When the Boss Gets Jealous (4 page)

The guilt pulsed through her veins, making
her want to purse her lips and tap her fingers. But Jenna was
completely in tune with her body, controlling every paranoid and
guilt-inspired twitch, shudder, and tremor. She sat perfectly
still, lips relaxed, one hand lightly grasping the beer glass, the
other hand resting on her leg. She didn’t even wiggle her toes. She
did, however, take a long drink of her beer.

It was her fault Alec was treating Jalen
badly. It pissed her off, since Alec had dumped her. His jealousy
was a bit of a surprise given how easily he’d given her up. He’d
shown a bit of that streak when they were together, but it wasn’t
overbearing. In fact, it had turned Jenna on to know Alec was that
possessive of her. Now, it was uncalled for. Just because he was
jealous didn’t mean she’d let him dictate who she could and could
not date. It had taken nearly two months to get over him. Now that
she was ready to have someone new in her life, she couldn’t allow
Alec’s ego and absurd possessiveness to get in the way.

“Alec thrives on control,” she explained
when she was sure her voice would be steady. “He’s probably just
showing you who’s boss. I’m sure he’ll ease up on you after he
feels he’s made his point.”

“And what about you?” Jalen asked.

Panic filled her chest again. “What about
me?”

“When will he ease up on you?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Why’d he stick you with that project?”

“Westville?” Jenna asked. When Jalen nodded,
she simply shrugged. “I’ve worked with them before. It’s nothing I
can’t handle.”

“But late nights. That sucks. Everyone says
you’re the only one who keeps late hours. Besides Alec.”

Jenna sighed. “Normally, I don’t mind.”

“Normally?” Jalen asked, obviously picking
up on her frustration.

“Well, I’ve been wanting to have more of a
social life.”

“Lucky for me.”

Jenna smiled. Jalen was cute, handsome even.
Not
make your pussy throb
sexy, at least not at first
glance, but he had the confidence and those dimples, adding up to a
potential that Jenna was eager to explore.

A baseball game played on the television
screens around the bar, but Jalen didn’t seem interested, giving
Jenna his undivided attention. She wondered if he’d always be like
that or if this was just the newness of getting to know each other.
Every other man she’d been with had been equally attentive in the
early days. As the relationship progressed, the attention
diminished. The one exception was Alec. His attention never
faltered. Even now, two months after they’d gone their separate
ways, he still turned Jenna on with his focused attention.

Unfortunately, it was all business. He was
the boss, Jenna his subordinate, and they couldn’t cross the line
again. They never should have crossed it to begin with.

Those were his words, not Jenna’s. She was
smart enough to know they were just that though. Words. Alec wasn’t
so controlled that he could fool her. He may put on a great show
for everyone else, but that tempered control was craving to be
broken again.

Jenna, however, wasn’t interested in playing
the game with a man who wasn’t willing to suffer the risks. If he’d
suggested they take a break until the prying eyes of human
resources grew bored, she’d be willing to stoke his fire again. But
that wasn’t Alec’s style. He’d had his fun. When it was done, he’d
moved on. Now it was Jenna’s turn.

After dinner, she excused herself to go to
the bathroom and took a little time to freshen up. Fortunately, she
had good skin that didn’t dry out or get oily even after a
fifteen-hour day. Plus it was late spring, so the heat hadn’t
kicked in, inspiring her to sweat through the day. But she still
took the opportunity to splash some water on her face and reapply
lip stick.

As Jenna left the bathroom, she spotted
Gavin Hastings sitting at the bar. Scanning the area, she looked
for Alec. The two often met at McCabe’s. If Alec was there, she
hoped he wasn’t going to act like an ass and cause trouble. Jalen
had likely endured enough of Alec’s attitude to last a lifetime. As
had she.

It was probably a good time to call it a
night. Jenna didn’t want to give Alec any ammunition to continue to
harass Jalen. Or another reason to summon her to his office. As far
as Jalen was concerned, well, she might want him to invite her back
to his place, but she wasn’t going to extend the evening hoping for
such an invitation.

Her plans to leave were thwarted when she
saw Jalen had ordered another round.

“I hope you don’t mind,” he said, obviously
noting her angst.

“Actually, I’m really tired. It was a long
day. Maybe we should call it a night after this drink.”

