were like a well- worn penny casting her hatred at me. Her tight ass and tanned slender legs did things to me, wicked things. Things I should bury deep away in the bottom of my mind. Mostly though, it was the freckles, a splattering of a few light brown freckles which crossed over the bridge of her nose. I shouldn’t jerk off to her—it was so fucking wrong.

Instead, I tried my damndest to conjure up my silver moon goddess from months prior.

“Fuck,” I said on a groan, my balls heavy with lust. I tried to remember the way I slammed into her from behind and how she felt as I took her to new heights. Her pussy wet just for me.

How would Penny’s wet pussy feel?
No, stop thinking about her, think about the goddess.

I fixated back to the beach, the moon and stars shining down on us as I fucked the gorgeous woman who haunted my dreams at night.

I stroked along my cock remembering the way her skin tasted as I trailed my tongue along her neck. I pumped harder—fuck I wanted her again.

“Oh, God.” My panting picked up as I braced a hand against the wall.

My mind played tricks on me as Penny’s golden hair sprang through my consciousness and I clutched my cock tighter. Stroking my dick, which ached for one moment with her, down to my balls, I tried to push away the thoughts of Penny.
Get out of my head.

I grunted, loudly. The sound echoed off the tile. I groaned not able to fight my mind any longer against her.

The hot water cascaded over me as images of Penny in her bright pink tank crashed through my mind.

Pressing my hand harder on the shower tiles my cock throbbed.

Closing my eyes, fantasies of Penny naked, slowly exhaling and panting from arousal were taking over. I’d take a handful of her hair slick from the wetness of the water, wanting control, and kneel her before me. Her shining eyes would gaze up to mine—captivating and hungry. God, she’d be perfect below me, taking my cock in her sweet, open mouth.

“Damn,” I moaned.

My arm flexed as I tightened my hold. Pumping, throbbing, and needing her more than I wanted to admit.

I squeezed my eyes shut, fucking my hand, and enjoying every moment of it.

I grunted as I picked up speed. Her head bobbing in between my legs played in my mind like a slideshow.

My arm grew weak trying to hold myself up, the hot water scalding my skin, my hand pumping vigorously as I imagined Penny’s sweet lips sucking me off.

What would she feel like? I was so close to coming I couldn’t stop the rapid images flashing behind my closed lids. Big, round tits. Sucking them in my mouth. Biting her nipples. She was so fucking hot.

As I grew closer, my thoughts shifted as I imagined slamming her against the tile and fucking her hot, wet cunt.

My breathing was heavy and my body was in agony from not having her here, her tight pussy wrapped around me, her body begging for my touch. The muscles in my thighs tightened as soon as I felt the first wave of my orgasm rip through me. Fuck, I wanted her.

I jerked my hand faster as I came hard, my chest heaving from the force of it.

Damn.
I wanted her the hell out of my bar and my head.

***

I needed to make a list. Lists always made me feel better. I toweled off and slipped on a pair of black gym shorts.

Not bothering with a shirt, I made my way into my bedroom. After grabbing a pen and spiral notebook from the drawer of the nightstand, I settled into bed and flipped on my Boondock Saints night lamp and started writing.

REASONS TO FIRE PENNY

●
    
Her attitude

●
    
Her complete lack of respect for authority

●
    
Her sassiness

●
    
The guests really do like her

I paused briefly before furiously crossing through the line when I thought about the way they did in fact like her. Can’t fire her for that. Shaking my head, tapping my pen on the notebook, I narrowed my eyes. Back to the list.

●
    
Her complete lack of regard for me

●
    
The way she smiles at me

Ok, this list wasn’t working out well. I wasn’t finding any real reasons. I thought long and hard for anything which would warrant firing her.

●
    
Late

Chewing on the top of my pen, I stared at the word
Late
scribbled on the paper. It really was a one-time thing, and she’d been on time since then. Actually, she was usually early. It remained on the list anyways. Maybe I should make a list about what to do to get rid of her. I crumbled the paper and tossed it to the floor.

New List How to get rid of Penny

●
    
Fire her

No, I guess I couldn’t outright fire her. It would probably cause more problems for me. Think.

●
    
Ride her harder at work, so maybe she’ll quit