Professional Boundaries

by Jennifer Peel

  Professional Boundaries

  Jennifer Peel

  Jennifer Peel (2014)

  * * *

  Rating: ****

  Tags: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Fiction

  Literature & Fictionttt Romancettt Contemporaryttt Contemporary Fictionttt

  At thirty two, Kelli Bryant is ready to take on the world, and Chandler Media, as the new Marketing Director, but her plans are derailed when her promotion is given to none other than Ian Greyson, Kelli’s old college flame, her one true love and the one man she hoped to never see again.

  Between Kelli’s determination to remain on top and Ian’s strict new office policies, there’s no shortage of fireworks in the office. Their explosive relationship spills over into their personal lives as Kelli tries to keep Ian at arm’s length and Ian desperately tries to win her back (during off hours only, of course).

  Professional Boundaries is a clean romance filled with fun and humor. It is a story of two professionals who just can't keep it professional.

  Professional Boundaries

  By Jennifer Peel

  © 2014 by Jennifer Peel. All Rights reserved.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader or share it through the Kindle lending feature. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy through Amazon Kindle. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  To my sisters, Amanda and Jessica. I love you girls. And to all my friends who have been like sisters. You know who you are. Thank you for all the laughter and tears.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  “You know I’m crazy about you, right?”

  “Yes, but I’m crazier for you,” would have usually been my response. But not tonight. Believe me, I was more than crazy for him. I was head over heels, shut the front door, stop the presses in love with him, and I had decided tonight was the night I was going to tell him. Before I did, I reached up on my tiptoes, tugged on his shirt to pull him closer, and kissed those lips of his once. Then I went for the gold. “I love you, Ian Greyson.”

  He immediately stepped back with a troubled look on his handsome face.

  Ok, it wasn’t the reaction I wanted, but this was Ian, so I wasn’t too surprised. After all, I was the one who pursued him. Even though he thought I was too young, he eventually relented. I was eighteen at the time, and he was twenty-five going on sixty. I smiled nervously and stepped closer to him. “Ian, it’s ok if you don’t say it back right now. I just couldn’t hold it in any longer.” I wrapped my arms around him, waiting for him to reciprocate, but he was stiffer than his starched collar. “Ian?”

  “Kelli, you’re too young to be in love.”

  I looked up at him and laughed. “Did you really just say that?” Sometimes he sounded like my Dad.

  “Why do you have to complicate things?” He sounded angry.

  “How is me loving you complicating things? Because, FYI, I’ve been in love with you for months.”

  It was true, and I had calculus to blame. I was a pretty smart girl; I even had a full-ride to my little private college set against the beautiful Rocky Mountains in Colorado. But for some reason, I couldn’t get calculus, and I needed to in order to keep my full-ride. That’s when I met Ian. He was in grad school, completing his MBA, and to make some extra money, he tutored. It was the best money my Dad ever spent.

  I’ll never forget the first time I saw him sitting in the campus library, looking more serious than any twenty-five year old should. But there was something about him. I don’t think most women noticed him, and that was a shame because once you got past his serious exterior, he was really a very charming and considerate fellow—and he was actually a looker, but that was muted by his clothing and quiet, serious mannerisms. He had dark brown hair with a slight curl that just begged you to run your hands through it, and he had Hershey Kiss eyes and a strong jaw line that was always cleanly shaven and smooth. He was like a Clark Kent; he even had the glasses to match, but he dressed like a forty year old in khakis and polos. To me, though, he was adorable.

  “This wasn’t in my plan. I’m not ready for this kind of commitment,” he stammered.

  Ian had his whole life mapped out, and he wanted to map mine out, too, but I refused. Sure, I liked goals and a rough outline, but I also liked the freedom to do what seemed right in the moment, regardless of plans. Besides, I was young and he was too, but somehow he always forgot that. Don’t get me wrong, I loved his drive and dedication, but he really needed to simmer down sometimes. I succeeded, once in a while, in getting him to take it down a notch or two, but it was a hard job—a job I dearly loved.

  “Ian, I’m not asking you to commit to me for life … yet,” I teased.

  He didn’t look amused at all, so I just kept talking.

  “I’m happy where we’re at. I just wanted you to know how I feel. I’m not expecting anything from you.”

  He looked at me wryly, and then he began to pace back and forth in front of my apartment. I stood in front of the door and watched him as a cool summer breeze began. I had decided to stay the summer term after my freshman year, because of him, instead of going back home to Tennessee. I was beginning to wonder if that was a mistake now.

  As he walked past me, I grabbed onto his hand. “Ian …”

  He looked at me with eyes as hard as stone. I wasn’t sure I had ever seen him look so cold; it gave me shivers in the warm summer air.

  “Why did you have to ruin everything, Kelli?”

  My eyes started to water. In the nine months we had been dating, Ian had never made me cry.