“Sure.” He sounded disappointed, but Jenna
knew she had another long day tomorrow.

She was halfway done with her drink when
Alec sauntered in. The man was impossible to ignore. Even in her
peripheral vision, his confident strides and perfect form commanded
her attention. It required immeasurable effort to keep her eyes
focused on Jalen, but Jenna managed to conjure up her best measure
of indifference.

“The boss just walked in,” Jalen said.
“Should we say hello?”

“No. He probably didn’t even notice us.” At
least that’s what she hoped.

Y
ou spot your girl over there?” Gavin
nodded his head, signaling an area at the back of the bar.

“My girl?” Alec asked.

“Jenna Craven.”

Alec couldn’t control the impulse that had
his head tilting and his eyes scanning the dimly lit bar.

Jenna was there all right, and she was
sitting with Jalen Foster. The jealousy surged through Alec’s body
like an electrical current, nearly tossing him off the stool and
rocketing him across the room.

What the hell was she doing with Foster?
Alec had forbidden her to see him. If that wasn’t enough, he’d told
Foster that he frowned upon inter-office relationships. Apparently
the guy didn’t give a shit what the boss said.

Neither did Jenna. Of course, she enjoyed
defying Alec’s commands. Whether she did it for her own pleasure or
to test Alec’s control, he couldn’t say. Maybe it was a
combination. Regardless, it shouldn’t concern him, and certainly
shouldn’t stir his interest, but that was one thing Alec never had
control over. He’d wanted Jenna Craven the moment he’d met her. No
human resources policy could tamp that desire even if Alec had
chosen to follow the rules instead of pursue the only woman he
wanted.

“Looks innocent enough,” Gavin added, his
gaze focused on the big-screen television behind the bar. Alec had
tuned in to the game on the drive from the office and was happy to
see the Sox were still leading. Alec had stayed late at the office,
as he always did when Jenna worked late. Wrapped up in the budget
for a proposed project, he wasn’t sure when she left. Had he known
she was meeting Foster, Alec would have paid more attention to her
online status and left when she did, hopefully disrupting this
little date.

Innocent was never a word Alec would use to
describe Jenna Craven. She wasn’t the type of woman who casually
dated. If she was out to dinner with Foster, it was because she was
looking to get into the man’s bed. Alec experienced firsthand the
passionate hunger she kept leashed under her professional demeanor.
The woman had needs that he’d been challenged to satiate. Trying to
satisfy her had been a hell of a ride, though. The two of them had
fucked more than they’d slept in those amazing four months. Alec
wasn’t getting any more sleep these days than he had been when
Jenna was in his bed. He’d never imagined how lonely it would be
when things ended between them.

As Alec ordered a beer, he realized it was
time to find someone else to warm his bed. The problem was he just
wasn’t interested in looking. And since he wasn’t moving on, he’d
made damn sure Jenna wasn’t either. Alec had assigned her plenty of
work, ensuring she kept long hours at the office. She’d asked for a
break, wanting to cut back a little, and he’d been willing to give
that to her, knowing that if she was asking, she really needed
it.

Any empathy he’d felt washed away when she
showed an interest in another man. All that pent up sexual energy
probably made her desperate to unleash her unbidden desire, thus
the reason she’d latched right on to the new guy.

“Sox are up by six. Yankees can’t buy a hit
tonight,” Gavin said.

Instead of being smart and showing an
interest in the game, Alec sized up the man making Jenna smile.
Jalen Foster had great credentials and had interviewed well. The
five other applicants paled in comparison to Foster. Had Alec known
the man might steal Jenna’s interest, he’d have hired one of the
female applicants instead.

Foster looked young, his face portraying
innocence under that blond hair. That’s probably why it hadn’t
occurred to Alec that the new project manager might be a threat.
Alec snickered, thinking about Jenna’s passion. No way was Jalen
Foster going to be able to handle her. If he was as innocent as he
looked, he’d probably run for his life.

Jenna liked things that many women wouldn’t
even consider. For someone who controlled her projects like a
dictator, she easily gave up control when it came to sex. She’d
never said no to Alec, whether it was being restrained, spanked, or
fucked with any variety of toys that he’d purchased for her
pleasure. Even more than not saying no, she was responsive as hell.
Jenna didn’t just let him have his way with her, she thoroughly
enjoyed it.

