Romance: Bad Boss: Billionaire Romance Boxed Set (6 page)

Chapter 2

In the evening, when almost everyone except for Elle and me was gone, she knocked at the door of my office.

“Yes?” I said.

She came in.

“Did you have a chance to look through my resignation?” she asked in a calm manner.

“I did,” I nodded, going to say a definite “no”.

“Well, you see…” Elle paused.

“I want to take it back.”

“Why so?” I smiled.

“It was a hasty decision.”

“Really?”

“Well, I have some financial difficulties now…”

She cast her eyes down.

Gotcha! She finally felt she was at my mercy. That was what I needed!

“Are you sure? I was about to sign it… You’ve been working here for just a week, and I can’t say I’m totally satisfied with your effort,” I said with an arrogant smile.

She was mine.

“Please!” she looked in my eyes, desperate and sweet.

“I really need this job now.”

“Now? So you didn’t need it in the morning?”

“I got an email after lunch…”

“Oh well, you read your personal emails at work!” I went on mocking.

“Simon, I really ask you not to sign this paper,” Elle pleaded.

“I’m in a terrible situation.”

“So what made you decide to quit?” I asked, playing with her resignation.

She didn’t answer.

“Nothing?” I suggested.

Elle didn’t move.

“Just tell me the truth.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“I promise not to sign it!” I tore the paper into pieces.

“See? Now tell me.”

Elle was quiet for a moment, and then she said:

“You’re unbearable! Rude, arrogant…”

“Wow, wow!” I raised my hands as if surrendering.

“So much hatred! Why?”

“Because you don’t respect anyone! You think we are all your slaves!” Elle turned red in the face.

“You treat women like dirt!”

“Really?” I smiled.

“What made you think so? I respect women.”

“No, you don’t. You feel up Kelly, Monique, Jenna, and me. All the time. Like we are your toys! And some of us have boyfriends!”

“Some of you?” I laughed.

“Tell me more. Do you have a boyfriend?”

“It has nothing to do with what I’m trying to tell you!” Elle exploded.

“So you don’t. Have you ever had?”

I was calm and reserved yet deep down I was delighted. I enjoyed teasing this little cutie who was obviously a virgin.

“Stop it!” she cried.

“Just try to be more of a gentleman!”

“Should I?” I asked as if considering her suggestion.

“I can try.”

“Do so, please!”

Elle was in an emotional turmoil, I could clearly see it. She was annoyed, embarrassed and despaired. I, on the contrary, was calm and composed, and she hated it, I knew.

I looked at my wristwatch.

“It’s quite late. Do you want me to take you home?”

She blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I’m trying to be a gentleman. You told me I lack some manners. Let’s see if I can please you.”

“Wait, Simon, this is not what I meant…”

“This
is
what you meant. I’ll be courteous and polite all this week, and you’ll see how nice I can be. Deal?”

“Are you playing with me again?”

“Of course. But you’ll like it,” I smiled.

“Or maybe you’ll hate it? Maybe you’ll regret that I tore your resignation?”

Elle sighed.

“I’m sorry, boss. I shouldn’t have been so…”

“…frank? Oh, come on. I love it.”

I stood up, took Elle by her hand, and led her out.

“Let’s have dinner first. Nasty bosses never ask their subordinates out. They never pay. They never care what their employees think about. Let’s change the way of things.”

I took her downstairs, to the car, and opened the door in front of her.

“While I’m driving, tell me about yourself, Elle. Who are you? What do you do in life? What are your hobbies?”

She looked confused! I triumphed. That was what I needed.

“Can I say nothing?” she asked when we got in the car, and I drove out of the parking.

“I mean, a dinner is already too much for me.”

“Did you have any plans for tonight?”

“Well, no, but…”

“You see? I
can
care about my employees!”

She suddenly chuckled. I frowned. I didn’t expect this kind of reaction.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Just tell me.”

“You can’t be called caring if you ask about my plans,” Elle said after a pause.

I noticed she was trying to hide her smile. A toy was trying to gain control over her master! No way.

“I’ve only begun. I’ll ask you a few more questions, and you’ll see…” I went on in a careful voice.