  “Ian, what are you saying? Just forget I said anything. I’m sorry.”

  He let go of my hand. “I’m sorry too, Kelli.”

  And that was it. He left me standing there, inconsolable with tears silently falling down my cheeks, feeling like January in July.

  Chapter 1

  I looked longingly at my apartment complex’s pool as I walked to my car. It was February, and I could almost taste spring. I knew I should probably enjoy the season because soon enough I’d be complaining about the heat and humidity Tennessee residents suffered through every spring and summer, but I felt like saying, “Bring it on.” The winter had been harsher than we southerners were used to. But, I reminded myself, I survived four winters in Colorado, almost decade ago.

  It was hard to believe that it had been that long since I had received my undergrad degree. That thought made me feel like I was all grown up, especially today of all days.

  My stomach fluttered at the thought of being promoted to Marketing Director of Chandler Media. I knew I wasn’t the only candidate in the running, though, so it wasn’t a done deal, but I was the only in-house candidate. Even though I knew I was young to be heading up a marketing firm, I’d p
roven myself as the Regional Marketing Manager, and I figured the cards were stacked in my favor. I knew the company in and out, and Gary, the owner and current Director, adored me. So did his wife, Holly. It also didn’t hurt that my idea for digital ad software was being adopted rapidly by our financial institution clients. And not to be immodest, but I was well liked and respected by my colleagues in the office. I had even won over some of the old-timers who had been passed over when I received my current position three years ago.

  My promotion then had definitely ruffled feathers, due to my age and the fact Gary and Holly were old family friends, but I had worked my butt off and I deserved it, if I do say so myself. Now Gary was ready to enjoy more time with Holly and his sons and grandkids, and I just hoped he trusted me enough to hand over the reins.

  I would sorely miss him, though. I loved sharing adjoining executive offices with him, and he was more than my boss, he was like a second father to me.

  I climbed into my Eos hard top convertible, which made me wish for spring again. I missed the fun and the freedom of having the wind blow through my hair and the sun beating down on me as I drove. It was like the car was begging for me to push the button and slide the top down. “Just a few more weeks,” I said out loud, as if the car was actually listening to me or really cared if its top was down.

  As I made my way through the early morning Nashville traffic, I could barely contain my excitement. I was meeting with Gary, who I fondly called Boss, first thing. I even dressed up for the occasion. Our office typically took a more casual approach, unless we had clients in the office, but with the way technology was now, that was a rarity. I’d done more conference calls than I could count. Personally, I liked face-to-face visits best, but they could be inconvenient and expensive. Today I definitely looked like I was ready for a face-to-face visit: I wore a classy charcoal gray dress that left no doubt I was a woman, and I went a little glam with my dark chocolate hair. To pull it all together, I brought out the red lipstick. It looked great with my fair skin and blue-green eyes. My look screamed, I’m ready to take on the world! … or at least Chandler Media.

  When I pulled into our office parking lot, there were already a few cars there. I noticed Boss’ midlife-crisis Camaro. I shook my head and laughed when I remembered Holly telling Boss she didn’t mind the car, but if he ever decided to indulge in other midlife crisis activities, he would be sleeping in that car. I knew Boss would never, he still looked at Holly like a man that had wandered in the desert and she was a tall glass of cool water. Then I noticed Delfia’s car. She was the most fabulous executive admin assistant ever. She almost always beat me to the office. Then there was a stylish white Infiniti. I smiled and wondered who got the new car, but then I noticed the Colorado license plates. Weird, I thought.

  The license plate made me reminisce. I loved Colorado. I missed the Rocky Mountains, with the hiking and camping in the summer and the amazing powder for skiing in the winter. It was the only time I enjoyed snow. I think I would have stayed there if I hadn’t been a lovesick fool. Everything in Colorado had reminded me of Ian, so I just couldn’t stay. As soon as I graduated, I hightailed it out of there. Never mind, this was not the morning to think of Ian. Actually, no morning was. He wasn’t deserving of my thoughts.

  I took a deep breath and tried to cleanse my thoughts of the evil Ian, killer of dreams and love. I began to repeat in my head, Director of Marketing at Chandler Media, Kelli Bryant. It sounded perfect. I chanted it to myself silently as I walked in through the empty reception area. It was only seven-thirty, and we didn’t open until eight. By the time I made it to the staircase, I was feeling cleansed of the evil that was Ian. With my thoughts back on track, I took the stairs practically two at a time to the executive level. This was going to be an incredible day. I could feel it.

  As I walked toward Delfia’s desk, which sat outside and between the adjoining offices Boss and I shared, I noticed her humming away, busy as a bee. I admired her so much. She was the epitome of someone that took lemons and made the best lemonade you would ever taste. At forty-two, with two practically grown children, her husband left her. He was the world’s biggest idiot, but she picked herself up by the bootstraps and did what she had to do. She’d been working for us for the last couple of years, and I didn’t know what we would ever do without her.

