The Secretary's Boss - Allen Brothers Series : Book One - An Enemies To Lovers - Office Romance

by Paige Cooper

  “So, you made it to lunch,” Abby joked as she picked at a green salad in front of her. She didn’t seem enthused about it, but Michelle crunched on her own salad happily next to us. I could tell who had put the lunch order in today.

  “Apparently, I did. You guys seem really surprised. How many has he been through?” I asked, taking a bite of my roast beef sandwich.

  “Oh, gosh. Too many to count. Though there are a few that stand out. There was Natasha and Violet. Both fired for having sex with Mark and getting way too clingy. They both thought they’d be the next Mrs. Allen.” Abby rolled her eyes and finally took a bite of the green lettuce in her bowl. She winced as she chewed on it and grabbed the salad dressing, dousing the leaves in oil and vinegar.

  “Wait, they really slept with their boss?” My eyes were wide with shock as I looked from Abby to Michelle, who were both nodding their heads.

  “Except for Nathan, he left because he couldn’t handle Mark’s brutish personality,” Michelle’s voice was low as she spoke, and she looked around the room to make sure no one else was listening.

  “And then Marcella, Davis, Eric, Layla, and that other girl with the red hair were all fired for not being able to handle his insane workload,” Abby said through a crunch of cucumber.

  “Deidre,” Michelle said in reference to the girl with the red hair. Abby nodded hurriedly in agreement.

  “Wow, it sounds like he’s been through tons of secretaries.”

  “You don’t know the half of it. Those are only the names we happen to remember. This year has been a nightmare. Both Michelle and I have had to step in for Mark to help him out, but we hate working with him,” Abby said thoughtfully.

  “Why’s that?” I poked my nose into Abby’s thoughts, wanting to know everything I could about the mystery man behind the glass wall.

  “He’s handsome, that’s for sure. They all are. But Mark has a tendency to be the biggest asshole you’ve ever met. After he berated me for not filing the way he would have done, I’d had enough. I told John I wouldn’t work with him anymore.” Abby shrugged her shoulders.

  “He yelled at me over his coffee. The damn recipe is so complicated. Whatever happened to enjoying a plain cup of black coffee?” Michelle asked incredulously, shaking her head at the memory of one of Mark’s tantrums.

  “It’s actually surprising you’re back. I never expected to see you again after you told me he fired you. John and David must really like you, because you’re the first secretary to ever be seen again after a fire from Mark,” Abby chuckled as she looked at me with awe in her eyes.

  “Oh, and he was furious about it, too. I couldn’t even stop him from charging into David’s office today,” Michelle added. She shot a wink my way, and I felt her stony exterior soften up a bit.

  I understood why she was so reluctant to get to know new secretaries. They came and went so quickly that it almost wasn’t worth learning their names. But I wouldn’t be the same.

  I finished up my sandwich over some idle chit chat about the office, and before I knew it, I found myself back at my desk. Lunch had seemed to fly by, and I found myself feeling settled. The people here were nice—with the exception of Mark Allen, of course.

  I felt overwhelmed after hearing how many secretaries Mark had gone through, and I was determined to not be another number. I double-checked all my work for the rest of the afternoon, pulling files and dates, making sure all legalese was correct and used in the right way.

  An error in dates pulled up as I searched through everything with a fine-toothed comb. I’d be damned if I got fired for not being near perfect, although I felt comfort in knowing he couldn’t fire me without John or David’s consent. But Mark’s notes didn’t make sense with the corresponding discovery we’d received on the Peter Daniels case.

  I printed the documents and memos, adding a sticky note on top of the stack. I’d left the dates blank, so it was an easy fix to go back to, but it would take time to dig through the documents and find the right information.

  A look up at the clock told me it was almost time to leave.

  Nervously, I stood outside of Mark’s door. Should I knock? My heart pounded in my chest at the thought of seeing him again. I hadn’t caught so much as a glimpse of him since he’d hidden himself away after dumping notes on my desk this morning.