Elle nodded.

“Go on, please.”

Chapter 3

I narrowed my eyes. We were approaching the restaurant where I preferred to eat out with the women I chose for my
entertainment
.

“Oh no, I hate this place!” Elle exclaimed.

I shot a glance at her. She could hardly hide her smile.

She was scoffing at me. “I don’t wanna go there,” she added in a capricious tone.

I looked at her surprised. Elle left her quiet professional look at work; now she acted as if she was a queen. The farther we went, the cheekier she became.

“Where do you want to go then?” I asked.

She took my navigator.

“Here,” she marked a point on the map.

The restaurant she picked was one of the most expensive ones. I didn’t mind wasting some money; I was amazed at Elle’s sudden change, and I liked it, but I didn’t want to show my feeling, so I said, “I’m not sure I want to take you there…”

“Do you want me to call you a non-gentleman again?” she asked.

Elle was flirting. She was!

I could never imagine she was
capable
of behaving the way she did now. And I enjoyed it! She was so different, so intriguing!

Was she a virgin yet?

Now I wasn’t sure of it, and I had to find out. I didn’t want to fire her anymore, and she probably learned the rules of the game I started. But I didn’t want her to win either.

“So let’s go,” I said.

When we entered the restaurant Elle had picked, I did everything to seem courteous.

I moved a chair for her to sit down comfortably, I asked the waiter to bring us something special ‘for the lady’, and I kept asking if she felt okay.

“Is it not too cool here?” I asked.

“I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

“I’m good, thank you,” Elle smiled at me.

“Do you want some more wine?”

“No, thanks.”

“Maybe another salad?”

“No, that one will do.”

“What about the main dish? Do you prefer meat or fish? Or do you stick to vegetarian options?”

“I’ll choose it myself, thank you.”

She gave no sign that she knew I was mocking.

“Maybe another desert?” I didn’t lose hope to get to her, but she remained calm.

Then I realized she must have learned to do so while working in my office. I wanted to make her lose her temper again, but she seemed to have exhausted her irritation for today.

“You see, being a gentleman is not so bad,” she finally said when we were done with the dessert.

At this point, I hated my idea. I had wanted to play with this easy prey, but she turned out to be no easy one; she wasn’t even a prey either. There was one more chance though: after I drive her home.

“So thank you for the dinner,” Elle said when I stopped my car in front of her house.

“It was very nice of you. And you can be nice when you want to.”

“See, you were wrong,” I retaliated.

“I’m not rude and arrogant at all.”

“Oh, you are,” she smiled, about to open the door.

“Do you want me to fire you?” I asked, getting serious.

She lost her flirty mood in a moment.

“I don’t.”

“Then kiss me now,” I ordered, and instead of waiting for her reaction, I drew closer, took her by her waist, and gave her a long, deep kiss.

She moved back.

“That’s not what I really wanted,” Elle said with a concerned look.

“You know what I think about playboys like you.”

I didn’t care. All I knew was that I almost won my prize, and I didn’t want to lose it now.

“I’m sorry, Simon, but the game is over for tonight. Thank you for not firing me and goodnight,” she said abruptly, opened the door and slipped out of my arms quicker than I could seize her.

Chapter 4

Next morning, she was calm and professional―as usual. She looked as if nothing happened the day before, and . . . well, I hated it. Elle tricked me!

Instead of following my rules, she made her own and escaped. I couldn’t let it be.

“Elle, come into my office,” I requested, and she called in.

“I want you to do a lot for me today,” I started.

My goal was to make her beg for my mercy.

“This, this, and that,” I handed her a few stacks of papers.

“Sort them out, make the reports, and don’t lose a figure, please.”

She was just nodding and making her notes.

I’d never paid attention to her diligence, but she was an amazing secretary, to be honest. She finished all the tasks before lunch and came to me with a look of inquiry.

“Anything else?” Elle asked, and I thought I saw a hint of a smile on her lips.

I stood up, grabbed her, and started to kiss almost violently. I wanted her to be mine—now!

But she didn’t let me. She broke loose from my grip and adjusted her dress.

