Business tip for the day: if your future employment at the day job is already in peril, don't let your boss find you passed out at your desk, drooling all over a set of loan documents.
I was dreaming that I was in a meeting at the day job. I'd fallen asleep in the conference room, and I couldn't wake up. Everyone was hitting me with various office supplies, and I was trying desperately to wake up, but I couldn't get myself to open my eyes, couldn't find the strength to lift my head.
"Paris?" An insistent knocking started bugging me. "Paris. Wake up."
I sat up quickly, blinking at the sight of my very hot boss standing in my doorway, the corners of his mouth curving in poorly hidden amusement. Damn. I'd been dreaming that I'd been dreaming. In actuality, I had been sleeping at my desk and I'd been totally busted.
Crap.
I wiped the drool off my cheek and tried to think of a really good explanation. "I have narcolepsy."
Thad Wilkins was maybe a couple years older than me, and he took his bank career very seriously, as evidenced by the fact he was considerably higher than me on the career hierarchy at NorthEast Savings Bank. Like Will the hottie scientist, Thad didn't fit his role. He might be a banker, but there was an oozing sexuality about him that reminded me of a predatory cat. All muscle, and sinew and stealth, like he could sneak up behind me and eliminate my defenses before I had time to take a breath.
Since the day he'd taken over as my boss six months ago and introduced himself to me over coffee, there'd been an undercurrent of something between us. Maybe that was why we'd never gone to coffee since. He was my boss, I was his underling, I was already engaging in the occasional midnight massage with Will, and I still had ex-hubby baggage, yet there was something about Thad and I was pretty sure he felt the same way about me.
Scary stuff that had no room in my life, thanks so much.
But that didn't mean I was able to keep myself from leaning back in my chair and letting him wash over me when he leaned on my doorframe in that casual, cat-like way. Too bad the drool incident probably meant that he wasn't entertaining the same thoughts about me.
There's something not sexy about a girl with saliva hanging off her face, you know?
"Got a minute, Paris?"
"Sure." My heart started beating a little faster, as it always did when I was in close proximity to him. "Anything for you, Boss." I used his title just as a little reminder to both of us. I'd never had a boss I was attracted to before. Especially not when I was already dating someone else, though technically I was free to sleep with anyone I wanted, as was Will. My attraction to Thad was more than a little unsettling. On the other hand, it also made for some nice daydreams during boring staff meetings.
I hopped up and cleared a stack of files off my client chair, catching a whiff of his scent as I moved past him. Thad smelled like soap. Clean, fresh, well-scrubbed. No cologne or other falsities. He was what he was, and it was enough for me.
Crap. What was I thinking?
Sleep deprivation or not, it was time to get a grip.
top