Alec took a sip of his beer and glanced at
the screen. Boston was now up by seven runs in the fifth inning.
There was still time for them to throw it away, but he was more
interested in watching the plays across the bar than the ones on
the screen.

Foster leaned across the table and brushed a
stray hair from Jenna’s cheek. Was he looking to get lucky tonight?
This had to be a first date. Alec had heard them make it yesterday
at the cubicle. His attempts to prevent it had failed but Alec
wasn’t one to give up. If Foster was indeed looking to get Jenna
naked tonight, or vice versa, no way in hell was Alec going to let
that happen.

The two got up from their seats. Alec
watched, not even attempting to hide his interest. Jenna
deliberately ignored him, keeping Foster’s attention on her as they
left the bar.

“I’ll be back,” Alec said, sliding off the
bar stool.

“What are you doing, man?” Gavin asked,
grabbing Alec’s arm.

Alec shook him off. “Just saying hello.”

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Gavin said,
turning his attention back to the game. Alec was grateful the guy
was more into baseball than intervening in what could likely be a
disaster.

Alec stalked out of the bar and spotted his
prey across the parking lot, next to Jenna’s car. She leaned on the
door, Foster hovering in front of her. Jenna laughed and Foster
leaned in. The good-night kiss was coming. No way could Alec let
that happen.

“Jenna,” he called across the lot, then
strode over at a brisk pace, his gait long and solid.

“Alec. Funny seeing you here,” Foster said,
his tone surprisingly friendly. Either the guy was an idiot or a
kiss-ass. Alec didn’t like either one. Good thing he was rescuing
Jenna from making a mistake with the man.

“Jalen,” Alec muttered, his gaze never
leaving Jenna. “How’d the meeting go with Westville?” he asked, too
dumb and desperate to think of anything else.

Jenna glowered, arms crossed low, not that
seductive way that teased him with those pert little tits. “Fine. I
can fill you in tomorrow.” She was all business, that schooled
professionalism shining through the disdain she was trying to
mask.

“Why don’t you join me inside and tell me
about it now.”

“I had a fifteen-hour day, Alec. I’m done
with work. It can wait until tomorrow.”

She turned her attention back to Foster.
“Thank you for a nice evening. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Jenna,” Foster said with an
affection that made Alec want to throttle the guy.

“Jenna, wait. I need to talk to you about
something else.” Alec hardly recognized his own voice, the
desperate plea as foreign to him as the unrelenting need that had
impelled him out of the bar.

Jenna stopped and sighed, something she
rarely did, and turned back around to glare at Alec.

“It won’t take long,” Alec said.

“Fine. You can have five minutes.”

“You want me to stay?” Jalen asked and even
though Alec wanted to punch the guy in the face, he couldn’t help
but respect him for not leaving Jenna.

She relaxed her stance to place a hand on
Foster’s arm. Alec choked back a possessive growl. “No, it’s fine,”
she said, smiling at the man. “Thank you. See you tomorrow.”

Foster gave Alec another glance and nodded
quickly before skulking to the car parked behind Jenna’s. Alec
watched the man drive off, while silently questioning his own
motives.

With hands perched on her round hips, Jenna
looked ready for a fight, but Alec had other things on his
mind.

“What do you want, Alec?”

Damn this woman for making him want her when
he knew he shouldn’t. “You,” he said, not thinking.

Jenna laughed. “That’s great, Alec. Just
great.”

“I don’t like seeing you with someone else,”
he admitted. The gate was open now, he may as well step all the way
through it.

“That’s your problem, not mine.”

“Jenna,” he stepped forward, only to meet
her hands.

“Stop it, Alec,” she demanded, pushing him
back. “We messed around. It was fun. Now it’s over. You can’t
expect me to pine after you. Especially when you made it clear you
didn’t want me anymore.”

Alec raked his hands through his hair,
frustrated by his lack of control. He should walk away, should
leave Jenna to fuck Jalen Foster or whatever other man she wanted.
But Alec couldn’t let go. Two months ago, he’d walked away to save
not only his job, but also Jenna’s career. That didn’t stop him
from wanting her. He was powerless to do anything about it. “I want
you. But, hell, Jenna, we were sneaking around. We got caught. We
both could have gotten fired.”