  When she noticed me approach, she smiled. “Good morning, you hot little thing.”

  Did I mention how much I loved this woman? I posed, movie star style. “Do you love the new dress?”

  “Yes, if only I could fit into it,” she replied.

  I laughed at her and rolled my eyes. She looked great. I could only hope to look so good in my forties. I noticed Boss’ door was closed. That was odd. “Is Boss here?”

  She gave me a funny look. “Yes, he’s meeting with some gentleman that wasn’t on the appointment calendar.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Huh. Did you catch a name?”

  “No, but he asked about you?”

  “Really?”

  She grinned mischievously. “He was quite attractive. Is there someone you’re not telling me about?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Delfia, I’m trying a new tactic. I thought I would have Boss interview all potential new suitors at seven-thirty in the morning. This way he can weed out all the morons and save me the trouble.”

  She laughed at my sarcasm, but honestly, it wasn’t a bad idea. I should consider it. “So, no name, huh?”

  “No ma’am, but he seemed anxious to see you. He kept asking when you would be in.”

  More and more curious.

  “Well … ok.”

  I walked into my office, and the door between mine and Boss’ offices was closed too. Just for curiosity’s sake, I checked to see if it was locked, and to my surprise, it was. He never locked that door. I was more than intrigued to know who he might be meeting with at such an early hour. Maybe he was interviewing him to take my current position.

  That made sense, so I relaxed a little and began to think of anyone I knew that would be a good candidate. While I thought, I started up my laptop and scrolled my phone for any new messages. There weren’t any messages and I couldn’t come up with any ideas of who it might be, so I walked back out to ask Delfia what he looked like; maybe I could guess then.

  But before I could say anything, Delfia beat me to the punch. “Are you still taking the belly dancing class at the Y?”

  I smiled. “Yes.” I turned to show her my backside. “Can’t you tell by the way my butt looks?”

  It was then I noticed, too late, that Delfia wasn’t my only audience. While she laughed, I stood there mortified. I no longer needed to gather any more clues as to who Boss was meeting with. It was someone I thought I once knew very well, someone I thought I would never see again. It was the one person I didn’t need to think about this morning.

  “Ian,” I practically gasped.

  I could feel my face redden and my heart rate increase. I couldn’t believe he was here and that he’d just heard me tell Delfia to check out my butt. Could someone please shoot me now?

  He cleared his throat. “Kelli.”

  I stood up straighter and tried to gain my composure, but that was a little difficult under the circumstances. Had it been Boss that just witnessed my headiness, we would all be laughing right now, but no, it had to have been Ian. I was sure the man upstairs hated me, or I was just such a good source of entertainment he couldn’t help it. It didn’t help matters either that Ian looked, um … let’s just say freaking amazing. I wasn’t sure what he had been doing for the last twelve-and-a-half years, but it looked like a stylist had gotten a hold of him. He was in a tailored black suit that fit him to the tee, the glasses were gone, and he’d grown out his hair slightly. It looked even more deserving of fingers running through it.

  All he needed was a runway.

  “What are you doing here?” I spluttered.

  Just as he started to answer, Boss walked out. “Kelli, my girl
, you’re already here. Good, I see you’ve met Ian.” Boss sounded unusually nervous.

  It was making me nervous. I looked at Ian and raised my eyebrow. He, too, looked nervous. I wondered why Boss thought this was our first meeting. Fine, I’ll play along, I thought. “No, I haven’t had the pleasure yet.” I walked toward Ian with an evil grin on my face.

  He was looking a little panicked now.

  I held out my hand. “I’m Kelli Bryant.” I wanted to throw in, “Remember me, the girl who loved you? But since that wasn’t in your plans, you decided to just walk away and pretend like I never existed?”

  He held out his hand, but he looked wary.

  I kept up the act and shook it. I didn’t want to touch him, but what else could I do under the circumstances? As soon as we touched, I felt a surge of warmth. Not good. While we shook hands, I tried to dismiss my conditioned reaction to him.

  He stared into my confused eyes. “Ian Greyson. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  I smirked at his mock sincerity. For a moment, I thought he was going to smile, but that was very un-Ian like. He did squeeze my hand once before letting it go, though. I took the opportunity to look toward Boss. I wanted to know what the heck Ian Greyson was doing here. Boss looked redder than a chili pepper, and his balding head had beads of perspiration on it.

  “So what are you gentleman up to this morning?” I was never one to stand on ceremony.

  They looked at each other before they looked at me. Why did I feel like this didn’t bode well for me?

  “Kelli, can I talk to you in my office, dear?”

  Yeah, this wasn’t good. He never called me dear; honey yes, but never dear. I looked back at Delfia, and she knew too. Boss looked at Delfia too. “Delfia, could you please get Ian some coffee.”

  He was staying?

  “Gary, is there somewhere I could set up my laptop?” Ian asked.