  In the end, I decided I didn’t need to knock. If he couldn’t look me in the face, I didn’t need to knock on his door.

  Gently, I pushed the door open and made my way to his desk. I was taken aback at how good he looked when he was focused.

  Mark was bent over his mahogany desk, poring over files and papers. His eyebrows were drawn together, and that stray hair had found its way to his forehead again.

  I held back the familiar urge to push his hair away and, without a word, dropped the documents off on his desk. I didn’t want an argument with him, especially not so close to leaving time, so I chose not to say anything directly about the errors with the dates. He hadn’t even looked up to acknowledge my presence.

  An overwhelming urge took hold of me: I wanted to stomp my feet and throw a tantrum. Why wasn’t he looking at me? A steadying breath in and out helped me see my way out. I wasn’t going to make myself look like a fool in front of him.

  “You’ll have to stay late and fix this,” Mark’s husky voice raked over my back as I slipped my jacket on and grabbed my purse.

  I turned around swiftly to see him standing in front of me. He wasn’t looking directly at me, but instead at a spot on the wall again.

  “Excuse me?” I asked, giving him one moment to rectify his pitiful statement.

  “You’re going to need to stay late tonight. Those dates are wrong and need to be corrected, but you can go ahead and pull out my private diary. It’s on my desk. You can easily cross-reference the dates then and finish the notes.”

  “I’ll be happy to do that in the morning for you,” I chimed, pulling my purse tighter into me and making a move for the hallway that would take me away from Mark Allen.

  Even now, as he stood before me filled with arrogance, I wanted to lean against him. I could smell the faint aroma of musk and cinnamon in the air whenever he was around. How did someone who was so cold smell so warm?

  “No. You seem to misunderstand the terms of your employment. When your boss says you do something, you do it. I’m ordering you to stay.” Mark held up his chin as he spoke to me.

  He seemed taller now than he did a minute ago, taking up more space in the room, but I wasn’t intimidated by him. Hurt pricked in my heart at the tone of voice he used, and I pulled up all the courage I had, squaring my own shoulders back.

  “I’m going to see my dad, who is old and not in the best shape of his life. I don’t care what you prioritize, but family comes first to me. I belong to you from 9 am to 5 pm—and not a minute more. The extra work I put in is of my own accord. If you need something I can’t do, call the admin pool. They’ll help you out. For now, Mr. Allen, I’m going home. I’ll take care of the problem in the morning,” I said icily. My words were clipped as I hissed them between my teeth.

  Mark looked taken aback for a second, but it quickly passed into anger. His gray eyes darkened into a hard gaze, and he set his jaw firmly. His arms folded over his chest. And I couldn’t help myself—he looked amazing.

  My heart fluttered in my chest as I watched him stand over me, glowering with contempt.

  I nodded my head and high-tailed it down the corridor before he could utter a word of the argument I saw brimming behind his eyes.

  He needed to realize I wasn’t a doll he could play with and toss around as he pleased.

  I rushed into the safety of the elevator and breathed a sigh of relief when the doors closed. My thighs were shaking, and I wanted to slap myself silly.

  Fantasies of Mark sweeping me off my feet and down the elevator to a waiting car filled my head as each chime from the elevator sounded in the air. Working with him was going to be more of a problem tha
n I thought.

  Chapter 8: Mark

  T he whiskey hit the back of my throat and fire seared down my gullet. I took another shot before the first hit my belly.

  The last two days felt as if they’d dragged on for ages. Nicole was everywhere. The smell of gardenia and rose water followed her—even my office had the faint smell of it after only two days of her presence.

  I slurped back the last sip of my whiskey. I wanted another one, but I didn’t have time. John had set me up on one of his many blind dates.

  I slapped a crisp 20 on the bar top and made my way out into the Manhattan streets.

  The Ale House was a short two-minute walk from the office and along the same street, which made it easy for after-work drinks. Normally, a few people from work would get together here for happy hour.