“If that’s all, I’ll have my lunch,” she said, turning her back upon me.

Oh, I hated her so much! So I started to think over my last plan…

Chapter 5

A few days of decent behavior and polite remarks, and I caught Elle’s wondering look. We were the last ones to leave the office—as always―and it was quite late.

I asked her to come into my office.

“Just a few more things,” I said seriously.

“I want you to look through these files.”

“If you are trying to exhaust me, it’s not going to work,” she said casually.

She was being cheeky again!

That meant that she was in a play mood, but I wanted to show that I wasn’t. Being serious, even severe, I wanted to seem buried in work. I wanted Elle to think I didn’t care about her.

And it worked the way I expected.

Elle placed her notebook on my table, stepped closer, and kissed me. I didn’t grab her, and I didn’t kiss her back: I just stayed calm.

“What’s wrong? Isn’t it what you wanted?” she asked with a puzzled look.

I realized that the reason of my hesitation was weird.

My goal was to drive Elle mad by my composure, and then score with her. But there was something odd deep down: I actually
felt
something…

I looked in Elle’s eyes and noticed they were as blue as the sea. Then I touched her hair and saw it was as soft as the silk.

I brushed against her skin and smiled: it was more delicate than any girl’s skin I ever touched.

“Simon?” she asked as if worried.

I took both her hands, drew her closer to me and kissed her—in a tender, gentle way.

“May I ask you to come with me?”

“Are you in a gentleman mood again?” she asked, still nervous.

I shrugged my shoulders. It wasn’t about the mood. It wasn’t something that could come and go. I just knew I fell in love with this girl.

“Is it your house?” Elle asked, entering my living room.

“Wow. I thought you have a bigger one.”

I wanted to smile and mock, but I took her hand instead and led her upstairs, to the bedroom. Then I kissed her again and started to unbutton her dress. She didn’t mind.

Her body was amazing. Fit and curvy, she was ideal. She had amazing full breasts of the size I exactly preferred, but my preferences didn’t matter anymore―I thought that I’d love her figure in any case.

Elle’s lingerie was white and modest: no lace or ornaments, and I wondered again if she was a virgin.

I kissed her neck and then went down, taking her bra off. Elle quietly moaned and her back arched. I couldn’t keep my silent question.

“Have you ever been with a man?” I asked.

Elle opened her eyes and gave me a lingering look.

“I have,” she said.

I knew she was lying.

“Then I’m going to tell you something,” I said seriously.

“You probably know me well, no matter how long you’ve been working with me. You’ve heard a lot.”

She nodded.

“But there is something about you that makes me feel weird,” I added sincerely.

“That’s my confession: I fell in love with you, Elle.”

She didn’t believe me, I could sense it. She stepped back and reached for her bra.

“I’m sorry, I made a mistake,” Elle said quietly.

“That’s what you say to all of them. I shouldn’t have ever dreamt…”

I took her hand.

“You’ve lied to me. You’re a virgin.”

She looked in my eyes.

“What does it change?”

“You know that guys like me love virgins. It’s such a sweet experience to know that a girl will remember you forever. But that’s not what I want to do now.”

I let her go.

“I didn’t lie to you,” I added.

She stopped halfway and turned to me. I probably looked too upset to seem a trickster.

“There is only one way to find it out,” she said, approaching me and casting her bra aside.

I held her in my arms and smiled. “

Are you sure? What if I dump you when we are done?”

“I’ll make your life unbearable,” she promised and smiled.

I smiled back. I knew that I wasn’t going to dump her: I really felt something I’d never experienced.

This girl was amazing, and I realized she’d remember that night all her life, and I was going to remember it too.

So I kissed her tenderly and whispered in her ear, caressing her back, “Sweet, sweet Elle. It was
you
who played all the time. And you won. You charmed me.”

She moved back, looking in my eyes, and I saw a smile playing around the edges of her lips.

“Was it so obvious?” she asked.

I shook my head.

“No, you’re a master. That’s why I lost.”

“Did you?”

“Well, I’ve won something. Someone.”

And then I drew closer and kissed her again. I wasn’t going to let her go. Never.