  I only knew this because I recognized some of them. They never asked me to join, and if they did recognize me, they always left me alone.

  Tonight, I didn’t bother scanning the room for familiar faces. It was a little after six, and the busy 5 pm rush had died down to a slight throb in the streets. Bodies still rushed from one block to the next, but it wasn’t as frenzied as the hour before.

  Thankfully, John knew my habits, and the restaurant I was supposed to meet my blind date in was two blocks from the office.

  I thought about taking a car, but if I walked, I wouldn’t have to take her back home in my own car. I never used taxis, so it would be easy to part ways after the date.

  I knew what John was doing. He didn’t want me to entangle myself with Nicole and have her quit because we got involved in a sexual relationship. His meddling was getting beyond the point of annoying now, and I felt frustrated.

  I didn’t need him interfering by setting me up on a blind date with someone.

  But you’d sleep with Nicole otherwise.

  I pushed the thought out of my head. It annoyed me that my own brothers seemed to know me so well. Was no part of me a mystery to them anymore?

  The bustle of bodies cleared up as I walked away from the main street and off into a quieter block. John had picked my favorite restaurant—Peixe Casa. It was a smaller restaurant and not as fancy as the others, but their seafood was fresh and some of the best I’d ever eaten in Manhattan. It had made it all the more difficult for me to reject this blind date.

  Within a few more steps, I found myself standing outside the entrance to the restaurant. The desire to turn around and go back to work beat deep inside me. I didn’t want to make polite small talk for the next hour or two. Yet, I couldn’t flake on her. It wouldn’t look good, and I wasn’t the type of man to leave a woman hanging like this. People thought of me as a jerk, but I wasn’t that much of a jerk.

  Besides, if she reported back to John that I didn’t show up, he’d have me by the balls. And I liked my balls right where they were for the moment.

  I steeled myself and entered the restaurant. It was small, but that didn’t stop them from maximizing their space and setting the atmosphere. Simple dark wood tables were placed symmetrically around the restaurant, a light classical music played over hidden speakers, and the smell of lilies and roses filled the room. I was always amazed that for a seafood restaurant, they managed to have the dining room smell so wonderful.

  There she was. I didn’t need to ask the waiter for her table number, since I recognized Saskia Lotta instantly. I groaned inwardly, wondering if it was still too late to back out of the date.

  Saskia threw her hand up into the air and waved me down, shouting out my name. Yep, too late. She saw me.

  I pushed the grimace off my face and made my way to her table. A few months ago, John had thrown a networking party, and I remembered him introducing me to Saskia then. She was interested, but I wasn’t, and her overbearing personality had instantly turned me off.

  This was about to be one long dinner.

  “Markie Mark, hello! I’m so excited John set us up,” Saskia cried out in excitement.

  She wore a low-cut black dress that amplified her cleavage, which I had to admit was stunning. Her black hair was styled into soft waves that fell around her shoulders, and her piercing blue eyes looked directly into mine.

  She almost resembled Snow White, if Snow White was a racy and overtly sexual woman.

  “It’s nice to see you this evening, Saskia,” I said simply.

  In the past, I might have gone out with Saskia, even spent a week or three with her in my bed, but I didn’t find her attractive. On the outside, Saskia was drop-dead gorgeous, and I could tell by the glances other men threw our way that they thought so, too.

  So, why wasn’t I interested?

  I didn’t care about Saskia when I first met her, and she hadn’t exactly changed my opinion tonight. But I felt more than my usual desire to turn and run, and I couldn’t place my finger on it. Perhaps I didn’t want to face the truth.

  Nicole.

  Her name came to my mind instantly, and I buried it deep in my chest. I didn’t want to think about her tonight.

  A waiter came and went, and we ordered our meals. As we waited, I didn’t need to say much. Saskia jabbered on about her day and her job. She was a human rights lawyer for another firm across town. That was probably why John thought we would be a good match. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes in front of her.

  “Do you like your food?” I asked arbitrarily. To be honest, I couldn’t even remember what she had ordered.

  I stared down at my own plate. The catch of the day, I think it was. John had successfully managed to ruin my favorite restaurant for me. I could barely focus on my food with Saskia’s voice constantly in my ear. I made a mental note to pay him back for this one.

  “It’s lovely. I am enjoying my company even more, though,” Saskia said, her voice got lower as she spoke.

  “It’s a lovely evening.” My own voice was clipped. I didn’t want to encourage her. Sadly, she seemed to take this as a challenge.

  “You know, I don’t exactly like the dessert here. Maybe we could go back to your place and rummage something up?” Saskia asked, leaning into me and placing her hand over mine.

  I stared down at her hand as it reached for mine. She twirled her fingers over the palm of my hand, and I found myself wishing the fingers were Nicole’s. I wanted to be sitting here with Nicole.

  I didn’t care about Saskia’s day or her plate of food, but I wanted to be let into Nicole’s world.

  I moved my hand away from Saskia, trying to stop the thoughts that were flooding my brain. Saskia was beautiful, but apparently, my body preferred Nicole. There was no comparison.

  Saskia looked hurt for a moment, and then I felt her foot caress along my ankle and work itself up my calf. This was too much. Images of Nicole’s face flashed across my mind, and I wondered what her face would look like if she was the one sitting across from me.

  “Enough.”

  “Markie Mark, come on,” Saskia cooed, reaching her hand out for me.

  I couldn’t take this date anymore, and I certainly couldn’t take her attempts at flirting with me. Annoyance at the world surged inside me, but mostly I was angry at myself for even giving Nicole space in my head.

  “The name’s Mark,” I said icily. The sharpness in my voice could cut steel. I was tired of this.

  Why pretend to be something I wasn’t? Sooner or later, Saskia would find out I was an asshole, and she would leave. Why not cut to the chase and show her the real me? I would be doing her a favor in the long run.

  “I thought you wanted to come on this date,” Saskia said as she pouted her lower lip. She looked like a petulant child.

  “Stop being childish. I didn’t even know it was with you, and I’m not interested. Besides, you look foolish with your lip hanging out like that.” I shrugged and sat back in my chair.

  My plate of food was half-finished, but I had lost my appetite somewhere between Saskia touching my hand and my thoughts of Nicole.

  I could feel her rage simmering across the table, but
I didn’t care. I wanted her to leave.

  “Another whiskey over here, please.” I signaled to the waiter and made a sign for him to bring the bill with, as well.

  “Are you really ending the date like this?” she demanded, but I chose to ignore her. The answer was obvious. I’d asked for the bill, and I was done with this date.

  Saskia sat still for a few more moments, watching me ignore her as I looked around the restaurant.

  There were happy couples all around us. A few families were scattered amongst them, and then there was us. A pang of sadness settled in my chest. I didn’t think I would ever experience the love I saw at some of these tables.

  I stole a glance at Saskia and shook my head. I would never feel that way about her. I didn’t want to waste her time—or mine.

  Pushing her chair back, Saskia stood up abruptly. Angry tears welled in her eyes, her mouth set in a grim line—an improvement from the earlier pouting, at least.

  She stormed off without another word, and I heard the front door to the restaurant slam. I sighed in relief as silence enveloped me. The air felt lighter without her presence and the need for pretense.

  “Another one bites the dust?” a man asked me as he laid the bill on the table and my glass of whiskey in front of me.

  “Earl, I’m better off alone,” I quipped at the waiter and handed him my card.

  “Not forever,” Earl said, shrugging his shoulders as he ran my card plus the standard 25 percent tip I always left.

  I’d been coming here long enough that I knew most of the permanent staff by name. Earl was my favorite.

  He was a twenty-something kid straight out of college, waiting until he found the right job in his field. For now, though, being a waiter paid his bills in this ridiculously expensive city.

  “One day is one day, and you’re going to find someone who weasels their way into your mind and heart,” Earl said, leaving me to go tend to other patrons.